Whoever doesn’t love a fun game of B-I-N-G-O? From grandchildren to grandparents, this game transcends boundaries of generation and age with its engaging nature. Primarily seniors play it at a retirement center or nursing facility. But now, this stereotype is changing with the involvement of younger people.
Having the same Bingo game daily day and night can make it monotonous. Your senior residents in a facility may start getting bored with it. Similarly, you may wish to host a seniors’ gathering on special occasions, even at your home. Then you must forego the classic BINGO rules and spice it up with new tricks to make it more fun and exciting. The trick is to offer so many entertaining elements that your BINGO gathering becomes a sure hit.
The young have different mindsets. To entertain the elderly in a group formation, you need to think out of the box creatively. You may consider some ideas while organizing a BINGO game for your facility or neighborhood’s senior citizens.
1. Replace the Numbers in BINGO
Using numbers gets boring after a time. You may use Classical songs or Pictures of famous people instead of numbers on your BINGO cards. Music BINGO is especially becoming popular as it combines fun and entertainment in a lovely package. When a song gets played, have the seniors locate the title on their card, which they can cover with a BINGO chip.
2. Change BINGO Pattern
Forget using the same pattern idea and keep introducing new ones to refresh and energize your BINGO gathering. Common patterns include Four Corners, Diagonal Line and Cover All, etc. Add a few new Bingo patterns, such as:
- Pyramid
- Checkmark
- Airplane
3. Use Easy-to-Use Cards
For seniors with eyesight issues, easy-to-read cards of large font are the ideal solution. You may order them online or print them yourself. Similarly, you may request special cards for the elderly suffering from Arthritis. These are made of heavy stuff, making it easier to hold them.
4. Swap BINGO Partners
Have a surprise up your sleeve by asking different BINGO players to swap seats and take the other person’s cards while exchanging their cards with the other person. It will be a pleasant game changer to keep everyone awake and on their toes.
5. Change the Game Venue/ Place
A change of environment and game setting can work wonders to boost the morale of elderly citizens. You should search your community for places that can easily host BINGO games for seniors. A restaurant or community center common area might be more welcoming options.
6. Give Special BINGO prizes
Arrange to have surprise special BINGO prizes available to dish out to almost all participants in varying stages of success. These can be small but valuable items for the seniors. You can check this link for bingo prize ideas.
7. Go for Small Group Size
Though a large grouping of senior players would be fabulous, it may feel overwhelming or intimidating to some elderly residents or citizens. You should host a standard decent-sized group to keep the game a fun activity with greater possible social interaction.
End Note
Holding an engaging, successful BINGO game for the elderly has become much easier nowadays with the over-abundance of options available.
