How to Teach Kids Five Crowns: A Simple Family How-To

Quick answer

Teach Five Crowns to kids by starting with a two-player, three-round practice game using only books and runs. Set up the double deck, deal three cards each, flip one card to start the discard pile, and play with the rotating wild card shown on the round card. Keep score with a simple tally instead of full points for the first few games.

Set up the deck so kids can see the five suits

Five Crowns uses a double deck with five suits: spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, and stars. Before dealing, spread the cards face up and let your child name each suit. This step prevents confusion later when they need to sort a mixed hand. Remove the round cards and place them in order from 3 to 13. Each round uses a different wild card, starting with 3s and ending with Kings. The game isn’t over ‘til the Kings go wild! Deal three cards to each player for round one and place the rest face down as a draw pile. Flip the top card to start the discard pile. A common mistake is skipping the suit tour; without it, kids may treat stars as a separate game instead of a fifth suit.

Teach books and runs with a three-card hand

In round one, each player has three cards. The goal is to arrange your entire hand into books (three or more of the same rank) or runs (three or more consecutive cards in the same suit). With only three cards, the target is simple: either three of a kind or a three-card run. Show your child one example of each using cards from the deck. Then let them sort their own hand while you watch. Ask them to say the cards out loud as they move them. A common mistake is letting kids hold too many cards too soon; three cards keep the decision small and the win visible. If they struggle, reduce to two-card runs for a practice round, then return to the real rules.

Run the turn sequence with a draw-and-discard routine

On each turn, a player draws one card from the draw pile or the discard pile, then discards one card. The discarded card can be the one just drawn or any card from the hand. For kids, the draw pile is usually easier because it hides the card. The discard pile is tempting but requires remembering what is there. Let them choose, but remind them that the discard pile is face up for everyone. After discarding, play moves to the next player. Continue until one player can arrange their whole hand into books and runs and discards their final card. That player goes out and ends the round. A common mistake is letting a child discard a card they just arranged into a run; ask them to point to their books and runs before discarding.

Explain the rotating wild card round by round

Each round has a different wild card, shown on the round card. Round one uses 3s as wild. Round two uses 4s, and so on until Kings are wild in the final round. The wild card can substitute for any card in a book or run. When a new round starts, place the new round card where everyone can see it. Say the wild rank out loud before dealing. A common mistake is forgetting which rank is wild after a few turns. A simple checkpoint: ask your child to name the wild card before they draw. If they cannot, pause and point to the round card. This keeps the rotating wild from becoming a hidden rule.

Keep score with a low-pressure family tally

At the end of a round, the player who went out scores zero. Every other player adds up the value of the cards left in their hand. Number cards are worth their face value, and face cards and wild cards have higher values. For a first family game, skip the full point total and give one tally mark per leftover card instead. This keeps the math quick and the focus on sorting and runs. After two or three practice rounds, switch to the real scoring. A common mistake is letting scorekeeping slow the game; use a small notepad and write each player’s tally before the next deal. Five Crowns is a five-suited rummy-style card game that appeals to a wide array of card players, so expect the scoring to become part of the fun once kids know the card values.

Five steps to teach Five Crowns to kids

1. Step 1: Name the five suits: Spread the deck face up and have your child point to spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, and stars. Then deal three cards each for round one. Checkpoint: your child can name all five suits before the first draw.
2. Step 2: Build a three-card book or run: Show one example of three of a kind and one example of three consecutive cards in the same suit. Let your child sort their hand and say the cards out loud. Checkpoint: they can show you either a book or a run using all three cards.
3. Step 3: Practice one turn: Have them draw from the draw pile, then discard one card. Remind them to point to their books and runs before choosing a discard. Checkpoint: they discard a card that is not part of their arranged hand.
4. Step 4: Announce the wild card each round: Place the round card where everyone can see it. Say the wild rank out loud, starting with 3s and ending with Kings. Checkpoint: your child can name the wild card before they draw.
5. Step 5: Score with a simple tally: For the first few games, give one tally mark per leftover card instead of full points. Switch to real scoring once the sorting feels automatic. Checkpoint: the game ends without a meltdown over math.

The deck that makes teaching easier

• FIVE CROWNS WATERPROOF CARD GAME: Five Crowns is a five-suited rummy-style card game with a unique double deck that contains five suits: spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, and stars. The fifth suit gives kids more ways to build runs, which means fewer dead hands and less frustration when they are learning.
• FIVE CROWNS WATERPROOF CARD GAME: The rotating wild card keeps players on their toes, and the game isn’t over ‘til the Kings go wild! The round card system gives you a natural checkpoint to announce the wild rank before each deal, which prevents confusion during play.