Although I don’t like to encourage gambling, the old Shell game is a very fun carnival game for kids! Just add flash cards to make it an Educational Carnival Game!
Instead of taking your child’s money, you will be improving their memory, concentration, and general knowledge. Once you turn plain old flash cards into this exciting new carnival game, you will be amazed at how eager your children are for learning time.
You will need: 3 large cups, flash cards that fit in the cups, and a reward like Popsicle sticks.
How to play this Carnival Game
Place the 3 cups in a row in front of your child. Tell your child to watch carefully because you are going to hide one of the flash cards in a cup. Start shuffling the cups around, being careful not to let the card fall out. Encourage your child to keep track of the cup that he thinks the card is in. You will want to adjust the speed at which you shuffle the cups depending on the age and ability of your child.
Next, have your little one choose the cup he thinks has the card. If he gets it wrong show him where the card is and then try to shuffle the cups again to see if he can find it. If he finds the card, have him tell you what is on the flash card to get a reward. If your child is having trouble finding the card you can use 2 cups instead of 3. If it is too easy for your child, add more cups.