How to play back to school bingo
Back to school bingo is regular bingo with school words in place of numbers. Each player gets a different 5x5 card with a FREE square in the middle. The caller reads one word at a time, like Backpack or Recess, and players mark it if it's on their card. The first player to mark five squares in a row, across, down or corner to corner, calls "Bingo!" and wins the round.
- 1Hand out the cards and something to mark squares with.
- 2Everyone marks the FREE square in the center to start.
- 3The caller draws a word, reads it out loud and sets it aside.
- 4Anyone who has that word on their card marks it.
- 5When a player gets five in a row, they call "Bingo!" and read their row back.
- 6The caller checks those words against the ones already called. If they all match, that player wins the round.
Rounds are short, so a game fits into the first morning meeting or the last few minutes before the bell. Clear the cards, put the slips back and play again.
What's on the cards
The cards use 60 school words. There are school supplies (Pencil Case, Glue Stick, Crayons, Sticky Notes), places around school (Locker, Cafeteria, Library, Bus Stop), people (Teacher, Principal, Crossing Guard, New Friend) and the parts of a school day (Recess, Hall Pass, Field Trip, Picture Day).
The words are short and familiar, so early readers can follow along, and older students can play it as a quick warm-up. Each card picks 24 of the 60 words and mixes them in a random order, so no two cards in your set are the same.
Add your own title, such as "Room 12 First Day Bingo" or "Maple Co-op Back to School Bingo", and it prints on every card. Choose 1 big card per page or 2 smaller cards per page. Both fit US Letter paper.
Call it from paper or from one phone
Pick whichever way is easier on a busy first day.
Caller slips
Check "Add caller slips" and every word prints as a slip. Cut them apart, drop them in a pencil cup or a lunch bag and draw one at a time.
Call on this phone
Tap Next and the phone shows a random word to read out. It keeps the list of words already called, so you can check a "Bingo!" without hunting for slips.
Want a game with no paper at all? Our classroom games run in the browser on one phone, with no app and no sign-up. Would You Rather questions for kids and Get to Know You questions are good picks for the first week.
Tips for printing and playing
- Print on cardstock so one set lasts the whole first week.
- Laminate the cards, or slide them into sheet protectors, and use dry-erase markers. Wipe them clean and play again the next day.
- Mark squares with things already in the room, like crayons, paper clips, erasers or small sticky notes.
- Choose 1 card per page for big squares that early readers can see, or 2 per page to save paper and ink.
- Print a few extra cards for students who join the class later in the week.
- To print at school or a copy shop, choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog and bring the file with you.
Back to school bingo variations
Once the class knows the game, try a new way to win or a new way to call.
Classroom tour
Walk the room together and mark each word as you point it out, like the Cubby, the Whiteboard or the Pencil Sharpener. Students learn where things are while they play. Not every word is in every room, so play for one line, not a blackout.
Four corners
Mark the four corner squares to win. It's quick, so it fits the first few minutes of the day.
Blackout
Mark every square on the card. Save it for the last day of the first week.
Clue calls
The caller describes the word instead of reading it, like "You need this to leave the room during class." Players work out the word (Hall Pass) before they mark it.
Tell us about it
After each call, ask one player who has that word to share something about it, like a favorite recess game or a favorite lunch. Bingo turns into a get-to-know-you game.
Team cards
Pairs share one card. New classmates have to talk to each other, which is the point of the first week.
Who back to school bingo is for
Bingo is an easy back to school activity for any group starting something new together, because players only need to listen and mark a square.
First week of school
Play it on the first day, while everyone is still learning names and routines, and again as a warm-up later in the week. Up to 60 different cards is enough for a full class or a whole grade.
Getting to know the classroom
Play the Classroom tour variation so students find the Cubby, the Class Rules and the Pencil Sharpener as they go.
Homeschool co-ops
On the first co-op day, students from different families play at the same table. Put your co-op's name in the title so the cards feel like your own.
Back-to-school nights
Leave a stack of cards and pencils by the door at an open house. Families walk the room together and mark what they find while they wait to meet the teacher.
For the rest of the first week, pair it with Find Someone Who bingo, where players find a classmate for each square, like someone who has been camping or can whistle a song. Then start each morning with the Question of the Day, three new questions to answer as a class every day.
Questions
Is this back to school bingo free?
Yes. You can make and print up to 60 cards at a time for free. There is no sign-up and nothing to download, except a PDF if you choose to save one.
Is every card different?
Yes. Each card picks 24 of the 60 words and mixes them in a random order, with a FREE square in the center. No two cards in your set are the same.
What grades does it work for?
The words are short and familiar, such as Backpack, Recess and Lunch Box, so early readers can play with a little help. Older students can play the Clue calls variation to make it harder.
How do I call the game?
Check "Add caller slips" to print every word as a slip to cut apart and draw from a cup. Or use Call on this phone: tap Next for a random word, and the phone keeps the list of words already called.
Does it work for a homeschool co-op or a back-to-school night?
Yes. Put your co-op or school name in the title and play on the first day. At a back-to-school night, families can play the Classroom tour variation and mark what they find in the room.
Can I put our class name on the cards?
Yes. Type a title such as "Room 12 First Day Bingo" and it prints on every card. Leave it blank to use "Back to School Bingo".
How do I save the cards as a PDF?
Choose 1 or 2 cards per page, press Print, then choose "Save as PDF" as the destination in the print dialog. This works from a phone or a computer.