Printable Summer Bingo Cards, Free

Q: How do I make it easier for little ones?

Switch to 3 x 3 and keep the words about water, food and bikes. Parents can read the squares aloud and help with markers.

A bingo for ten weeks off

Summer vacation has too much room in it. A card gives it a few handles: swim in a lake, eat a popsicle that drips down your arm, see fireflies, read a library book, stay up too late. Cross each one off when it happens, and by August the card tells the story of the season.

Camp counselors use it as a first-day icebreaker and a game for rainy afternoons. Libraries run it next to the reading log, with a small prize for a full line. Families hand each child a card on the first day of vacation and ask for a line by the Fourth of July, a full card by Labor Day.

That gives you two games on one list. As a bucket list, nobody calls anything and the card lasts the whole summer. As a party game, the host calls words, and the first line wins. Cards are printed two per page, and each one is different, so siblings cannot copy each other.

Words on these bingo cards

Sunscreen
Sunburn
Flip-flops
Sunglasses
Beach towel
Sand castle
Seashell
Ocean waves
Lake swim
Pool party
Cannonball
Water balloon
Sprinkler
Lemonade stand
Popsicle
Ice cream cone
Watermelon
Corn on the cob
Barbecue
Campfire
S'mores
Tent
Sleeping bag
Flashlight
Bug spray
Mosquito bite
Fireflies
Thunderstorm
Road trip
Car snacks
Gas station stop
Hotel pool
Camp counselor
Friendship bracelet
Canoe
Hiking trail
Library card
Summer reading list
Reading log
Bike ride
Skateboard
Sidewalk chalk
Hammock
Porch swing
Farmers market
Fair ride
Minor league game
Movie matinee
Late bedtime
Sleepover
Tan lines
Back-to-school sale

How to use summer bingo

Set Number of cards to the number of children, then Print or save as PDF. Pencil is better than pen for a card that will live on a fridge.
Bucket-list version: mark each square on the day it really happens and add the date. A full line earns a treat, such as picking the Friday dinner.
Camp or class version: call the words from a hat. Players mark them, and anyone who has done the thing can tell a short story before the next call.
Print again with New cards for the next camp session, or for a friend with a different mix of squares.

Questions about summer bingo cards

Can I use it for a summer reading program?

Yes. Add squares such as read outside or finish a chapter book, and remove ones that do not fit, all under Words. A list of 30 or more keeps the cards different from each other.

What is a good reward for a line?

Small things work best: a sticker, a later bedtime, a trip for ice cream. Keep the big prize for a full card, which takes most of the summer.

How do I make it easier for little ones?

Switch to 3 x 3 and keep the words about water, food and bikes. Parents can read the squares aloud and help with markers.

Will it work for adults?

Yes, as a personal list. Teens and adults add squares like sunset swim or first tomato from the garden and mark them off alone.

Do I need to print all at once?

No. Print as many as you need now, then come back later. Your edited list is saved on the device for the next summer.

Printable summer bingo cards