If someone asked you to name the most universally enjoyed classroom learning game, what would it be? I think bingo would be at the top of the list for a lot of teachers. There’s just something about this game that students absolutely love! Plus, it’s easy to customize for the exact skills students need to practice. For this post, let’s talk about phonics bingo games and why they’re so helpful in the kindergarten classroom!
Let’s start with a little research into playing games and learning:
“The use of games in education is rapidly growing with learners more and more becoming receptive to game-based learning in the classroom”. (Johnson, et. al.)
Students love learning through games. So, when it comes to reviewing and practicing skills, games are the perfect way to do it. They keep students engaged in the activity which makes it more likely that the concepts you’re reviewing will stick!
As with any learning activity in kindergarten, students thrive on consistency and repetition. That’s why I like to use bingo games for phonics practice! Students don’t have to worry about learning the rules of a new game. Since the rules of the game are the same every time, they can save their mental energy for phonics practice.
In order to keep this familiar activity from getting stale for students, I’ve created monthly bingo games that have fun seasonal themes! Here are some tips for using these bingo activities in your kindergarten classroom:
You can choose to put together the entire activity with printables or you can combine it with digital slides. The digital slides are helpful for calling the sounds, since students will have a visual to reference. It can also keep you from having to repeat yourself over and over!
Before you start the game, take a few minutes to review the sounds that students will be listening for throughout the game. If you’re using digital slides to call the sounds, the slideshow begins with a picture sort that you can use for review before starting bingo.
Each student should have their own bingo card to use during the game. As they wait for the game to start, you can encourage them to identify the pictures on their cards. This will make it easier for them to find the right picture as you call the sounds during the game.
Each bingo activity comes with three levels of difficulty, so all students can participate in the same game using differentiated game cards.
You can also pass out tokens or manipulatives that students can use to mark the pictures as you call out the sounds. You could even use mini erasers or other manipulatives that match the bingo theme!
If you choose to use only print materials for your round of bingo, just call out sounds at random from the teacher call sheet. Just be sure to cover the letters or sounds with a manipulative as you call them out. You could also laminate your call sheet and use a dry erase marker to cross them off as you play.
For the digital version, you’ll just click through to display one letter or sound at a time. You can still use the printable teacher call card to keep track of what has been called.
Play will continue until a student covers four spaces in a row on their sheet. This could be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. When a student gets a bingo, give them a chance to confirm the pictures they’ve covered in order to make the bingo. This gives students another chance to practice the focus phonics skill! You can use your teacher call sheet to make sure that the student covered the pictures to match what’s been called.
Every teacher is different when it comes to deciding if it’s time to clear cards and start again. Some teachers like to start over after the first bingo while others might wait for three. Either way, bingo is a game that you can easily play multiple times. You could also have students trade cards, so they get a chance to review other words before playing again.
While bingo is usually a whole group activity, the digital version of the bingo activity means you can use it in many other ways for phonics instruction. Here are a few examples:
Literacy Centers: Phonics bingo is the perfect addition to literacy stations in your classroom. Simply load the digital slides onto your classroom tablets or computers. Students can navigate through the slides to play the game, marking their bingo cards as they go.
Early Finishers: You could also have the bingo materials available to use as an activity option for early finishers. It’s a great way to keep them engaged as they wait for the next classroom activity.
Incentive or Celebration: Playing bingo can be a reward that your class earns with positive behavior choices! The themed bingo activities also make it a great option for a class party. For example, the February bingo cards are perfect for a Valentine’s Day game!
Do you want to use these seasonal bingo games in your classroom to enhance phonics practice in your classroom? I’ve put together a bundle of themed bingo activities that will last all year! This versatile resource will help young learners recognize letters, match letter sounds, and practice alphabet knowledge.
Just click below to take a closer look at everything included in this bundle of bingo games:
If you love using games in your classroom, be sure to check out some of my other blog posts! Here are some more fun ideas for using learning games in kindergarten:
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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