Jan's Library

Baby Shower Bingo

By: Jan K., The Proofer

The first thing most people think about when planning a baby shower is what games to play. You want to have baby shower games that are fun to play, that go quickly, and games that don't require a lot of attention. This is a game that satisfies every one of those things: Baby Bingo! It's easy to play, and everything you need to play it is provided as free printables that are linked to this article.

Baby Bingo is an easy game to play and goes quickly. You can use it as a "filler" to have something to do while you are waiting for all your guests to arrive (especially if there will be people there who don't know each other). You can also include it as one of the shower games you play during the baby shower.

This is an especially fun game to have available to play if there will be children at the party. And if you are having a Couples Baby Shower, the guys won't be too embarrassed to play it.

You don't need anything other than computer paper, blank business cards, and colored markers to play the game. This baby shower game does require just a little bit of printing and preparation time, so you'll want to do this a day ahead of time.

Remember everything you need to play Baby Bingo at your next baby shower is provided free. You'll find the links to the Baby Bingo playing cards below, along with the simple preparation and playing instructions.

You'll Need:

• Baby Bingo Cards*

• Baby Bingo Call Cards*

• Colored markers (colored pencils, or regular pencils)

• A plastic bowl, bag, or small box to use to hold the Call Cards

• A few "Baby Bingo!" prizes

*Baby Bingo Cards and Baby Bingo Call Cards are free printables.  The links are shown below. Each opens in a new window for your convenience.

The Bingo Cards will print on plain computer paper (white is best). Print one  SAMPLE card, and then print as many BLANK cards as you will need, at least one for each guest. Print more than you need so that you can play several games---until everyone is a winner!

The Bingo Call Cards are to be printed on plain white business cards (10 business cards to one sheet [standard], should be compatible with "Avery 8371" business cards, although any business card should work), available at office supply stores like Office Depot, or stores like Target, Wal*Mart, and Kmart). It is simple to print on business cards. Just put the blank business cards into your printer's paper tray and print the Call Cards as you would any other document. You should not have to change any of your printer's settings.

The Baby Bingo Cards and Call Cards open as Word documents. Due to the number of graphics on each page, the files may take several long seconds to open.

Here are the links to the Baby Bingo Cards and Call Cards

• Baby Bingo Card Sample* (print 1) (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/BABY_BINGO_SAMPLE.doc)

• Baby Bingo Card Blank* (print as many as you will need, one per player) (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/BABY_BINGO_BLANK.doc)

• Baby Bingo Call Cards** (print 1 of each)

  • BOTTLE Cards (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/BOTTLE_Cards.doc)

  • RATTLE Cards (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/RATTLE_Cards.doc)

  • STORK Cards (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/STORK_Cards.doc)

  • PACIFIER Cards (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/PACIFIER_Cards.doc)

  • DIAPER Cards (http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/DIAPER_Cards.doc)

This package of cards is also available as a zip file. The zip file will download quicker. Go to:

• http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/BABY_BINGO_CARDS.zip

Most computer systems already have the software you need to open a zip file. You should be to simply double-click the zip folder to open it. Otherwise, consult your operating system Help manual and search for instructions for opening "compressed files."

Prepare Bingo Cards

Print the Bingo Cards and prepare for the game ahead of time. This will take approximately 30 minutes.

Separate the Bingo Call Cards. The business cards are already perforated, and if you bend each perforation line, up and down, a few times before you separate the cards, the cards will tear away a little easier. You should end up with a total of 50 individual cards, 10 individual cards for each Bingo Call Card. For the moment, keep all 10 individual cards for each Bingo Call Card together (that is, do not mix the 50 individual cards at this point).

Look at the Bingo Card Sample. In the row across the top, you'll see BOTTLE, RATTLE, STORK, PACIFIER, and DIAPER (with corresponding pictures). In each row under the pictures, there are numbers. Note that in each separate column, the numbers do no repeat (that is, in the BOTTLE column, no number is repeated, and so on for the remaining four columns). Using the sample as a guide, you will now make the bingo cards for the game.

• Place a blank bingo card in front of you.

• Put the 10 BOTTLE Call Cards in a dish and mix them up. Pull out a card. Whatever number is on that card, put that number in the box in the first row under BOTTLE

• Pull another card. Put that number in the box in the second row under BOTTLE

• Do this three more times. You now have 5 different numbers in the BOTTLE column.

• Put those five cards back into the bowl. Take the next blank bingo card.

• Pull 5 cards, one at a time, and mark those numbers in the five rows in the BOTTLE column.

• Continue until you have done all the blank cards for the BOTTLE column. Set the BOTTLE call cards aside.

Using the BOTTLE call cards, fill in the rows in the BOTTLE column. Continue until you have finished all of the blank cards for the BOTTLE column. Set BOTTLE cards aside.

Continue in this manner for RATTLE, STORK, PACIFIER, and DIAPER. [Note that in the STORK column there is a "FREE" space. Do not put a number in this box.]

You should make one bingo card for as many guests as you are expecting to come to the baby shower. Each card will be unique (the laws of probability suggest that none of the columns of numbers for each of the pictures is the same). If you need 10 cards to play the game, then make 2  or more sets of copies of the original 10 cards. Use one set of copies for the first round of play, the second set for the second round of play, etc.

How To Play Baby Bingo

The instructions for playing bingo are very simple.

• Put all 50 of the Baby Bingo Call Cards into a bowl (bag or box). Shake the bowl a little to mix up the cards.

• Give each guest a Baby Bingo Card and a colored marker (colored pencil or regular pencil).

• Draw a Call Card from the bowl. Read the word that tells what the picture is and the number on the card, and then show the card to the players. Set that call card aside (do not put it back into the bowl).

• Each player will look at his/her Baby Bingo Card to find that picture in the row across the top and down that picture's column for the number called. If the number is there, then he/she will color in that square.

The object of the game is for one player to fill in:

• the whole column for one picture (that is, color in all the boxes for the 5 numbers under one of the pictures), or

• fill in one row going across (that is, fill 1 number for each picture, going across that same row), or

• fill in the numbers so that either diagonal is completed (that is, the first number in the first row, the second number in the second row, THIRD SPACE/THIRD ROW IS FREE and is considered filled, fourth number in the fourth row, fifth number in the fifth row).

Using the Bingo Card Sample, an example of a winning card would be one of these four:

• BOTTLE 3,1,7,8,4

• BOTTLE 1, RATTLE 5, STORK 3, PACIFIER 8, DIAPER 4

• BOTTLE 3, RATTLE 5, FREE, PACIFIER 6, DIAPER 7

• DIAPER 9, PACIFIER 8, FREE, RATTLE 3, BOTTLE 4

Remember, every player automatically gets the FREE space to use for any winning combination.

When a player fills in a whole column (any one of the five columns), a whole row (any one of the five rows), or either diagonal, he/she should shout "BINGO!"*

Have Baby Bingo Prizes Handy!

It's easy to have a few little "prizes" ready to give away to Bingo winners. Just rummage through your local dollar store, Wal*Mart, Target, or Kmart, and find little prizes that are inexpensive (such as votive candles, sachets of bath salts, etc.---and if you are having a couples baby shower, then get a few things that will be suitable for men). These prizes can be "gag" gifts as well---just use your imagination! Put everything in a big box that you've "papered" in disposable diapers and everyone can have fun picking a prize out of a giant diaper!

A twist on giving prizes to the winner would be to allow the Mommy-to-Be to pick out a prize---for herself! Once again, rummage around your local dollar store for inexpensive baby-related items, or shop at stores like Babys'R'Us for some small baby changing table or baby bath accessories. Another idea would be to get several gift cards, in $5 denominations, and wrap each gift card in a baby bib! This way, everyone gets to play and the Mommy-to-Be always wins!

Bingo might sound like such a simple game, but if you make it fun, it will be fun!

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's free crafts, recipes, tutorials, other resource sites, and free content articles, as well as Jan’s business services. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005 to present. All rights reserved.