Fun Bingo Twists For Summer Parties

So you thought Bingo was just for seniors trying to while away the time?  Think again!  One of the oldest parlor games in the world, Bingo has been given new life.  No matter what age group, there are fun new variations that make this a staple of nearly any party or gathering, with more popping up all the time. From versions for the slightly nerdy to the overly wordy,  here are five of our favorites.

 

Quirk Alert Bingo

How predictable are your friend’s behaviors? With this fun twist on bingo, everyone gets in the spotlight. When guests arrive hand them all a blank bingo card. They  fill in each square themselves based on what they think the other guests will do at the party. Examples:

  • Jason will brag about his new car
  • Megan will flirt with Mike
  • Josh will make an inappropriate joke using some kind of food
  • Ashley will drink a peach martini
  • Brittany will be first to say “I know, right?”
  • Matt will start a sentence with “actually”

During the party everyone marks off their own cards when the predicted thing occurs. The first one to get a bingo calls it out and wins a prize.  Continue playing to see who has the most predictions  at the end of the party, or mix up the rules and make it go in a totally new direction.

People Bingo

People Bingo is one of the most popular ice breaker games for adults  because it’s so easy to customize for your particular group.  For an explanation of how to play, and  how to make your own People Bingo game cards, go here.

In short, you will  make a list of 25 interesting traits that describe different aspects of your guests, things like, “plays the guitar,” “once lived in London,” “has a sports trophy,” “owned an exotic pet,” “has a tattoo in a secret place,”  and so on.   So not only do you have a little fun, but you also get to learn more about each other.

Minecraft Bingo

Are there video game enthusiasts in the crowd?  There’s a Bingo version for them, too.  Just print out the  cards and instructions, and you’re ready to go. Someone randomly calls out items from the instruction sheet , and if the guest has the image on their card, they cover it with a party marker.   That’s where your creativity comes into play, because you can use candy, snacks, or whatever for the markers.  As in traditional Bingo, the first one to cover an entire row  calls “bingo” to win.  And maybe they have to eat the row??

Rock And Roll Bingo

This version takes a little more preparation, but for a bunch of music lovers, it’s great.  You’ll need to collect short clips (10 seconds or so)  of your favorite songs and put them all in one file.  Use fun songs that everyone knows and likes to sing along to.

Use blank Bingo cards and instead of numbers use the artists and song names.  As the music is played, everyone marks the ones they recognize. You can do it in a session with everyone involved all at once, or simply let them fill out the cards during the duration of the party.  First Bingo wins a fun or crazy prize.

If you want to get a pre-packaged version of this one, it’s available online.

Drinking Bingo

All adult party?  There are several variations on this theme, and any of them  can get a little crazy.  Here are a couple:

–Different colors of shot glasses are passed out along with the Bingo cards.  In addition to the regular Bingo tiles or balls, a tile or ball of each color of shot glass is also in the mix.  If the colored ball is drawn, anyone holding a glass of that color downs a shot.

–The blanks on the Bingo cards are filled in with the name of drinks.  When someone gets a bingo, they have to choose a drink from that completed row.

The rules on Drinking Bingo can be tweaked to accommodate the speed at which you want to get everyone intoxicated.  Discretion is advised!

 

mezcal bingo twists

Bingo By Any Other Name

As you can see, the ways that the traditional Bingo game can be modified are nearly limitless.  .

From the kids to the elders, it looks like Bingo is here to stay!

 

Images:

Ron Mader

 

Linda Allen

I'm a serial entrepreneur, with a resume that makes me look like a Jane of all trades. Pretty sure we are all reluctant Messiahs, travelling through life planting seeds where ever we can. Hopefully, most of mine have been good ones! MA from Miami University (Ohio, not Florida), BA from Cal State.