Preschool bingo at a glance
- Use a 3 × 3 card: 8 pictures and a free space in the middle.
- Each picture's name prints under it, so children see the word with the picture. Turn names off for a guessing game.
- Print one or two cards per page so the pictures are big.
- An adult calls: hold up the picture, say its name, and give everyone time to look.
- Keep games to 5 to 10 minutes, and play until every card is full.
Picture sets for preschool
Each set opens the card maker with 3 × 3 cards. Add or remove pictures, or mix themes, before you print.
Animals (36 pictures)
The easiest start: most three-year-olds can name a dog, a cat, and a fish. Make the animal sounds as you call them.
Dog
Cat
Mouse
Rabbit
Fox
Bear
Panda
Koala
Food (35 pictures)
Fruit, snacks, and favorite meals. Good before snack time, and for talking about colors: the red apple, the yellow banana.
Apple
Banana
Grapes
Strawberry
Watermelon
Orange
Pineapple
Cherries
Faces and feelings (20 pictures)
Happy, sad, sleepy, surprised. Ask children to make the face before they mark the square.
Party face
Grinning face
Tears of joy
Heart eyes
Sunglasses face
Thinking face
Sleeping face
Surprised face
Nature and weather (20 pictures)
Sun, rain, flowers, and trees. Pairs well with a weather chart or a walk outside.
Maple leaf
Star
Crescent moon
Sun
Cloud
Rain
Lightning
Rainbow
Things that go (20 pictures)
Cars, trains, boats, and planes from the travel pictures. Children can make each vehicle's noise.
Bus
Car
Taxi
Train
Airplane
Helicopter
Rocket
Ship
School and classroom (22 pictures)
Pencils, books, and backpacks. Useful in the first weeks of the year, when everything has a new name.
- Apple
Bell
Books
Backpack
Open book
Pencil
Crayon
Ruler
Holiday picture bingo for preschool
The same short game works for class parties. Look through each set before you print, and remove any picture that doesn't suit your group.
Halloween (19 pictures)
Pumpkins, bats, ghosts, and candy. The set also has a skull, a zombie, a vampire, and a coffin: leave those out for the youngest children.
Candy
Lollipop
Jack-o'-lantern
Ghost
Bat
Spider
Spider web
Skull
Fall and Thanksgiving (16 pictures)
Leaves, apples, and pies.
- Apple
Corn
Turkey
Pie
Fallen leaf- Maple leaf
Mushroom
Chestnut
Christmas and winter (22 pictures)
Snowmen, gloves, presents, and Santa.
Cookie
Hot drink
Scarf
Christmas tree
Santa
Mrs. Claus
Reindeer
Snowman
How to play bingo with 3 to 5 year olds
- Show the pictures first. Before the game, hold up each picture and say its name together.
- Give everyone a card and markers. Big markers are easier for small hands.
- Call one picture at a time. Say the name twice, show the picture, and wait until every child has looked.
- Help children check their cards. Ask "Who has the dog?" rather than waiting in silence.
- Celebrate every "Bingo!" Play to one line, then keep going until all the cards are full, so everyone wins.
Call from the printed caller sheet (the printed list of calls), which shows every picture with its name, or from the free caller, which shows each picture large on a screen and can read its name aloud.
What children practice
- Listening: hearing a word and finding its picture.
- Vocabulary: naming everyday things, animals, and feelings.
- Matching and looking: scanning a grid to find one picture.
- Print awareness: with names printed under the pictures, children see that the word goes with the picture.
- Taking turns and waiting: part of any group game.
Printing tips for preschool cards
- One or two cards per page. At four per page, the pictures are small for young children.
- Print in color on cardstock, or slide cards into sheet protectors so they last the year.
- Large print makes the names under the pictures bigger, at one or two cards per page.
- Print the caller sheet with call slips to cut out, so a child can draw the next picture from a bag.
For more picture themes and older groups, see picture bingo and classroom bingo.
Frequently asked questions
What age is picture bingo for?
Children can usually play from about age 3, as long as an adult calls and helps. Three- and four-year-olds do best with 3 × 3 cards and a few familiar pictures; five-year-olds can move on to 4 × 4 cards.
How many pictures do preschool bingo cards need?
A 3 × 3 card with a free space in the middle needs 8 pictures. Picking 12 to 16 makes every card different while keeping each game short.
Should the picture's name be printed on the card?
For most preschool groups, yes. Children match the picture, and the word underneath shows them that print has meaning, which helps early readers. The card maker prints each picture's name by default; turn it off for a guessing game where children name the pictures themselves.
How long should a preschool bingo game last?
About 5 to 10 minutes. Play to one line first, then keep going until everyone's card is full, so every child gets to shout "Bingo!"
What can children use to mark their cards?
Something big and easy to pick up: bingo daubers, large counters, pom-poms, or stickers. Avoid small beans or buttons with children who still put things in their mouths.
Is the card maker free for teachers?
Yes. It's free with no sign-up, and you can print as many cards as your class needs. Pictures print in full color on US Letter or A4.