Materials Needed

• One deck of playing cards
• Optional: Poker hand cheat sheet or printout
• Space for youth to move around

Setup Instructions

1. Shuffle the deck of cards.
2. Decide if you will use the whole deck or just part of it. For smaller groups, use face cards or just one suit.
3. Decide what kind of groupings you will call out. These can be poker hands like “four of a kind,” “flush,” or “straight.”
4. Have a space ready where youth can move, find groups, and talk easily.

How to Play

1. Give one card to each person in the group.
2. Call out a type of grouping (example: “four of a kind”).
3. Youth look at their cards and find others who match the grouping. For “four of a kind,” all jacks go together, all queens go together, and so on.
4. Players should hold their cards up so others can find their group.
5. Once in a group, each person shares three facts:
   • Their name
   • Their school and grade
   • A fun fact (you can give a theme for this, like “favorite movie” or “superpower you want”)
6. After a few minutes, call out a new grouping.
7. Repeat for as many rounds as time allows.

Notes and Variations

• For younger youth or those who don’t know poker hands, have a printed cheat sheet or help them figure it out.
• You can make up fun groupings like “odds and evens,” “black cards,” or “same suit.”
• Make sure everyone gets included. If someone doesn’t match a group, help them find one or make a group of singles.
• Use different fun questions each round to keep it interesting.
• Always remind youth to walk, not run, while moving to groups. Safety first.

See https://young-catholics.com/2055/game-of-cards-icebreaker/ for more information.