How to Play Farmyard Donkey Card Game

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A couple of weeks ago I posted the instructions for the card game Pairs on Wheels. Another popular traditional family card game is Farmyard Donkey.

Again, this game is fairly straight forward but a great way to keep children occupied and get them thinking.

The card game consists of 17 pairs and the "Donkey Card". Firstly, shuffle the cards then deal them in a clockwise direction to each player. All players then look at their cards and take out all their pairs, the player to the left of the dealer arranges their remaining cards in their hand like a fan. The back of the cards are shown to the player on the left who then picks a card. If this card makes a pair then the cards are put in the middle of the table with the other pairs. If the player isn't able to make a pair then they keep the card and continue the game by offering their cards to the next player.

When a player eventually loses all their cards they are 'saved' and stop playing. At the end of the game the player who still has the "Donkey Card" has lost and the other players win.

Farmyard Donkey is recommend for Children aged 4 plus and 2 or more people can play.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I find the rules at the end ambiguous, it could indicate that either the game continues after a player has won, or the game in fact stops. This caused uproar around the family dinner table. Please clarify, it is deciding who came 3rd and who came last, an important debate for bronze medal.
20 April 2014 at 21:04
Adam McCollough said…
Hi,
Here's how we interpret the rules:-

1. Once a players hand is empty, they have won the game.
2. Play continues until there are just two players left. The one left with the donkey in their hand loses.
3. The game ends with just 1 loser, and several winners!

However; we will often continue to play several "rounds", by declaring the first person to lose all of their cards as the winner of each round.

I hope this clarifies the situation, and that you enjoy some more peaceful family dinners!
26 April 2014 at 10:55
Unknown said…
But does that mean that the one who gets the donkey card in the first card distribution of cards is doomed as he WILL know from the beginning that he can’t get rid of the donkey card till the end be left with the donkey in the end therefore lose !
7 September 2018 at 22:32
Unknown said…
So the player who gets the card first knows he will lose as he cannot get tid of the donkey card till the end??
7 September 2018 at 22:34
Adam McCollough said…
I don't think so; the player that is dealt the donkey card has plenty of opportunity for another player to pick it from then on each subsequent round. Remember the cards are offered face down so that their opponents can not see what card they are choosing.
11 September 2018 at 12:50
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