How to play Find Someone Who bingo
Find Someone Who bingo, also called people bingo, icebreaker bingo or get to know you bingo, turns a room of strangers into a room of conversations. Each player gets a 5x5 card of prompts, like "Can whistle a song" or "Has a pet with a funny name." Every prompt finishes the phrase "Find someone who…". Players walk around, ask each other questions and write the name of someone who fits in each square. The first player to fill a full row wins.
- 1Give each player a card and a pen. Everyone writes their own name in the FREE square in the center.
- 2On "go," everyone gets up and mingles.
- 3Find a person and ask about one square, such as "Have you ever been on a plane?"
- 4If they say yes, write their name in that square. If not, thank them and ask someone else.
- 5Write a different person's name in each square.
- 6The first player with five names in a row, across, down or diagonally, calls "Bingo!" and reads the row out loud.
When a player reads their row, ask the people named to share a quick story about their square. That is often the best part of the game.
House rules that keep it fair
A few simple rules keep everyone moving and make sure nobody gets stuck in one corner of the room.
- No name twice. Each person's name can go on your card only once, even if they fit five squares. It pushes players to meet more people. In a very small group, you can allow each name twice.
- One question, then move on. Ask a person about one square, then find someone new.
- Ask, don't show. Read the question out loud instead of handing over your card.
- Anyone can pass. Nobody has to explain an answer, and "pass" is always fine.
- Your own name goes only in the FREE square.
What's on the cards
The cards draw from 80 prompts about hobbies, skills, food, places and small fun facts, such as "Can juggle," "Puts ketchup on eggs" and "Has seen a shooting star." Each card picks 24 of them in a random order, so neighbors cannot just copy each other.
The prompts are written for students 10 and up, a new team at work and a family reunion, all at once. They stay away from money, religion, health, bodies and relationships, and none of them puts one person on the spot. Each square has a line to write a name on.
Add your own title, such as "Room 14 Get to Know You Bingo" or "Welcome to the Team Bingo", and it prints on every card. Choose 1 big card per page for more writing room, or 2 per page to save paper. Both fit US Letter paper.
Tips for running it
- Print on cardstock, or hand out clipboards, so players can write while standing.
- Choose 1 card per page to give players more room to write names. Choose 2 per page to save paper.
- Laminate a set of cards and use dry-erase markers if you run the game with every new class or team.
- Set a time limit, such as 10 or 15 minutes, and play for the first row, then keep going toward a full card until time runs out.
- Have a few small prizes ready, like stickers, candy or first pick of the snacks.
- End by asking two or three players to share the most surprising thing they learned.
Find Someone Who bingo variations
Blackout
Instead of one row, the goal is a name in every square. It takes longer and gets everyone talking to more people.
Seated version
For a room where people can't easily move around, the host reads a prompt and everyone it fits raises a hand. Players write the name of one person with a raised hand.
Story round
To win, a player must share one fact they learned for each name in the row.
Team challenge
Players work in pairs on one card. It helps quieter players and works well for new teams.
For more ways to break the ice, try Two Truths and a Lie ideas or our list of icebreaker games.
Who Find Someone Who bingo is for
It is a classic first-week activity for classrooms, because students learn names and find things in common without being put on the spot. It works for a new team at work, a kickoff meeting or an orientation day, where people have just met. It also fits a family reunion, where cousins and in-laws who rarely see each other can catch up.
Prefer to stay seated? Get to Know You questions and Would You Rather run in the browser on one phone, so a group can keep the conversation going with no paper at all. For more ideas, see our classroom games.
Questions
What is Find Someone Who bingo?
It is an icebreaker, also called people bingo or human bingo. Each square has a prompt like "Has been camping." Players mingle, ask questions and write the name of someone who fits in each square. The first full row wins.
Can you write the same name twice?
We suggest a "no name twice" rule: each name goes on a card only once, so players talk to more people. In a very small group, you can allow each name twice.
Can players write their own name?
Only in the FREE square in the center. Every other square needs someone else's name.
Are the prompts OK for school and work?
Yes. The 80 prompts are about hobbies, skills, food and places, written for ages 10 and up. They avoid money, religion, health, bodies and relationships, so they work in a classroom, at work or at a family reunion.
How many people do you need?
It works best with about 10 people or more, so filling a row takes some mingling. You can make up to 60 different cards at a time, enough for a large class or a team meeting.
How long does a game take?
You decide. Set a time limit that fits your schedule, such as 10 or 15 minutes, and stop when someone gets a row or when time runs out.
How do I save the cards as a PDF?
Press Print, then choose "Save as PDF" as the destination in the print dialog. This works from a phone or a computer.