Printable 4th of July Bingo Cards, Free

A cookout bingo for the whole day

The Fourth of July is mostly waiting: waiting for the charcoal to turn gray, for the parade to reach your street, for the sun to go down. A bingo card gives that wait a shape. The words cover the whole day, from morning flags and bike parades to potato salad at noon to fireworks at night.

The list is neutral and about the celebration, not politics. Nothing mentions political parties, leaders or wars. Sparklers and fireworks are on the card only as things to watch; the real ones stay with the adults.

Hosts of large cookouts can print up to 100 cards in one go, and since every card is different, two guests rarely finish together. Two cards fit on one sheet of Letter paper. Print four per page if you want small cards for the kids table, and use cheap items like bottle caps or dry beans as markers.

Words on these bingo cards

Fireworks
Sparklers
Glow sticks
Parade
Marching band
Fire truck
Flag
Red white and blue
Stars
Stripes
Bunting
Streamers
Face paint
Hot dogs
Hamburgers
Corn on the cob
Potato salad
Coleslaw
Baked beans
Watermelon
Apple pie
Cupcakes
Popsicle
Lemonade
Iced tea
Cooler
Lawn chairs
Picnic blanket
Paper plates
Plastic cups
Grill
Charcoal smoke
Spatula
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Water balloons
Sprinkler
Pool noodle
Sack race
Three-legged race
Bike parade
Patriotic song
Band concert
Neighborhood block party
Barbecue sauce
Sunset
Dog under the table
Loud boom
Ooh and aah
Finale
Backyard
Long weekend

How to run it at a cookout

Type the number of guests in Number of cards and press Print or save as PDF. Print a few spares for neighbors who wander over.
Watching game: keep cards on the picnic table and mark squares through the afternoon when they happen. Whoever has the first line wins a popsicle.
Fireworks game: save one round for after dark. Call the words, or let kids shout what they see: finale, ooh and aah, loud boom.
For a second round after dark, press New cards and print a fresh set, or save the spares for Labor Day.

Questions about 4th of July bingo

Is the game political?

No. It is a game about the picnic and the fireworks. The words are things everyone sees on the day, and you can remove any that do not suit your group.

What should small kids know before playing?

Fireworks and sparklers are only on the card as words. Read the words aloud and keep real sparklers with adults.

How long does the game take?

A calling round takes ten or fifteen minutes. The watching version runs all day, with squares marked as the afternoon goes.

Can I use it at a summer camp or a library program?

Yes. A camp can run it on the last day before the holiday, and a library can hand it out with the summer reading log. Switch to 3 x 3 for children under seven.

Can I play it outside in the sun?

Yes, but print on paper that is not too thin, and bring clipboards. A breeze takes light sheets quickly.

Printable 4th of July bingo cards