Remember playing musical chairs and the feeling of excited anticipation in the hopes of grabbing a chair before the others did when the music stopped? Well, there’s no music here, but SPOONS will give you the same thrills. It’s one of our family favorites for old and young alike. Be warned: use a sturdy table. In the excitement, players have been known to lunge across the table in search of the silver spoon! 

Spoons is a fast paced game using a deck of cards and spoons. The game relies mostly on luck and a little strategy to collect a 4 of a kind by passing cards quickly from player to player to collect a 4 of a kind. When a 4 of a kind is collected, players attempt to grab a spoon before they are gone. The player left spoonless gains one letter from the name of the game: S-P-O-O-N-S. If a player completes the word, they are out of the game. The last player not completing the word wins. 

• Ages 8+
• 30 minute game play
• 3-13 players
• Large group compatible

Overview

Be the only player to not spell the word S-P-O-O-N-S. Players gain a letter when they do not collect a spoon at the end of each round. 

Game Set Up

Spoons are played with a deck of playing cards and enough spoons for each player minus one. Printable instructions & score card

The spoons are placed in the center of the table in reach of all players. 4 cards are dealt to each player. The remaining cards (if there are any) are placed to the right of the dealer, becoming the draw pile. Game plays clockwise. 

Game Play

The game begins by the dealer picking up one card from the draw pile.

That player chooses whether to keep it or discard it to their left, creating a draw pile for the next player.

If they choose to keep the card draw, another card from their hand must be discarded into the same pile for the next player. Again, they pick up from the draw pile, decide whether to keep it, or decide which card to place in the pile to the left. 

Simultaneously, the next player takes the top card from their draw pile. They also choose whether to keep it or discard it to their left, creating a draw pile for the next player. If they choose to keep the card draw, another card from their hand must be discarded into the same pile for the next player. Players may have no more than 5 cards in their hand at any time. 

Play continues as described above until one player collects a 4 of a kind. That player grabs a spoon from the center of the table. Once a spoon has been grabbed, everyone else can grab a spoon. The player left without a spoon receives one letter: S-P-O-O-N-S to their name. 

 The player to the left of the dealer begins the next round. Cards are shuffled, cards dealt, and the next round begins. 

When a player has collected all the letters in SPOONS, they are eliminated from the game. A spoon is removed, and the game continues. Reduce the number of spoons each time a player is eliminated. 

NOTE: You don’t have to say a word and can be stealthy when collecting a spoon. It’s up to the other players to notice a spoon has been taken.

Winning the Game

When a player collects all the letters in the word Spoons, they are eliminated. The last player standing wins!