At the start of the game, one copy each of four different Care Bear cards are placed in the center of the table within reach of the players. The four Care Bear cards each have a letter associated with them (B, E, A, and R). The remaining cards are shuffled and distributed to the players. Youngest player goes first and play proceeds clockwise. Players take turns revealing cards from their stacks in a forward motion. When a card is revealed, the players vie to slap the corresponding Care Bear card in the center of the table. Whoever does so first claims the card they slapped. If two players slap at the same time, whoever covers more of the card with their hand claims the card. The claimed card is replaced by the one that was revealed. The first player to collect cards that spell BEAR wins (i.e., a set of the four different Care Bear cards). For a more challenging game, the rules recommend a variant where incorrect slaps result in the player losing a previously collected card.