Actually, though I love learning from books, and my husband and I are nuts for cribbage, for this I recommend finding an actual person who likes to play and is a decent teacher. Cribbage is much more about strategy and odds than the basic rules suggest.

bearwife, I agree with you that learning from a person is always the way to go, and indeed, that was the way I learned to play cribbage initially. But I've forgotten the rules, and we don't know anyone who knows how to play!

Grab a cribbage board and a deck of cards and read these or the official rulebook (PDF). Deal yourself example hands to follow along with what the rules tell you. It's probably worth reading a few times, each time with deck in hand and pegs on track.

Those rules might not answer all your questions. Try this, it's great for starters, and then go to a library and borrow one of these two books, as they're even expensive used.

It's always good to stick to the proper terminology and etiquette, "his knobs" and "his heels" and counting out loud, all that guff. Make sure once everybody really learns to count you start observing the muggins rule, which makes play more fun.

Cribbage is my favorite card pastime.

Thanks!