Community JINGO

Community JINGO - Learn about 50 different places in your community.

Community JINGO is basically a bingo game, but instead of just calling out numbers or matching pictures, JINGO give clues that can help increase or check knowledge. JINGO comes in many different themes and this one focuses on places in the community. Players will have the opportunity to learn about 50 different places in the community and what goes on there.  

The playing cards measure 8 1/2" x 11", are a 5 x 5 grid, and have a FREE space in the middle. Each of the 50 clue cards will feature one place and will include a picture, a clue and a Did You Know? hint with the answer embedded. Some of those places are airport, auto repair shop, animal shelter, bank, power station, resale shop, dentist's office, doctor's office, landfill, house of worship, laundromat, newspaper office, daycare center and library.

Although I like the opportunity to teach while playing a bingo-type game, there are two things which I consider drawbacks to all JINGO games I have seen thus far: All cards are paper, not card stock, and there are no markers or bingo chips included. In my opinion, the games are a little pricey because of these. My solutions are to laminate the cards before use (but they will then be too thick to fit into the thin box) and use either bingo chips from other games or something else for markers, like pennies or dry beans etc. The clue cards are printed 10 to a page, are perforated and you will need to tear or cut them apart before use. 

Samples of clues in Community JINGO:

• Recreation Center - In a community, this is where people go to exercise, swim, and play games like racquetball and basketball. HINT: The YMCA is one of the most popular recreation centers in many communities.
• Nursing Home - Elderly people who need a little help and care live at one of these facilities in a community. HINT: Nursing homes provide meals, entertainment, activities, and 24-hour-a-day care to those who can no longer take complete care of themselves.
• Fire Station - In your community, this is the place where the fire fighting equipment is stored and where firefighters train and work. HINT: Some communities have a volunteer fire department. Firefighters live at home and rush to the fire when needed. Other communities have firefighters who live at the fire station when on duty.
• City Hall - In the community, the business of local government takes place here.  HINT: The mayor of a community works at city hall.

To check out other JINGO games I have blogged about (Money, Thanksgiving, Back to School) click here. 


Object:
Be the first to cover 5 in a row diagonally, vertically or horizontally. Or cover another pattern decided on before the game starts, such as the border or making a letter T.

Set up:
Give each player a card and a handful of markers. Choose one person to be the caller. Mix the clue calling cards and give them to the caller.

Play:
The caller picks one card and reads the clue. The players figure out the answer and look over their card for a matching picture. If they find one, they cover it with a marker. If they cannot figure out the answer, the caller can read the hint that contains the answer. If they still cannot find a picture, the caller can show the picture on the calling card. Not all items will be found on each card.

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.
• 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, fine motor control, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 30 playing cards, 50 clue calling cards

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

The Christmas Game

Not really a game.

In the box: 1 booklet, 100 cards

Every year that we have company for the holidays I go shopping for a new Christmas game. They are really getting few and far between, so I was excited when I discovered this one. "Have your best Christmas ever" sounded real promising!

The game includes a booklet (in the middle above) and 2 decks of large, laminated cards. The cards fall into nine different categories: presents, traditions, togetherness, kindness, projects, learning, challenges, games and memories. The box states that whether you play for an hour or a day, this game would make the holiday more meaningful and memorable. Still on board after reading the box, I eagerly opened the first set of cards. I am picturing our little group gathered in the family room for an afternoon of fun, the fireplace going and warm cocoa in hand, as I start reading the cards. Here are a few examples:

• Togetherness - Clean up your room. Make your home a nicer place for everyone by tidying your living space or another room
• Learning - Thriftiness. Discover three good new ways to save money.
• Memories - Looking forward. All players write in the memory book something they are looking forward to next year.
• Kindness - Feed the birds. Install a bird feeder, bird house, or bird bath.
• Kindness - Love your library. Support your local library by visiting it and using your library card (if the library isn't open now, commit to a time to go).
• Tradition - Home made bread. Start a loaf of home made bread.
• Games - Play charades and Guess the song. They can both be adapted to Christmas but you will have to either buy your own games for these or make them up. Nothing is supplied but the suggestions. 
• Kindness - Forgiveness. All players forgive someone for a mistake, even if it was a serious mistake.

First of all, nothing would bring a party to a quicker end than by my family dredging up old offenses. Even if the reasoning behind it is a good one, is a party really the right time and place for that? I kept turning the cards over and looking at the back, printed with the game name surrounded by pretty snowflakes, to reassure myself this was in reality being billed as a Christmas game. Because nothing in it said Christmas to me. In addition, who gathers the family together for fun and then presents them with a cart full of cleaning supplies and tells them to pick a room, or announces "In the car, we're going to the library" or gives assignments for writing in a memory book (not included). 

So finally I decided to read the enclosed booklet. It turns out the game was created to take the focus off the commercialism of Christmas and put it on the real values that matter. My take after reading the booklet is that the cards are meant for a family that lives together. Many of the activities would be done over the course of time, for instance a week for everyone to get to the library. Baking bread could be done as family members are gathered to prepare a meal which includes a loaf of bread.

While the idea behind the game is good, why bill it as a game? Or at least make it clear on the outside of the box or in the description that this is not a game for a casual group of Christmas party goers. 

That's my opinion. You can make up your own mind. Merry Christmas either way.