I SPY Bingo

I SPY Bingo - Bingo like only I SPY can do it

These I SPY Bingo cards are covered with I SPY's classic figure ground objects. Yup, they're busy, maybe too busy for some. There are several ways to play and two different levels of difficulty. 

The six I SPY bingo cards are 2-sided, each side has 16 squares and no free space. Both sides have a letter in each square surrounded by three or four small objects. One side has light colored backgrounds and the alphabet is in ABC order. Each item in a square starts with the letter in that square (see image above). This is considered the easier side because you can just look for the first letter of the object to find the square with the object.

The other side has a white background and the alphabet is not in ABC order. The objects in each square may or may not start with the letter. This is considered the harder side as you may have to search the whole card to find one object.

There is one alphabet calling card for each letter of the alphabet, 26 total. The image above shows calling cards that are printed on one side for the game and the other side is printed with the game name. My cards are printed with objects on a light blue colored background on one side for the first game, and with objects printed on a white background on the other side for the second game.

There are 50 red tokens.

I SPY is a company that is well known for their figure ground games and books. I have used many of them in therapy. If you would like to read more about I SPY products, check out my post on I SPY Games. 

Object:

Create a row of four tokens on your card, horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Set up:

Give each player a bingo card. Shuffle the playing cards and place them in a face-down pile near the players. Place the tokens where all players can reach them.

Play:

• Version 1 - Use the bingo cards with the colored backgrounds and the blue playing cards. Players take turns drawing a card and calling the letter that is on the cards. Place tokens on squares that you match. Play until someone has four in a row.
• Version 2 - Use the bingo cards with the colored backgrounds and the blue playing cards. Call out one object on the card instead of the letter. Players can sound out the first letter of the object and look for that letter. Place tokens on squares where you find a match. Play until someone has four in a row.
• Version 3 - Use the white side of the bingo and playing cards. Play as in version 2, calling out one object. The object may or may not be in a square with the letter that the object starts with so you may have to search the whole card. Place tokens on squares where you find matches. Play until someone has four in a row.

Try this:

• Play with just the bingo cards with the colored background. Use the colored background side and name each object so that it starts with the letter. Some may not be obvious. For instance that is a snake on the V square, so it is a viper. Or a butterfly in the Y square does not match, but when you describe it as a yellow butterfly, then it does.
• Play with just the bingo cards with the white background. Name each item and decide which ones do start with the letter in that box and which ones don't.
• Watch for a bingo in only one plane at a time if the player cannot watch horizontal, vertical and diagonal all at the same time. When they get good in one direction, then add the second, and finally the third.
• Draw a grid on a piece of paper and color in the squares for win in a particular orientation if the individual is not used to playing and will need a reminder what they are looking for.
• Watch for a bingo in different orientations to mix it up a little, such as four outside corners or four inside corners. There are not enough tokens to make a frame on six cards, but you could use other things you have around as tokens if you wanted to go there.
• Practice finding bingo wins on a card before playing if the individual is not used to playing bingo. Place several tokens on a card and embed one win somewhere on the card. Ask the player to find the bingo win. Practice several times, embedding wins in different orientations.
• Just use the playing cards and lay them in a line in alphabetical order.
• Place several of the playing cards in a grid on the table top. Call one item and ask the player to find that item. Or call an object and sound out the first letter for a quicker find. Start with fewer cards and increase the number of cards as the player improves.
• Hold several tokens in your hand at the same time. Slide them one at a time to the fingertips to place as you need them.
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, visual closure, fine motor, in-hand manipulation, manual dexterity, beginning sounds, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 6 double-sided Bingo cards, 26 double-sided calling cards, 50 tokens

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

Zingo Word Builder

Zingo Word Builder - Letter recognition, vowels vs consonants, word building, lots of ways to learn.

Zingo is a series of games that include the Zingo Zinger, a unique and fun card dispenser (red object in image above). Zingo games have won multiple awards from different groups. I have already blogged about several Zingo games and you can find those links at the end of this post. 

Zingo Word Builder consists of one heavy-duty plastic Zinger, plastic letter tiles with one letter per tile, and spelling cards that each have six words on them. The Zinger is made up of two pieces. The red part of the zinger that says Zingo (image above) comes off. Stack the tiles randomly in the Zinger and replace the lid. If you prefer, you can also stack the tiles by pushing them in through the slot toward the top of the Zinger. This will take time and may get tedious. Tiles are squared off on the bottom and rounded on the top so you can easily keep them all right-side-up as you stack them inside. When done, place the lid back on the Zinger. To use the Zinger you will grab hold of the tall part and pull it forward, then push it back again. Two tiles will drop out in the process. You will have to remove them to play again.

This image is from Bingo Zingo. Your tiles will have letters, not pictures.

The letter tiles are hard plastic and would be a challenge to break, so heavy-duty. All letters are upper case and all letters of the alphabet are included except Z and Q. The consonants are printed in black and the vowels are printed in red. The same letter is printed on both side of a tile.

The cards are laminated, a little less than 1/8 inch thick, 2-sided with six words on each side. There are two levels of play - the yellow side of each card is beginner level and the back of each card, the orange side, is advanced. The beginner side only requires you to fill in one letter per word. Each word has several options for filling a blank space, such as BU_ can be bug, bum, but, bud, etc. It will be up to the player to recognize whether a word can be formed with the letters that come up on the Zinger. The advanced side will have two words that require one letter and four words that require two letters to complete a word. For instance L _ _ can be lid, let, lad, low, etc. It all depends on what letters come up on the Zinger.

Object:
Be the first to fill your card with words.

Set up:
Randomly place all the letter tiles in the Zinger and replace the lid. Give each player a card. Place the Zinger where all players will be able to see the letters that are dispensed.

Play:
Either appoint a dealer to operate the Zinger throughout the game or decide that each player will get to operate it on his turn. Slide the Zinger forward and back to reveal two letters. Players all scan their cards to see if they can use either letter to complete a word on their card. If the word has only one letter missing, the person must call out the word. First person to do so gets the tile. If the word has two missing letters, you must call out the letter you want. Letters collected this way will be placed on the cards. If letters are not claimed on a turn, they are pushed into the slot at the top of the Zinger, ready for the next game. Once someone has filled their card, the game is over. 

Click on each link to see other ZINGO games I have blogged about. 

ZINGO Sight Words
ZINGO to Go
ZINGO Bingo
ZINGO Bingo Number 1-2-3

Try this:

• Start by playing with the cards and letters only. Look at the letter tiles and name the letter on each or several. Look at a beginner card. Take one word at a time and talk about all the possibilities, adding one letter after another to show how words can be made.
• Talk about the sound each letter makes.
• Complete a word on your card and then use it in a sentence.
• Talk about the difference between vowels and consonants. Talk about where vowels tend to appear in words and give examples on the cards.
• Play alone. Place 1-6 cards in front of you and reveal the letters. Try to fill all of the cards.
• Place the tiles on a flat surface. See how many words you can build. Can you use them all? Make two letter words, three letter words, four letter, five, etc. How high can you go? Look around the room and build words for things you see around you. 
•  Work on visual discrimination, sequencing, spelling three letter words, visual closure, visual form constancy, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 1 Zingo Zinger, 72 letter tiles, 6 double-sided spelling cards

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