Classroom bingo
By Arthur, founder of BingoCard Lab · Updated
A classroom bingo game gives each student a different card of words, pictures or numbers. You call a clue, like a definition or a math fact, and students mark the answer. We suggest 3×3 picture cards for pre-K and 5×5 from 2nd grade. With 30 students on 5×5, the first bingo takes a median of 12 calls.
Describe your party
Choose your subject
Choose your cards
A classroom bingo game works from pre-K to 3rd grade, and in ESL, speech therapy and special ed groups. Pictures let students who don't read yet play on their own. The classroom vocabulary set above is a ready start: school objects and places, with a picture in every square.
A different card for every student
Every student gets a different card. No two classroom bingo cards in a deck share a winning line. Nobody wins with a line another student also holds.
Ties can still happen with different lines. In our simulation (10,000 decks per setup, 100 games each), about 17% of 5×5 games with 30 players had two or more winners on the same call. Pick a tie rule before you start: winners share the prize, or you call one more item.
Picture cards for students who don't read yet
Each item gets its own drawing. A 4-year-old can match the cat without reading the word "Cat." The CVC picture words and feelings in the ideas below are a good place to start.
Pick one of 5 picture styles: cartoon, watercolor, coloring page, flat icons or vintage. Coloring-page cards can double as a coloring sheet after the game.
If you make a new set every week, look at the Pro plan for teachers. It covers about 2 new illustrated sets a week.
One game for a mixed-level class
Keep one item list and change the card, not the lesson. From the same list, print a 3×3 deck for students who need a short game and a 5×5 deck for the rest. A small grid wins much sooner, so give each group its own prize.
Or split by reading level: illustrated cards for emerging readers, the words-only PDF of the same set for readers.
How many calls a game takes
A center group of 5 plays longer than the whole class. The table shows the median calls to a first bingo with a 40-item list and unique cards (our simulation: 10,000 decks per setup, 100 games each).
| Grid | 5 players (a center) | 10 players | 30 players (whole class) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 4×4 | 15 | 13 | 11 |
| 5×5 | 17 | 15 | 12 |
So plan several short rounds, and hand out fresh cards between them.
When to play a classroom bingo game
Play bingo in the classroom as review before a test or at the end of a unit. In centers, a small group can run its own game, with a student caller holding the call sheet. The call sheet comes in every PDF, so bingo also fits sub plans. It also works as a brain break or a Fun Friday round.
Ideas for your item list
- Pencil
- Crayons
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Eraser
- Backpack
- Lunchbox
- Notebook
- Globe
- Stapler
- Library
- Playground
- Cafeteria
- Gym
- Nurse's office
- Music room
- Show and tell
- Line up
- Raise your hand
- Story time
- Snack time
- Wash your hands
- Circle
- Square
- Triangle
- Rectangle
- Oval
- Hexagon
- Star
- Heart
- Pattern blocks
- Counting bears
- Number line
- Dice
- Clock
- Ruler
- Three fish
- Four ducks
- Five apples
- Six stars
- Seven balloons
- Eight cookies
- Nine buttons
- Ten frame of 7
- Seed
- Caterpillar
- Butterfly
- Magnet
- Magnifying glass
- Rock
- Ladybug
- Moon
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Scared
- Surprised
- Tired
- Proud
- Calm
- Cat
- Dog
- Sun
- Bus
- Hat
- Pig
- Cup
- Fox
- Firefighter
- Mail carrier
- Doctor
- Farmer
- Chef
- Crossing guard
- Snowflake
- Umbrella
- Rainbow
- Cloud
- Kite
- Falling leaves
Plan your game
- How many cards?
- One card per student, plus 2 or 3 spares for new students. The generator here starts at 30 cards, and a deck holds up to 100.
- Which grid?
- We suggest 3×3 for pre-K and kindergarten, 4×4 for 1st grade and 5×5 from 2nd grade. By default, 3×3 and 5×5 cards have a free space in the center; 4×4 cards don't.
- Letter or A4?
- Letter or A4, with 1, 2 or 4 cards per page. The call sheet is the last page of the PDF.
- How long does a game last?
- With 30 players, at least 8 games in 10 reach a first bingo within 2 to 6 calls on 3×3. On 5×5, at least 8 games in 10 take 8 to 15 calls (our simulation: 10,000 decks per setup, 100 games each, 40-item list).
Frequently asked questions
How do you play bingo in the classroom?
Give each student a card and some markers: counters, cereal, or a dry-erase marker on a laminated card. Announce the winning pattern before the round starts. Read items from the call sheet, and students cover each match. The first student with a full row, column or diagonal calls "Bingo!" Check that card against the call sheet before you hand out a prize.
How do you make bingo educational?
Put the answers on the cards and call the clues. Students then have to recall the answer, not just spot a match. Three kinds of clue work well. Call a definition, like "you cut paper with these," for Scissors. Hold up a picture of a cat, and readers mark the word "Cat." Or call a problem, like 3 + 4, and students mark the Ten frame of 7.
What is a good bingo game maker for teachers?
Look for four things: a different card per student, pictures for non-readers, a call sheet, and Letter or A4 printing. The generator on this page covers all four. Printing the pictures takes an Event pass or Pro. You can write your own items or start from the ideas on this page. Licensed characters stay words only.
What are some fun bingo games to play with kids?
Picture bingo with CVC words, like Cat, Sun and Bus, suits early readers. Shape bingo and feelings bingo, with squares like Happy, Proud and Calm, work for the youngest players. Math-fact bingo turns number practice into a game. For a longer round, ask for four corners or a blackout. And let a student be the caller.
Can I print classroom bingo cards for free?
Yes, words-only cards are free and unlimited. The free PDF has a small BingoCard Lab logo. Your first illustrated set is free to preview in full. Printing its pictures takes an Event pass or Pro. The Event pass is $4.99 once for that set, for personal and classroom use. Pro is $9.99 a month or $59 a year. The words-only PDF of that set stays free.