Our good friends the Slater family (John and Christine, Katy and Richard) taught us how to play a number of fun card games. They are designed for all the family. We hope you enjoy them. We will add to them whenever possible.

For more than four people two packs of cards are needed.

Each player is dealt three cards and starts with three lives. Place all the other cards face down with the top card turned over to make a discard pile.

Suits do not matter, it is the number of the cards that do.

Each player plays a card and adds the score up progressively. Thus if a six is played and then a seven this makes the running score 13.

Play continues until a player goes over 99. That player loses a life and another game starts.

Once a player has lost all three lives, he or she is out of the game.

This game requires two packs.

Each player has five lives and is dealt five cards. Once again suits do not matter.

The player on the left of the dealer starts by playing a card face up. If the next player matches this e.g a three with a three or queen with a queen, he or she shouts Snip and the previous player loses one life.

If the next player can match again e.g play a third consecutive three or third consecutive queen, they shout Snap and the previous player loses two lives.

If the next player can match again e.g play a fourth consecutive three or fourth consecutive queen, they shout Snorum and the previous player loses three lives.

Each player is dealt seven cards. If there are more than four players use two packs.

After dealing place the remainder of the pack or packs face down with the top car face up on a discard pile.

Each player then tries to match the exposed card either by suit or number e.g a seven with a seven or a diamond with another diamond.

If you can match the play goes to the next player. If you cannot match you have to take an additional card from the top of the face down pile.

There are a number of Special cards as follows.

An ace can be played at any time. When you get down to the last card you must shout "Last Card". If you fail to do so and are challenged you must pick up an additional five cards.

Deal all the cards out.

The player to the dealer's left starts by playing either a three, seven or Jack. If they cannot the play moves on to the next player until somebody can.

The next player plays as many cards as he can in succession until he/she comes to a stop. e.g the first player plays a three followed by a four and then passes. The next plays a five, six and that's a block and then he/she starts again with a 3, 7 or Jack.

This game is split into five rounds. One player is the dealer and fulfils only that function. After all five rounds the dealing passes to the next player on the left. A full game is when every player has had the chance to deal.

Each player starts with 10 points and gain and lose points as the game progresses. (Matchsticks or coins can also be used.

Round One - Colours

The dealer places a card face down in front of each player. The player guesses whether it is either a red or black card. If they are right they gain a point. If wrong they lose a point.

Round Two - Odd or Even

The dealer places a card face down in front of each player. The player guesses whether it is off or even. If they are correct they gain a point, if wrong they lose a point. Jack, Queen and King count as losses.

Round Three - Father, Mother, Baby, Pram

The player guesses which will turn up first out of King (Father), Queen (Mother), Jack (Baby) or Ace (Pram). The dealer turns cards up until one of these appears. If the player is correct they gain a point. If wrong they lose a point.

Round Four - Will the Clock Strike

The player guesses whether any cards will co-incide with their own number as the dealer turns them over e.g the dealer starts at one and works through to 12 in accordance with a clock. As they do this they speak the numbers out loud i.e one two three etc. If the turned up card co-incides the clock has struck. If it doesn't the clock has not strike. If the player gets it right they receive a point, if they chose wrong they lose a point. An ace counts as one, a jack is 11 and Queen is 12.

Put and Take

The dealer deals a hand of five cards face up to each player and then two hands of five face down for themselves. The dealer then choses one of his hands for the put section. He calls out each of his cards in turn, turning over from the top to the bottom. Any player matching the card from the dealer has to put in (or lose) a point for the first three cards and two points for the final two. The process is then repeated with the second hand only this time if you match the dealer you gain a point for the first three cards and two points for the final two.

This is a great game for children provided you don't mind excitement and noise.

A number of tea spoons are placed in the middle of the floor or table - one fewer than the number of players. Thus if there are six players there are only five spoons.

A hand of any form of Rummy is then played with players keeping their hands to themselves. The first person to have a complete hand takes a spoon. At that point all the other players grab for a spoon. The one left without one is eliminated and the next round starts with one less player and again one less spoon than the number of players. The game continues until only one player is left.