Skip Bo Card Game

Count Your Way to Victory

• What: Skip Bo Card Game
• When: 4 years and up
• Why: Fun, educational, affordable
• Where: Amazon

Do you remember playing Skip Bo as a child? Maybe it’s been years since you’ve seen these brightly colored numbered cards. If you can only vaguely recall the fun, we’re here to remind you about this fast-paced luck of the draw game the whole family can enjoy.

Skip Bo Card Game in Decorative Tin on Amazon

Skip Bo comes with easy rules. Place cards in one of four numbered shared stacks in increasing sequential order. The first player to use all their stockpile cards wins. Each player can also maintain up to four holding areas for cards, but they can only use the top card from those piles. Players take turns drawing a card from the deck, then placing any cards they can in sequence. 

Start the game by dealing each player a stack of cards. Two to four players get 30 cards to begin the game. Five or more players start with 20 cards facedown in their stockpile. The remaining cards go into the draw pile shared by all players. On your turn, take cards from the draw pile until you have five cards in your hand. Then play any cards you can from your hand or the top face up card from your stockpile. Players may only add to a building pile in sequential order, and each building pile must start with a one. If you have a Skip Bo card, it can be used as a substitute for any number. End your turn by placing one card in one of your four discard piles that only you can use.

Players only need number recognition and the ability to count to twelve, so this game works great for a variety of ages. Each person can play on their own, or you can partner to have access to another player’s discard piles. Want the game to end quickly? Start with fewer cards in the stockpiles. You can also choose to play multiple rounds and award points for winning each round as well as for the number of cards remaining in other players’ stock piles. Or play cooperatively to use all the cards. No matter which way you choose to play, everyone can enjoy the fun in this number sequencing game.