Supermarket bingo
You’ll need
- Pens or pencils
Before you begin
- The person leading the activity should call a local supermarket and ask if it’d be okay for the group to visit. Explain that you’re learning about healthy lifestyles and will be running an activity where the group will be searching in the aisles for healthy produce to tick off on their sheets. Tell them the size of the group and ask about any additional requirements.
- The person leading the activity should inform the group and their parents or carers where the activity will be held and for how long. It may be convenient for everyone to meet at the supermarket of choice. If any parents or carers are able to stay and help with the activity, this’d be ideal. They might be able to pick up some of their shopping as they go along!
- Make sure there are enough copies of the ‘Supermarket bingo card’ sheet. There should be one per person.
Bingo time
- Everyone should get into pairs or small groups at the supermarket. The person leading the activity should make everyone aware of a meeting point. This should be somewhere easy to find and central. Everyone should now gather at that point.
- The person leading the activity should give out the ‘Supermarket bingo card’ sheets. Explain that each group must go around the supermarket and find the items described on the sheet. When they’ve filled out the card, they should return to the meeting point. After twenty minutes, everyone should return, whether they’ve completed the card or not.
- Everyone should set off to find their items. Each item on the ‘Supermarket bingo card’ sheets will be located in a different part of the supermarket. The groups may only write down an answer once (e.g. if there’s a ‘tinned vegetable’ which also has ‘red packaging,’ it may only go on one of these two squares).
- After twenty minutes, everyone should have returned to the meeting point. The first team to return with a correctly completed card is the winner.
Reflection
The group has visited a local shop and looked for healthy foods. What did everyone notice about the variety of healthy foods on offer? Which items were the most expensive, do you remember? Were there any items on the card that were quite difficult to find and should’ve been more centrally located?
Supermarkets have to be big to hold so much healthy food! Was it exhausting running up and down the aisles looking for one item? Did you move quickly to try and be the first team back, or did you take your time so that you could search for what you were looking for with more care?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Active games
The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
- Food
Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.
Superior shoppers may enjoy this activity more if they have a smaller time limit to complete the bingo card. Ambitious groups could try and do it in ten minutes and set a record for future groups to try to beat.
Give hints to those who’re struggling to complete their card. One might be that fresh fruit and vegetables are usually all found in the same place.
Anyone with mobility issues should be assisted throughout this task. Most supermarkets are fully wheelchair-accessible, but take extra care going around the ends of the aisles.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Now that the groups know where all the healthy foods are, plan a shopping trip to get everything you’ll need to prepare a healthy feast for the groups and their families.