Beach Bingo
While you’re at the beach, challenge your kids to a game of Beach Bingo! Sometimes the sheer excitement of being in a new place blinds them to some of the neat things all around them. To get them to enjoy everything at the beach and really “see” what’s all around them, play beach bingo.
Start by drawing 4×4 boxes on a sheet of paper. Then fill them in with things the kids might find at the beach. Mix it up to include some hard-to-find items as well as some learning opportunities. Or if you choose, go on-line to find printable beach bingo cards and bring those with you. Distribute one bingo card per child to get the game started. Once each player spots an item on their card, mark out the coordinating box on the bingo card.
If your children don’t spend much time at the beach, take this opportunity to teach them about things they may not see at home: tide, seaweed, various kinds of shells; or new vocabulary: adirondack chair or sediment (sand); or alert them to important safety features: lifeguard’s chair, warning signs, etc.
Next, turn the kids loose to go explore. The first one to make a bingo wins his or her choice of beach toys.
Here are some things your kids can look for:
a sunburn
lifeguard chair
boogie boards
surfboards
seaweed
seashell (be specific about color)
towels of different colors and patterns
Someone with a certain color swimsuit
The sky is the limit! Be creative and have a great time!