Thanksgiving JINGO

Thanksgiving JINGO - A bingo game that might teach you a thing or two :)

I received my Thanksgiving Jingo game in the mail today and was surprised at how thin the box was since the description boasts of 30 player cards and 36 clue question cards. Turns out everything is printed on paper. A heavier weight of paper, but still non-laminated paper. You might want to laminate the cards right off.

The Jingo playing cards measure 8 1/2 x 11, are a 5 x 5 grid, and have a free space in the middle. No bingo chips or tokens for covering the squares are included. Use whatever you have on hand like pennies, dried beans or something seasonal like candy corn.

Instead of calling numbers, questions are read from the clue cards and answers are found and covered on the JINGO game cards. The clue cards are printed 10 on a page, are perforated and need to be separated before playing. Each clue card is printed with one question, and the answer (with matching picture) is also on the same side of the card so the players cannot see it. Here is an example of the questions on the cards:

• In this state, William Bradford arranged a harvest festival to give thanks for progress made (Massachusetts).
• In addition to the pilgrims, these people attended the first Thanksgiving in New England (Native Americans).
• This small, red fruit grows in a bog and is used to make sauces, jelly, and juice (cranberries).
• In 1789, this President proclaimed Thanksgiving to be celebrated the 26th of November (George Washington).

I am excited about using Thanksgiving Jingo in therapy in the next couple of weeks as I have never seen a Thanksgiving bingo game anywhere else, except the homemade ones on Teachers Pay Teachers which are not tools for teaching facts about Thanksgiving, just bingo games. It would also be a fun game to play as a family in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving day as it helps review history.

A colorful playing card, clue cards with pictures, an instruction sheet with samples of bingo designs.

I have also blogged about Back to School JINGO , Community JINGO and Money JINGO. All similar teaching tools.

To see a list of fall-themed games that I have blogged about, click here. 
 Object:
Be the first to complete a predetermined pattern by covering squares on your card.

Set up:
Give everyone a game card and tokens of some kind to cover the spaces. Choose a pattern for a Jingo (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, four corners, letter X, etc.).  

Play:
Choose a person to ask the questions. Read one question at a time and allow players time to look over their card for the answer and cover it if they find it. When someone completes the chosen pattern on their game card they yell JINGO! Giving out small prizes is always a fun bonus. Maybe the candy corn can be its own prize?  
 
Try this:

• Hold several tokens in the hand, bringing them to the fingertips one at a time to cover the squares.
• When cleaning up, pick up the tokens one at a time and squirrel them in the palm without dropping. How many can you hold?
• Make a copy of the black and white card (comes with the game) which shows the different bingo patterns (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, four corners). Cut them out and display the one you are using during a game as a pattern for all to see.
• Play for only one plane at a time if the person is new to bingo and cannot watch for vertically, horizontal and diagonal all at once. Then play for two, working your way to three.
• Practice looking for a win on a card before you play a game if the individual is not familiar with bingo and has difficulty looking at a busy card and separating out a win. Work through several cards this way.
• Let anyone in the group answer the questions aloud as you read the cards. Once all answers have been given, let players play independently and see if they can remember the answers.
• For non-readers, turn the question over and let them see the picture. They can match the picture.
• Use letters as your patterns. You can play for O (border), X, N, L, P, C, E, F, G, H, I, S, T, U, Y and Z.
• Visualize the letter you are going for as a bingo and do not mark pictures that aren't part of the letter.
• Pick the pieces off the card after each game, squirreling them in the palm. How many can you hold without dropping any?
• Stop occasionally and check the player's card. Ask them to point out places where they only need one more to win a bingo. Or point out possible bingos and ask how many more will be needed to win or which squares will need markers to win in that direction etc.
• Work on visual discrimination, visual closure, spatial relations, figure ground, visual scanning, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, precise fine motor control, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation, history of Thanksgiving.

In the box: 30 player game cards, 36 questions cards.

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, click on the image below.