Donkey (card game) facts for kids
Players aim to collect four cards of the same rank
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| Alternative names | Pig |
|---|---|
| Type | Collecting |
| Players | 3-13 (4-7 best) |
| Skills required | Stealth, memorising |
| Age range | 7+ |
| Deck | French |
| Play | Clockwise |
| Related games | |
| Happy Families, My Ship Sails, Spoons | |
Donkey, also known as Pig, is a fun card game where you try to collect a set of cards. It's best played with about five or six people. You use a standard 52-card French pack of playing cards. This game has different versions, like Spoons. It might even come from an old game called Vive l'Amour.
Contents
How to Play Donkey
Donkey is a game about being quick and paying attention! Here's how you play.
Getting Ready to Play
You use a regular 52-card deck. First, you need to take out some cards. You'll remove enough sets of four matching cards (like four Kings or four 7s) so that each player gets one set. For example, if you have six players, you'd use 24 cards. This would be six sets of four cards.
The game works best with 4 to 7 players. But up to 13 people can play! Any player can deal the cards. Each player gets four cards to start.
Playing the Game
Once everyone has their cards, the fun begins!
- Everyone looks at their cards.
- At the same time, each player chooses one card they don't want.
- They pass this card face down to the person on their left.
- This happens all at once, so you can't wait to see what card you get before choosing one to pass.
You keep doing this: pick a card, pass it left. This continues until one player collects a full set of four matching cards. This set is called a book.
When you get a book, don't shout it out! Quietly put your cards down. Then, touch your nose and keep your finger there. As other players notice you, they will do the same thing. The very last player to touch their nose loses the round. They are the Donkey (or Pig)!
Fun Game Variations
There are different ways to play Donkey, which makes it even more exciting!
Spoons
Spoons is a very popular version of Donkey. The main goal is still the same: be the first to collect a set of four matching cards.
- Setup: You can play with two or more people. You'll need one or more 52-card decks. Place a number of spoons in the middle of the playing area. There should always be one less spoon than the number of players. Make sure the spoon handles are easy to grab!
- Dealing: The dealer gives four cards to each player. The rest of the cards become a "stock" pile.
- Playing:
- The dealer takes the top card from the stock. They can either keep it and discard one of their hand cards, or just discard the new card.
- The discarded card is passed face down to the player on their left.
- Each player then chooses a card from their hand to discard. They pass it to the player on their left.
- The last player in the circle discards their card into a "wastepile" next to the stock.
- This continues. If the stock pile runs out, the dealer starts drawing from the wastepile.
- Grabbing Spoons: As soon as a player gets a set of four matching cards, they quickly grab a spoon! When other players see this, they also grab a spoon.
- The Loser: The player who doesn't get a spoon is the loser of the round.
You can play Spoons in a few ways:
- The loser is out of the game. The game continues with fewer players each round.
- Or, the loser gets a letter from the word "SPOON" (like "S" for the first loss, "P" for the second, and so on). If they collect all the letters to spell "SPOON," they are out of the game. The game keeps going until only one player is left, and they are the overall winner!
Spoons Game Strategies
Want to get better at Spoons? Here are some tricks:
- Bluffing: You are allowed to pretend you're going for a spoon! You can reach for a spoon without actually touching it. This might trick other players into grabbing a spoon too early, which could make them lose.
- Watch the Spoons: Always keep an eye on the spoons in the middle. Make sure no one grabs one without you noticing!
- Eyes Off Cards: Some players try to play without looking at their cards much. They just pass cards along while focusing on the spoons. This helps them be ready to grab a spoon fast!
Other Fun Versions
- Extreme Spoons: Instead of putting the spoons right in the middle, place them somewhere a little harder to reach nearby. This makes grabbing them even more exciting!
- Joker Spoons: Add jokers to the deck. These cards can be used as any card you want, making it easier to get a set of four!
- Tongue: This version is like Donkey, but instead of touching your nose, the first player to get a set of four cards sticks out their tongue. The last person to stick out their tongue loses!
