Christmas Bingo for Kids, Printable Cards

Q: Can I use other words?

Yes. Replace any word under Words, for example with the names of the children, or classroom items. Keep at least 20 words so the cards differ.

Small cards for small hands

Children between four and seven do best with a card that has few squares and short, familiar words. A 3 x 3 grid is quick to scan, and the whole game takes about five minutes, which suits a classroom station or a table of cousins waiting for dinner.

These cards use short words a beginning reader can manage, like bell, sled, boot and star. Most are things the children can see in the room or draw themselves. Four cards fit on one Letter or A4 page, so a class of 24 needs only six sheets, and cutting the sheet in quarters takes a minute.

Pre-readers can play too. Read each word aloud as you call it, and show a drawing or a real object, such as a mitten or a bell. The child finds the matching word by its first letter. Older children can take over as callers.

Words on these bingo cards

Santa hat
Present
Bell
Star
Tree
Snow
Sled
Elf
Lights
Cookie
Milk
Toy
Drum
Doll
Train
Teddy bear
Mitten
Boot
Scarf
Wreath
Snow angel
Snowflake
Ribbon
Card
Candle
Candy

How to run a round with young children

Set Number of cards to the number of children and press Print or save as PDF. Cut the sheets into four cards each.
Give out buttons, mini marshmallows or paper scraps as markers, so little fingers do not struggle with pencils.
Call one word at a time, slowly, and say the first letter. Three in a row, down a column or on a diagonal wins, and a child who wins can call the next round.
Switch to a full card for the last round. Press New cards whenever you want a fresh set.

Questions about Christmas bingo for kids

What age is this for?

About four to seven. Younger children can play when an adult reads the words. Children older than seven may want the bigger 5 x 5 grid, which you can pick under Words.

Can kids who cannot read play?

Yes. Say each word aloud and hold up a picture. The child matches the picture with the printed word, which is also good early reading practice.

How many cards do I need for a class of 25?

Print 25, one per child, plus a few spares. With four cards per sheet that is only seven pages. Each card is different, so there will not be five winners at once.

Can I use other words?

Yes. Replace any word under Words, for example with the names of the children, or classroom items. Keep at least 20 words so the cards differ.

Is it all right for a school with different traditions?

About half the words are plain winter ones, such as snow, scarf, mitten and snowflake. Delete the ones tied to the holiday, such as Santa hat, tree and present, and add more winter words of your own.

Christmas bingo for kids