Music bingo › Accessible play
Accessible music bingo: large letters, calm pace
Music bingo is one of the few games almost anyone can take part in. You do not have to calculate, be quick or read much. Even so, a few choices make a real difference for people who see or hear less well, or who find sensory input hard to process.
This is the subject we get the most questions about from care settings and activity coordinators. So we have put the settings that help in one place.
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Larger letters on the bingo card
The fewer squares on a card, the larger the text. A 3 by 3 card has far bigger letters than a 5 by 5 and is therefore the best choice for people who see less well. You can also print on A4 without cutting the cards out for the largest possible display.
Calm pace and repetition
Choose a longer playing time with fewer songs and everyone gets more time per track. Feel free to play a fragment a second time if people are unsure. The game loses nothing by it; the tension sits in the pattern filling up anyway.
Joining in with a hearing impairment or with many stimuli
For people who are hard of hearing it helps to play the sound through a proper system or hearing loop rather than a small speaker, and to say the title out loud afterwards. For low-stimulus play, leave out the gong between songs and choose a quieter room with fewer people.
How to make this music bingo yourself
Paste your playlist
A link from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music or Deezer, or type your own list of songs. The app collects the titles and removes duplicates.
Choose playing time and win pattern
The app works out how many songs you need and picks the card size.
Print the unique bingo cards
Two cards per A4 with cut lines, with a matching emoji above every title, plus a checklist for the host.
Play the hits
The Bingo Master plays the recognizable part of every song and verifies each bingo through the card code.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make the letters on the bingo card larger?
Choose a 3 by 3 card. Fewer squares automatically means larger letters.
Is music bingo suitable for people with dementia?
Familiar music from long ago works well for many people with dementia and can prompt memories. Keep the card small, the pace calm and the emphasis on listening rather than winning.
Can somebody with a hearing impairment take part?
Often yes, particularly through a good sound system or hearing loop. Also say the title out loud after each fragment.
Can I turn off the sounds between songs?
Yes. For low-stimulus play you can leave out the gong between songs and lower the volume.
More music bingo
Browse the other topics, or read on the main page how to make your own music bingo in ten minutes.
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