Picture bingo for kids is bingo with pictures instead of numbers, so children who cannot read yet can play. Choose from ten themes, including animals, farm, ocean, transportation, fruit and vegetables, food, weather, space, garden bugs and feelings, then print free cards in 3 by 3, 4 by 4 or 5 by 5 with calling cards to cut out. You can also play picture bingo online: the game reads each picture aloud, so toddlers and preschoolers can join in. It is free and needs no sign-up.
Picture bingo for kids: printable cards and online game
The first three pictures are free printable picture bingo cards in three themes: animals with words under the pictures, vehicles on a picture-only 3 by 3 card, and a big 5 by 5 fruit and vegetable card. The fourth picture shows the online game, where one device calls the pictures and each child taps on their own card.
How to play picture bingo
- Pick a theme and print the cards. Every card has the same kind of pictures in a different order.
- Call a picture. Draw a calling card from a bag, show it and say the word.
- Cover it. Children who have the picture cover it with a counter, a button or a small piece of paper.
- Shout bingo! The first child to cover a full row, column or diagonal wins. Read the covered pictures back to check.
- Play again with a new theme, a different pattern or a bigger card.
Ten picture bingo themes compared
There are 254 different pictures across the ten themes, from 22 in the smallest pack to 30 in the biggest, and each pack has its own page with the full list, clues and learning ideas. The emoji pack, emoji bingo, is the eleventh theme and is made for parties.
| Theme | Pictures | First four pictures | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal bingo | 30 | dog, cat, mouse, rabbit | Preschool animal units and zoo trips |
| Farm animal bingo | 26 | cow, pig, sheep, goat | Farm themes and where food comes from |
| Ocean animal bingo | 24 | whale, dolphin, shark, octopus | Sea life and under the sea weeks |
| Transportation bingo | 26 | car, taxi, bus, police car | Things that go, and car journeys |
| Fruit and vegetable bingo | 27 | apple, banana, grapes, watermelon | Healthy eating lessons |
| Food bingo | 27 | pizza, burger, hot dog, fries | Meals, snacks and party games |
| Weather bingo | 24 | sun, rain, thunderstorm, lightning | Weather and seasons units |
| Space bingo | 22 | rocket, Earth, full moon, crescent moon | Science weeks and space themes |
| Bug and garden bingo | 24 | bee, ladybug, butterfly, caterpillar | Spring and nature lessons |
| Feelings bingo | 24 | happy, sad, angry, scared | Social and emotional learning |
Which picture bingo card size should I choose?
The size of the card sets how long a game lasts and how much children need to remember. The last column shows how many different cards can be made from the 30 pictures in the animal pack alone, counting every order of the pictures on the card:
| Card size | Pictures on the card | Free space | Age | Game length | Different cards (animal pack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 | 8 | free star in the middle | Ages 3 to 4 | About 5 minutes | 235,989,936,000 |
| 4 × 4 | 16 | no free space | Ages 4 to 6 | About 10 minutes | 3,042,648,073,975,910,400,000 |
| 5 × 5 | 24 | free star in the middle | Ages 6 and up | About 15 minutes | 368,406,749,739,154,248,105,984,000,000 |
Even the smallest card has millions of layouts, so a class of 30 children all get different cards. Choose the 3 by 3 card for the youngest, add the words under the pictures for early readers, and move up a size as children grow.
Picture bingo for preschoolers and toddlers
Bingo for preschoolers works best with a few simple rules. Use the 3 by 3 picture-only card, play with two or three children, and call the pictures slowly, with a pause so each child can find the picture. Bingo for toddlers is gentler still: sit beside the child, name each picture together, point to it on the card and let the toddler place the counter. Do not worry about winning, because naming the pictures is the lesson. Use real objects or toys as props, and keep the game to five minutes.
- Ages 2 to 3: two cards between you, big counters, no winner.
- Ages 3 to 4: the 3 by 3 card, one line to win, pictures only.
- Ages 5 to 6: the 4 by 4 card with words under the pictures.
- Ages 7 and up: the 5 by 5 card, a full-card blackout and a child as the caller.
Free picture bingo cards: printable options
- Theme: ten themes, plus emoji bingo, and the number of cards from 1 to 200.
- Card size: 3 by 3, 4 by 4 or 5 by 5, with a free star in the middle of the 3 by 3 and 5 by 5 cards.
- Words under the pictures: keep them for children learning to read, or turn them off for pre-readers.
- Cards per page: 1, 2 or 4, plus a set of calling cards to cut apart.
- Color or black and white: black and white saves ink for classroom copies, and Letter or A4 paper is available.
Play picture bingo online
On tablets or phones, press Create game and share the link. You reveal each picture on your screen (it is read aloud, so non-readers can play), and children tap it on their own card. Check winners by card number. Our guide to playing bingo online with friends has tips for hosting, and the play bingo online page has more games.
Learning ideas for picture bingo
- Vocabulary: say each word, point to the picture and have the class repeat it, which helps young children and English learners.
- Categories: after a game, sort the called pictures into groups, such as land, sea and air animals.
- Listening: give clues instead of the word, such as “it has a long neck”, and let children find the picture.
- Turn taking: let a child be the caller, which practices speaking clearly.
- Early reading: turn on the words under the pictures so children link the word to the object.
Picture bingo for kids: frequently asked questions
What is picture bingo?
Picture bingo is bingo with pictures in the squares instead of numbers, as in the classic game described in Wikipedia’s bingo article. A caller shows a picture, and players cover it on their card.
What age is picture bingo for kids?
From about age 3. Choose the 3 by 3 card for preschoolers, 4 by 4 for ages 4 to 6, and 5 by 5 for older children. Turn the words under the pictures on for early readers.
Can I make the game shorter?
Use the 3 by 3 card and play for one line. A 3 by 3 game usually lasts five minutes.
Is picture bingo for kids free?
Yes. Printable cards, the PDF download and the online game are free, with no sign-up.
How many cards can I print?
Up to 200 different cards at a time, with 1, 2 or 4 cards to a page, plus a set of calling cards.
Pictures: Twemoji by X Corp, licensed CC BY 4.0.
More bingo cards for kids
Looking for more bingo cards for kids? These pages have the full picture lists, clues and learning ideas for each theme.