Looking for a game to keep kids busy at a party, in the classroom or on a long car ride? Anyone can learn bingo for kids in a minute – kids observe, read and work together, and they love shouting “Bingo!”. Here are square ideas for different occasions and a guide to making your own printable bingo for kids.
Why kids love bingo
- Simple rules. Mark a square when it comes true – even a preschooler can do it with a little help.
- It builds attention. Kids have to watch what’s going on and search their card.
- It encourages reading. Short squares are great practice for young readers.
- It works anywhere – at home, in the classroom, in the car, in the woods or in the garden.
How to adapt bingo to kids’ ages
Preschoolers (4–6 years)
Choose a 4 × 4 card and very short squares of one to three words: dog, red car, balloon. Kids who can’t read yet can play in pairs with an older sibling or parent, or an adult can read the squares out loud. Play only until the first row.
Younger school kids (6–9 years)
A 4 × 4 or 5 × 5 card with simple sentences: someone hops on one leg, find someone who has a pet. Kids can read the squares themselves and will enjoy the icebreaker version, where they ask each other questions.
Older kids (9–12 years)
Go for a 5 × 5 card with harder squares, riddles or challenges. Older kids also enjoy coming up with the squares themselves – get them involved in the preparation.
Kids’ bingo square ideas
Birthday party bingo
- Someone laughs out loud
- A balloon floats away
- Someone sings a song
- Someone does a cartwheel
- Someone makes a funny face
- Someone gives you a high five
- Someone eats ice cream
- Someone is wearing a hat
- Someone builds a tower
- The birthday child opens a present
- Someone gets cake on their face
- Someone dances
Icebreaker bingo: find someone who…
- …has blue eyes
- …has a pet
- …likes broccoli
- …has the same favorite color as you
- …can whistle
- …was born in winter
- …has a brother
- …can count to ten in another language
- …has lost a tooth
Nature walk bingo
- A bird flies by
- A dog barks
- Find a pine cone
- Find a heart-shaped leaf
- Spot an ant
- Find a stone bigger than your fist
- Spot a butterfly
- Find something yellow
- Hear a stream or water
- Find a feather
Road trip bingo
- A red car
- A truck
- A church
- A cow in a field
- A bridge
- A tractor
- A gas station
- A car with a foreign license plate
- A camper van
- A speed limit sign
Bingo in the classroom
Bingo is also a great teaching tool. The teacher writes the answers in the squares and reads the questions out loud – kids look for the right answer on their card. You can practice:
- times tables – the squares contain results (24, 36, 42…) and the teacher reads the problems (“6 × 4”),
- vocabulary – foreign words in the squares, the teacher reads the translations,
- spelling words, capital cities or animals – whatever you are currently learning.
Thanks to the generator, every student gets a different card, so copying from a neighbor doesn’t pay off. For another classroom activity, try a crossword for your students.
How to make bingo for kids
- Open the bingo card generator and choose a cheerful background.
- Write a title such as “Emma’s Party Bingo” or “Road Trip Bingo”.
- Choose a 4 × 4 card – it’s clearer for kids and the game is quicker.
- Fill in the squares using the ideas above or the For kids tips in the editor.
- In the free space, add a star or smiley icon – kids get one square marked right from the start.
- Set the number of cards to match the number of kids, download the PDF and print it.
Tips for kids’ bingo
- Reward everyone. The winner gets the main prize, but every player deserves a little something (a sticker or a candy).
- Play shorter rounds. Young kids have short attention spans – just start again after each bingo.
- Use crayons or stickers instead of pens. Kids love coloring in or covering the squares.
- Laminate the cards or slip them into clear sleeves and use a dry-erase marker – they last longer on trips and can be reused.
- Let kids make up the squares. Older kids love preparing bingo for their younger siblings.
For more fun ideas for kids, see our articles on indoor birthday party games for kids and Halloween games and activities for kids.
Make your own bingo for kids
Kids’ bingo takes just minutes to prepare and keeps children entertained at parties, at school and on the road. Create your own bingo on ElisGrid – set up the squares and design in a live preview and download your cards as a printable PDF.