3 August 2022, by Sherri Mastrangelo
I’m so excited to launch my new shop, starting with two new printable games for you to play: “Genealogy Bingo: Ice Breaker Edition” and a “Genealogy Crossword Puzzle.” Both are available now in my new Etsy shop (etsy.com/shop/StartResearching). Favorite and follow the shop, because I’ll be adding more products soon!
Genealogy Bingo: Ice Breaker Edition
If you’re looking for a “get to know your neighbor” type game for your next genealogy society meeting, this is it! Once you download and extract the zip file, you’ll see 10 unique Bingo Cards (PDF format), a word list, and game instructions. These files are yours to print at home, as many as you need - so if you’re expecting thirty people at your next meeting, you can print thirty copies!
There are two ways to play this game, 1) as classic bingo, where you can call out the clues from the included word list until someone shouts “Bingo!”, or 2), as an ice breaker, where you find a new friend that matches each clue. Have them sign their name or initials in the matching square, and then offer to sign one of theirs. Play to get five in a row, or as many squares as you can in the given time.
Can you find someone that "has a wish list of genealogy books" or whose "birthday is in July"? Or maybe someone that "has used a microfilm reader", or whose "ancestor founded a town"? Or will you admit to a new friend that your "research is not all that organized"?
If you’re hosting the game, you may want to give out a couple small prizes to the winners, at your own discretion. Maybe some candy bars?
This game can also be played together at virtual meetings, just email a bingo sheet to each guest ahead of time and then give them time to chat.
Get Genealogy Bingo: Ice Breaker Edition at etsy.com/shop/StartResearching
Genealogy Crossword Puzzle
This game would be good to challenge yourself, or play together as a group. Maybe offer a prize (more chocolate perhaps) for the first to finish!
Once you download the zip file and extract, you’ll find a single Genealogy Crossword PDF file you can print from home, along with a separate answer key. Again, print as many copies as you want. I think it’s a good mix of easy and hard clues, like “a brother or sister”, and “when the absence of records helps form the proof argument”. What do you think?
Get the Genealogy Crossword now on etsy.com/shop/StartResearching
Or visit the shop page, and please share with your friends!
This is my first experience using Etsy, so please forward me any and all feedback about the purchase process. Crossing my fingers it works well!
Hope you all have fun! And if you play either of these games at your next genealogy meetup, send me a picture and I’ll share it on a FB post :)
-Sherri