Large Print Games: Puzzles and Score Sheets

Which large print game sheets are available?

The word scramble has two sets of 12 words with hints and optional answer pages. You can also browse Spanish word searches or Brazilian Portuguese word searches. The Portuguese fruit and vegetable sheet and Portuguese everyday sheet use local word lists, with the accent rules explained on each page.

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, and tile players have a Rummikub score sheet.

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 (what is large print has the details). For numbers you must add up, use 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.

Paper is not the only option. For a group that would rather look at a screen, freegamesforseniors.com has free large-text games to play in the browser, with a text-size control on every page and nothing to install.

For puzzles with separate answers, choose Large Print Sudoku, Large Print Word Search, Large Print Bible Word Search, Large Print Christmas Word Search, Large Print Thanksgiving Word Search, Large Print Halloween Word Search. Sudoku has one puzzle per page; word searches use a 12 by 12 grid and an 18 pt word list.

The animal, food and winter word searches each add three lists. Choose a topic and print the puzzle half of the PDF for players; the answers follow at the end.

Game records include Large Print Farkle Score Sheet, Large Print Bunco Score Sheet, Large Print Pinochle Score Sheet, Large Print Chicago Bridge Score Sheet, Large Print Cribbage Scoring Chart. These cover different uses: per-player Farkle totals, six-round Bunco cards, three-player pinochle, four-deal Chicago bridge, and a cribbage scoring reference.