Large Print Games: Bingo Cards and Score Sheets

Which large print game sheets are available?

For a group, the large print bingo cards are the easiest place to begin: each PDF has as many random 75-ball cards as you ask for. For dice, the large print Yahtzee score sheet takes up to six players. Card players have a sheet for each of rummy, canasta, hand and foot, spades, hearts and Mexican train.

Each score sheet page explains the scoring in plain words, so a new player can learn from it, and the sheet is laid out for that game: canasta has a place for melds, spades has bid and made columns, and Mexican train counts down from the double twelve.

How do I choose a score sheet?

Start from the game, then the number of players. Most sheets let you set the players, and a game with two or four is easier to read than one with a crowded six. Pick a type size by how the sheet will be used. The lowest size in the American Printing House for the Blind guidelines is 18 point; for numbers that you must add up, many people choose 24 or 28 point, since a mistaken digit changes the result.

Print two or three sheets in advance, for a long game or a rematch. A clipboard and a dark, thick pen make a good scorekeeper's kit. Let the person with the best eyesight or the steadiest hand keep score, or take turns.

How can I make game night easier to see?

Good light, from behind or over the shoulder, does more than anything. Use matte paper and avoid a shiny table, which reflects light onto the page. Black type on white gives the best contrast, or on cream if white is glaring. Print the bingo cards on 11 x 17 inch paper if the group has trouble with the smaller squares.

For a care home or community room, pair the game with a monthly large print calendar, and write the day of each game in the box, so that everyone knows when to come. What is large print explains the rules behind all these sheets.