Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Decimal Showdown Cards: Free Printable Game for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Decimal Showdown Cards is a free printable game for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Two players compare decimals and work out which one is bigger. The player with the bigger decimal wins the cards. It is screen free, needs only scissors, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the players and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This is a card game for two players. Children cut out the cards and compare decimals to decide which is bigger. The cards include decimals such as 0.5, 0.25 and 3.04, so children meet tenths, hundredths and numbers with a whole number part. The player with the bigger decimal wins the cards. To win, children must look at place value and not just at how long a number looks.
- 0.5
- 0.25
- 0.75
- 0.1
- 0.9
- 1.5
- 0.05
- 2.3
- 0.62
- 0.6
- 3.04
- 3.4
A worked example
Which is bigger, 0.7 or 0.68?
This pair is different from the numbers on the sheet. It shows two ways children can compare.
Method 1: place value chart- Write both numbers in a chart with columns for ones, tenths and hundredths.
- 0.7 has 0 ones, 7 tenths and 0 hundredths. 0.68 has 0 ones, 6 tenths and 8 hundredths.
- Compare from the left. The ones are the same, so look at the tenths. 7 tenths is more than 6 tenths.
- Write 0.7 as 0.70. The value does not change.
- Now think of hundredths. 0.70 is 70 hundredths and 0.68 is 68 hundredths.
- 70 is more than 68, so the first number is bigger.
Why decimals can feel tricky
A decimal is a number with a decimal point. The digits to the right of the point show parts of one: tenths first, then hundredths, then thousandths. Each place is worth ten times less than the place to its left. Children already know this pattern from whole numbers, but it can feel odd when the place values get smaller as they move right.
Many children compare decimals as if they were whole numbers, so a number with more digits looks bigger. Place value shows why that does not work. A game helps because children have to decide quickly and then explain. Saying why one card beats another is the best way to fix the idea in their minds.
Decimals are also all around us. Money, measurements and sports times all use them, so the skill is worth getting right.
Skills and curriculum link
- Comparing decimals
- Place value
- Ordering numbers
- Tenths and hundredths
- Explaining your thinking
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Fractions, decimals and percentages | Year 5 |
What children will be able to do
- I can compare decimals with up to three places.
- I can put decimals in order from smallest to largest.
- I can explain how I know which decimal is bigger.
Handy ideas for comparing decimals
- Whole numbers firstLook at the whole number part first. For positive decimals, a bigger whole number part always means the bigger number, whatever comes after the decimal point.
- Same whole number, then tenthsIf the whole number parts match, look at the tenths digit next. Keep moving right one place at a time until the digits differ.
- Zeros can be addedAdding a zero at the end of a decimal does not change its value. This lets you give two decimals the same number of places so they are easier to compare.
- Length does not show sizeA decimal with more digits is not always bigger. Place value tells you how much each digit is worth, so check that before you decide.
Key words
- DecimalA number that uses a decimal point to show parts of one.
- Decimal pointThe dot that separates the whole number part from the parts of one.
- TenthOne of ten equal parts of one. It is the first place after the decimal point.
- HundredthOne of one hundred equal parts of one. It is the second place after the decimal point.
- Place valueThe value of a digit because of where it sits in a number.
- CompareLook at two numbers and decide which is bigger, smaller or the same.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the players. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Cut out the cards with scissors. Read the rules on the sheet out loud so both players play the same game.
- Play the first round together and talk about each choice. Ask, "How do you know that one is bigger?"
- Take turns being the person who checks. Use the notes and answers on page 2 if players disagree.
- Come back to the game another day. Repeating a familiar game builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with only the first six cards. Put a place value chart beside the cards and write each decimal into it. Compare the columns from the left, one at a time. Say each digit's place out loud, such as "six tenths".
To stretch confident children
Play a lowest wins round, where the smaller decimal takes the cards. Or turn over three cards at once and put them in order. Ask players to explain how they compared the closest pair.
Make it a game
Work as a team to put all the cards in order from smallest to biggest. Lay them in a line on the table. Then each player swaps two cards and the other player must spot what changed and why it is wrong.
Talk about it
- How do you know which decimal is bigger?
- What does the first digit after the decimal point tell you?
- Why is a longer decimal not always a bigger decimal?
- Where would you put this card in the line, and why?
- What could you add to a decimal to make it easier to compare, without changing its value?
- Where have you seen decimals outside school?
Take it off the page
String number line
Hang a piece of string across a room. Peg the cards along it from smallest to biggest. Move a card and ask a friend to say if it is in the right place.
Place value chart in chalk
Draw a big chart with ones, tenths and hundredths on the pavement or a board. Write a decimal in the chart and say each digit's value aloud.
Decimal hunt
Look for decimals at home, on shopping receipts, on packets and on rulers. Write down two that you find and say which is bigger.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first round, then let them lead. Keep rounds short. Ask them to explain each win. Listen for place value words like tenths and hundredths, as well as the right answer.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table game. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting. Page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. Listen for reasoning as pairs play.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan and use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision later. It pairs well with measuring, money and everyday talk about numbers. Page 2 holds the answers.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this, children learn tenths and hundredths as parts of one, and meet decimals in money and measures. They also need secure place value for whole numbers, because decimal place value follows the same pattern.
After this, children use decimals in calculations, round them and link them to fractions and percentages. Being able to compare decimals with confidence makes all of those steps easier.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Which of these two decimals is bigger, and how do you know?
- How do you compare 0.45 and 0.405?
- Where would you put this card in the line, and why?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Decimal Showdown Cards for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. It can also be used for revision with older children or as a challenge for confident younger ones.
- What will children practise?
Children compare and order decimals with up to three places. They use place value to decide which decimal is bigger, and they practise explaining how they know.
- How do I use it?
It is a game for two players. Cut out the cards with scissors, read the rules together and play. Check any disagreements against the answers on page 2, and talk about each choice.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use only the first six cards and a place value chart. Write each decimal in the chart and compare the columns from the left. Add more cards once that feels easy.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision at any time.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas.
- Is this a screen free activity, and do I need colour?
Yes, it is screen free and needs only paper, scissors and a pencil. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so there is no need for colour.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.