Card facts for kids

A card is usually a small, flat piece of stiff paper or plastic. Cards are used for many different things, like playing games, sending messages, or storing information. You probably use cards every day without even thinking about it!

Types of Cards

Cards for Fun and Messages

• Playing cards are used in many games, like poker or solitaire. A standard deck usually has 52 cards, each with a suit (like hearts or spades) and a rank (like a number or a face card).
• Greeting cards are special cards you send to friends or family for holidays, birthdays, or to say thank you. They often have pictures and a message inside.
• Postcards are small cards with a picture on one side and space for a short message and address on the other. People often send them when they are traveling to show where they are.

Cards for Information and Money

• Business cards are small cards that people give out to share their contact information, like their name, job, phone number, and email.
• Magnetic stripe cards are plastic cards that have a dark stripe on the back. This stripe stores information that can be read by a machine.
  • Credit cards let you buy things now and pay for them later. You borrow money from a bank and then pay it back, usually with interest.
  • Debit cards let you pay for things directly from your bank account. When you use a debit card, the money is taken out of your account right away.
  • Smart cards are like magnetic stripe cards but they have a small computer chip built into them. This chip can store more information and is often more secure.
• Membership cards show that you are a member of a club, library, or organization. They might let you get special discounts or access certain places.
• Telephone cards used to be popular for paying for phone calls from public phones, especially before cell phones were common.
• Visiting cards are similar to business cards but were traditionally used to introduce yourself when visiting someone's home.

Cards for Computers

• Memory cards are tiny cards used to store digital information for devices like cameras, phones, or computers. They let you save photos, videos, and other files.
• In computers, a card can also mean a small electronic board that plugs into the computer to add new features.
  • A sound card helps your computer play sounds and music.
  • A video card (also called a graphics card) helps your computer show images and videos on your screen, especially important for games and movies.

Sports Teams Nicknamed "Cards"

Some sports teams are nicknamed "Cards" because of their full names:

• The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team.
• The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team.

Images for kids

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  A friendly robot often used in educational content.