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PRIMATES AND THEIR HABITATS

GAME 1

MONKEY MATCH-UP

A memory and matching game for younger players

Educational Objectives:

  • Players correctly match primate picture cards and become familiar with how different and alike primate species are
  • Players correctly match primate habitat cards, becoming familiar with the notion that the world has a variety of ecological habitats
  • Players may understand that specific primate species live in specific habitats

THE CARDS

36 game cards include 27 primate cards and 9 habitat cards.
Note: There are three times as many rainforest cards in the deck because most nonhuman primates live in the world’s tropical rainforests.
1. Download the printable game cards. ​

2. Print the cards. For best results, print on card stock. Laminate if you wish.

3. Cut to create a 36-card deck.

OBJECT OF THE GAME:
Turn over pairs of exactly matching cards by matching the primate or habitat photos in the cards. The game can be played with one, two, or more players.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Print two sets of Primate Habitats Cards.

2. Select exactly matching cards from each of the decks to form pairs. Select the number of pairs that best suits the ages of the players and the number of players. Since this is a memory game, younger players may do better with fewer cards to recall. If playing with 2 or more players, add pairs so everyone can have several turns.

3. Shuffle the deck.

4. Lay out, face down, 4 rows of 4 cards (8 matching pairs), 4 rows of 5 cards (10 matching pairs), or 4 rows of 6 cards (12 matching pairs), depending upon the number of pairs you have selected for your players.

5. In turn, each player chooses 2 cards and turns them face up. If they are the same photo, that player wins a pair and plays again. Matching cards are removed from the game and held by the player until the end of the game.

6. If they are not the same cards, the cards are turned face down again and the player to the left takes their turn.

7. The game ends when the last pair has been picked up.

8. The winner is the person with the most pairs. There may be a tie for first place.

9. Learn more about the primates and habitats in the cards here: Who’s In the Cards?

MATCH

MATCH

NOT A MATCH

NOT A MATCH

Copyright © New England Primate Conservancy 2018-2022, You may freely use, copy and share these Learning Activities for educational purposes. 
For questions or comments, e-mail us at [email protected]