Sevens is based on counting up and counting down skills, and can become an excellent game of strategy. Children learn to block other players by holding cards back. It is best to teach the game in stages.

Take all the diamonds from a pack of cards and then set the Jack, Queen and King of diamonds to one side.

Shuffle the remaining 10 cards and deal them out between the players. Some players may have one more card than the others, but this does not matter.

Players hold their cards in a fan so that they can’t be seen by others.

The player with the 7 of diamonds puts it down, face up, on the table.

If the next player, to the left, has the 6 or 8 it down, they put it below or above the 7, making a column. If they do not have the 7 or 8, they miss their go. If a player can put a card down, they must do so and must not pass.

Play passes on, with players putting down their cards in order, by adding to the column, ascending or descending, if they can, when it is their go and missing a go when they can’t. The winner is the first player to get rid of all their cards.

Once children are confident, play using the Ace to 10 of spades as well, which will gives 20 cards in total. The 7 of diamonds still starts, then the next player can put down the 6 or 8 of diamonds, or the 7 of spades, if they have either of them.

 Gradually add in the Jacks, then the Queens, and then the Kings.

 Eventually introduce the clubs and hearts, to play with the whole pack.

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣