Large print bingo cards

How big is "large print" here?

These are the same 75-ball cards as our 1-75 page (B is 1-15, I 16-30, N 31-45, G 46-60, O 61-75, free space in the middle), printed differently. In the PDF, 1 per page gives squares about 3.9 cm (1.5 in) wide with numbers in 66-point bold, so a digit stands about 1.6 cm tall; the standard card uses 40-point. 2 per page turns the sheet sideways and gives squares about 2.5 cm wide on Letter (2.7 cm on A4) with numbers in 49 to 53-point bold, around 1.25 to 1.35 cm tall. Four per page is not offered here, because the squares would be under 2 cm. Size is not the only thing that helps people with low vision or tired eyes: plain black numbers on white paper, no background pictures, and good light on the table matter as much, so this page keeps the cards plain. If a player still struggles at 1 per page, a hand-held magnifier or a seat nearer the caller is a better next step than a bigger font, since 66-point already fills most of each square. The lines between squares are drawn 2.7 times as thick as normal so the rows and columns are easy to follow, and the B-I-N-G-O header stays a dark band with white letters, which keeps its contrast in greyscale.

Running a game in an activity room

For a care home, day centre or club, print one card per player at 1 per page; a room of 20 uses 20 sheets plus two for the caller. Press Caller board to print a 1-75 board with numbers about 1.7 times bigger than on the standard board, then the shuffled call order. Many groups pin a second copy of the board on the wall and cross numbers off with a thick marker, so a player who missed a call can look up and check. Call slowly, say each number twice ("G, fifty-two... G, five-two"), and give a few seconds between calls. When someone shouts bingo, read their numbers back against the board.

Marking with daubers, chips or pens

Bingo daubers (dabbers) leave a large, bright dot that is easier to see than a pencil tick and easier to hold than a small pen for hands with a weak grip. Dauber ink soaks through ordinary 20 lb / 80 gsm copy paper, so print on card stock or heavier paper, or put a sheet of scrap paper under each card. If you want to reuse cards, slip them into clear plastic sleeves and mark with dry-wipe pens, or use coins, buttons or counters; the 3.9 cm squares at 1 per page hold a large coin comfortably.

Letter or A4?

Choose the paper loaded in your printer: Letter (8.5 x 11 in) in the US and Canada, A4 almost everywhere else. At 1 per page the narrower A4 sheet gives very slightly smaller squares (3.8 cm against 3.9 cm on Letter) with the same 66-point numbers; at 2 per page A4 comes out slightly larger. Print at 100% scale ("Actual size"), not "Fit to page". The cards here are for fun games with no stakes; prizes, if any, are up to you.