How to host a bingo party: cards, caller and rules

Choose words your group will enjoy.

A shared theme gives a bingo game its personality. For a book club, use genres and reading words. For a team lunch, try familiar office objects. Keep phrases short enough to read at a glance, and use at least 24 different entries. If you create more entries, not every word needs to appear on every card.

Prepare the cards and the caller list.

Choose how many different cards you need in the generator. Print one per person, plus a spare. Copy the complete word list into a caller sheet, cut it into slips if you like, and draw from a bowl. Put called slips aside rather than returning them to the bowl. A handful of paper squares makes an easy alternative to marking the cards with ink.

Make the rules clear before you start.

A simple first round uses five squares in a row, column, or diagonal, with the center as a free space. Say the winning pattern aloud before drawing the first word. Read slowly and repeat each call. When someone claims bingo, check their line against the called words. Keep the game friendly: a good shared activity should leave plenty of room for laughter.