Tuesday Tips: Bingo!

Sam Jones is the Youth Services Librarian at the Beaver Dam Public Library. She shares tips to make your job easier in her Tuesday posts.

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

One of the programs at my library that all ages enjoy is playing bingo. I do an hour of bingo, and we usually get at least ten rounds done. We use premade, reusable cards and have generic plastic, round bingo chips to mark the cards. 

The last time we did bingo, I allowed people to play two cards per round because people kept on asking for more than one card at the last bingo. However, sticking to one card is perfectly acceptable and I would've continued with one card if I didn't get asked so much. More than two can get tricky for children to follow around with, so I wanted to make sure everyone had an equal chance at winning, I also only accept bingos that are horizontal, diagonal, or vertical. I, personally, do not allow four corners as a bingo, even though that is another commonly asked question. 

For calling the bingo numbers, I just started using the website letsplaybingo.io. The pros of using a website are that I can project it on a screen so people can see the number (I also call the numbers using a wireless mic), I don't have to pick up and read the little, tiny balls, and it is easy to tell what numbers have already been called. I really enjoyed using the website and will continue to do so. 

Prizes are probably the trickiest part because you never know what participants will enjoy, so I tend to bring a wide variety of items. I have used previous summer reading program prizes, leftover storytime prepackaged snacks, and library promotional materials, like bags. I also go to 5 Below and The Dollar Store to pick out a few small items, like Play-doh, decks of cards, and activity books. I try not to spend more than $5 a prize and aim for $2 prizes.