This bingo for kids uses 48 words a beginning reader knows, such as cat, milk, red and sun, on 3 × 3 cards. The middle square is free, so a line takes two or three words. Print, then press Call the game.
Read the full guide
Short rounds make fun bingo for kids
On the 3 × 3 card, four players had a winner after about 10 calls in our simulated games, ten players after about 7 and a class of 25 after about 5. That is over too quickly for a class, so switch Grid to 4 × 4, where 25 players need about 13 calls. A grown-up presses Call the next one, so the pace is yours.
A reading game in disguise
Of the 48 words, 43 are on the Dolch list, the sight words and common nouns Edward William Dolch first published in 1936. Each word has a clue, shown under it when it is called. For children who read a little, call the clue, not the word: It says moo sends everyone hunting for cow.
Ask the winner to read the line back to you. It checks the win and gives one more turn at reading.
Say the word, show the screen, then count to five. A new reader needs that long to scan nine squares.
For a themed round, a grown-up picks Animals or Colors in Ready-made list; either fills a 3 × 3 card.
Questions and answers
What age is this bingo for?
It suits children who are starting to read: every word has one or two syllables and at most six letters. A child who cannot read yet can pair up with an older child or a grown-up who points to the square.
Can a whole class play at once?
Yes. One set holds up to 60 cards, no two alike. Set How many cards to the class size, switch Grid to 4 × 4 for a longer round, and print. A 4 × 4 card has no free square.
Does the page ask children for anything?
No. There is no sign-up, and the game needs no names and no typing. A grown-up presses the buttons, and the children mark paper cards or tap squares on a tablet. Marks are kept in that browser only, and Clear marks wipes them.
All 48 words
Animals 12
BearIt is big and furry and sleeps for much of the winter.
BirdIt has feathers and sings from a tree.
CatIt says meow and likes a warm lap.
CowIt says moo and gives us milk.
DogIt says woof and wags its tail.
DuckIt says quack and paddles on a pond.
FishIt swims and has fins and a tail.
GoatIt has little horns and a beard and climbs on rocks.
HorseIt says neigh, and you can ride on its back.
PigIt says oink and has a curly tail.
RabbitIt hops and has long ears.
SheepIt says baa, and its wool makes sweaters.
Things to eat 8
AppleA round fruit that is red, green or yellow.
BreadYou slice it to make a sandwich.
CakeIt has candles on your birthday.
CheeseIt is yellow or white, and it melts on toast.
CornYellow rows that you eat off a cob.
EggA hen lays it, and you crack it open.
MilkA white drink that you pour on cereal.
PizzaA flat round pie cut into triangles.
Show all 48 words (28 more)
Colors 10
BlackThe color of the sky at night.
BlueThe color of the sky on a clear day.
BrownThe color of mud.
GreenThe color of a frog.
OrangeA color and a fruit with the same name.
PinkMix red paint with white paint and you get it.
PurpleMix red paint with blue paint and you get it.
RedThe color of a fire truck.
WhiteThe color of a cloud.
YellowThe color of the sun in a drawing.
Around the house 10
BallIt is round, and it bounces.
BedYou sleep in it at night.
BellIt goes ding when you ring it.
BoatIt floats on the water.
BoxIt is made of cardboard, and things come inside it.
CarIt has four wheels and a horn that goes beep.
ChairYou sit on it at the table.
DoorYou open it to walk into a room.
ShoeIt goes on your foot, over your sock.
ToyYou play with it, then put it away.
Outside 8
FlowerIt has petals, and bees like to visit it.
GrassIt grows on a lawn, and you can run on it.
HillA high place that you can roll down.
NestA bird builds it for its eggs.
RainDrops of water that fall from the clouds.
SnowCold white flakes that you can roll into a ball.
SunIt shines in the day and keeps us warm.
TreeIt has a trunk, branches and leaves.
How this list was compiled: Written for this site on 2026-09-18; nothing was copied from another bingo card or word list. 48 words a beginning reader knows, in five groups. Every word has one or two syllables and six letters or fewer, and every word fits a 3 x 3 card in large type. The line beside each word is a clue in our own words that a grown-up can call in place of the word. The words were checked against the Dolch word list as printed on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolch_word_list on 2026-09-18 and 2026-09-19. On the Dolch list of nouns: all 12 animals; apple, bread, cake, corn, egg and milk; all 10 words in the house group; all 8 words in the outside group. Dolch service words: red, blue and yellow (pre-primer), black, white and brown (primer) and green (second grade). NOT on the Dolch list, and added because young children know them: cheese, pizza, orange, pink and purple. So 43 of the 48 words are Dolch words. The same article gives the list's history: compiled by Edward William Dolch, first published in 1936, 220 service words plus a separate list of nouns. That bingo is a teaching tool in American schools, with the numbers replaced by words for beginning readers, pictures or math problems to solve, was read on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bingo_%28American_version%29 on 2026-09-18. Game lengths quoted on the page come from our own simulation of 4,000 random games for each case (3 x 3 cards of 8 words around a free center, or 4 x 4 cards of 16 words, drawn from this 48-word list; first completed row, column or diagonal wins); they are estimates for planning, not measurements of real classrooms. Nothing on the list is scary, and no brand, character or show is named. Licence: own work