Money BINGO

Money bingo - amounts less than $1.

 

Money Bingo shows groups of coins on the bingo card that match amount less than $1. Students count the coins when an amount is called and cover that square on their card if it matches.

I'm always on the lookout for games that can be played in more than one way and games that have to do with money, since I work with it so much. This one caught my eye because it says Play 6 Ways on the front of the box. A little misleading in my mind because it just means six different patterns you can use to win. In that case every bingo game plays at least six ways, and 5 x 5 cards many more.

This game is coins only (penny, nickle, dime, quarter), and does not show the different variations for fronts and backs that we have now. The coins are pictures of the real thing and are all printed head side only. Most of the coins overlap, some of the coins are almost wholly hidden, but show just enough to tell what they are. The cards measure 9" x 6.5" and have eight squares each, which is a little odd for a bingo card. All game pieces are made from a card stock.

The bingo "chips" are red circles that you will punch out before playing. They measure about 1 1/16" in diameter. You can see them in the image above. You can also see the calling card for 75 cents in the image above. There are 25 calling cards total and amounts range from 5 cents to 99 cents. They all have the decimal and dollar sign on them, no cents signs. These cards measure 2 1/4" x 2 1/8" and will also have to be punched out before play. 

There is a large folded sheet that shows each amount and you can place each calling card on the matching amount on this sheet after you call it if you want. You can also see it in the image above. The back of the instruction sheet shows every card (they are numbered in the bottom right hand corner) and all eight amounts, so you can offer help if needed without taking the time to add all the coins yourself. A nice feature.

The six variations for a bingo that they offer are across the top, across the bottom, four in the middle, two on each end, a full card and any way you want.

 

Object:
Be the first to win a bingo by lining up chips on your card in the pattern that is determined before the game begins.

Set up:
Give each person one card and several bingo chips. Turn all the calling cards face-down on the table and mix them. Determine which game you will play (which pattern you will watch for). Set out the large calling card sheet if you are going to use it.

Play:
One person is named the caller. It can be a player or someone who does not play, just calls the amounts. The caller mixes all the calling cards, face-down on the table. They choose one and read the amount. All players check their card to see if they have that amount. This may will require adding amounts in several squares. All players that find the amount on their card covers it with a chip. If players do not find the exact amount, they wait for the next amount to be called. All players play in this fashion until someone lines up their chips on their card in the correct pattern and yells BINGO.  

To see a list of money games, click here.

Try this:

• Know all the coins, values and how to count them before playing.
• Practice recognizing a winning pattern before playing. Cover a pattern with markers on a card so the individual can see what it will look like. Then set up several cards with multiple markers and a win embedded on each one and ask the player to find it. Work until they are proficient at spotting the winning pattern.
• Watch for only one BINGO direction at a time until they are familiar with them all before trying the "win any way" version.
• 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.
• Use other things that you have a lot of for markers like paper clips, dried beans, pennies, or small candies. Ask the players to hold a small stack of the pieces in-hand as they play, pushing them to the fingertips and off, one at a time, to place.
• Visualize the pattern you are playing for as a bingo and do not mark squares that aren't part of the pattern, even if the amounts match. 
• Display a black and white card with the BINGO pattern for each game highlighted in yellow. You can just make them with a black marker on white paper or draw them on the board.
• Pick the pieces off the card after each game, squirreling them into the palm. Try to pick them all up without dropping any.
• Place the bingo chips that are included with the game flat on the table next to the player so that they will have to pick them up off a flat surface.
• Forget the calling cards if playing with one or just a few people and you can see all their cards. Look at the cards and count out exact coins that match one of the squares. Ask the player(s) to count the coins you have laid out and then check their card for that amount or coin configuration. If matching coins, go over the amount several times verbally to help them remember when they look away, such as "three pennies, 2 dimes, 1 nickle". Then cue them to choose one coin, such as three pennies. Check for that amount on each square and if it does not have that exact amount, move on to the next square, instead of trying to count all the coins. Add in random amounts between matches for more practice counting.
• Cue the individual that if the amount does not end with a 5 or a zero, there will be pennies involved and vice versa. That way they can eliminate having to count so many squares to check for the amount.
• Cue the individual that if they are counting and the amount goes over the amount that was called they can quit counting and move to the next square. 
• Work on visual discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, money skills, process skills, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: 36 bingo cards, 25 calling cards, reference sheet, calling mat, chips

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

UNO Moo

UNO Moo - A beginner's UNO game

UNO Moo is a beginner's farm-themed UNO game that includes 7 characters, 5 colors, and wild and draw 2 options. This preschool version includes colorful round plastic figures, haystack partitions and even a play-and-store barn.

The farm animals have been out to pasture all day, playing together, sunning themselves, and generally enjoying the good life. The day is coming to a close and it's time for them to head back into the barn. It's your job to help round them up and make sure they all get safely inside. UNO Moo is not the card game that many of us are familiar with (no cards involved), but it is a precursor to that card game and is made by the same company.

The plastic figures are hollow, just shy of 1.5" in diameter, and each one has a face sticker on the front to indicate what it is. There are four each of seven different characters: farmer, pig, skunk, dog, cow, sheep and chicken. The sticker is only on the front, but the different animals look different on the back because they have different tails. The farmer figures are all white and each of the animal figures come in four colors: red, green, blue and yellow. The round figures have a flat base and easily stand on their own. 

The haystack partitions are cardboard and measure about 9 3/4" wide. There are score marks at each end. Simply bend in on each fold and then the haystack will stand on its own. 

The barn is hard plastic, 7 3/4" wide, 5" tall and 3 5/8 inches deep. There is a flap on the front of the roof that snaps into the barn to keep the lid (roof) on tight. There is a set of doors painted on the barn that do not open and another door above it that opens out (see image below). This is where you will stand the animals and where they will enter the barn during play. There is a handle in the top of the barn for easy carrying.

Object:
Be the first person to get all your figures back in the barn.

Set up:
Leave all the round figures in the barn and mix them up. Give each player a haystack. Each player draws five animals out of the barn and places them in hiding behind their haystack. One player takes one figure out of the barn, shuts the roof, opens the barn door, and places the figure on the barn door. 

Play:
Players take turns. On your turn, look at the type and color of the animal standing on the barn door. Look at your animals that are standing behind your haystack. If you have either the same animal of a different color or the same color of a different animal, you can play. Place your animal on the barn door and in the process push the animal that is sitting there into the barn. The animal you placed on the door is now the animal the next player must match. There are two "special" animals that can also be played if you have one:

• Skunk - A skunk can be played on another skunk or any matching color from any other animal. For instance, a red skunk can be played after a red cow. When this figure is played, the next person must draw two figures out of the barn and place them behind their haystack. Then their turn is over.
• Farmer - This is a "wild" figure and can be played as a match for any animal or any color figure. Once you play this figure, you then decided the color the next player must play. Look at your figures behind your haystack to help you decide which color to call.

If you don't have a figure that is playable, draw one figure out of the barn. If it's a match, play it. If it's not, your turn is over. When you are down to one figure behind your haystack, you must say "UNOMoo". If you don't, and someone catches you before the next player plays, you must draw two animals out of the barn and put them behind your haystack. Keep playing until someone has safely returned all his figures to the barn (nothing left behind their haystack) and wins the game. 

Try this:

• Play with the barn and its contents before playing a game. Name the different animals, line them up and show how there is one of each color for each animal, open and close the latch, look at the animals on the outside of the barn and name them, practice standing an animal on the open door, etc.
• Examine the animals carefully, see how they each have a different tail and how the cow tails are different from the pig tails, and the pig tails are different from the sheep tails, etc. Line one of each animal up backward and see if the player can remember and identify the animals just by their tails. When they can, randomly stand all the figures on the playing surface. Ask the player to find all four dogs, then all four skunks, etc. Either leave the animals after they have been identified, or for a game that will get easier as you go, pick up each type of animal after you have identified it. Or call for a single animal, such as a blue sheep. Can they identify it from the back?
• Stand all the animals facing forward, randomly on the playing surface. Sing a round of Old McDonald for each animal. As you are singing about the pig, collect one farmer and all the pigs from the pasture and return them to the barn. Do the same for each animal until the game is all put away. 
• Stand up all the cows in a row. Using that color sequence as a pattern, line up each animal type.
• Line up all the animals of one color. Using that animal sequence, line up the rest of the animals.
• Stand all the animals on the table face-forward in random order and play a game of I Spy. For instance, I Spy a red chicken, and ask the player to find the red chicken.
• Stand all the animals on the table in random order and then move them to the barn by type to put them away. Say "the cows are being called back to the barn for supper. They will be eating hay". Talk about what each animal eats.
• Line up a sequence of three, four or five animals. Either turn then forward so you can see the animal or backward and focus on the color. Ask the player to memorize the sequence. Say it out loud to help remember. Place a haystack in front of the animals so they can't be seen and ask the player to make a line of animals (or colors) in the same sequence. Lift the haystack and let them check if they are right. If they missed something, let them identify it and correct it with as little help as possible.

In the barn: 28 plastic figures, 4 haystack partitions

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