Quick answer: Printable Christmas bingo is a picture-calling game: a grown-up calls one holiday picture at a time, and players cover it on their card until someone completes the agreed pattern. Use 3×3 picture-only cards for ages 3–5, 5×5 picture cards for ages 5–8, and 5×5 cards with a word under each picture for ages 6–10. Rounds are short: Line Bingo usually ends after about 8 calls on a 3×3 card and about 12 on a 5×5 card. You need printed cards, a caller board or calling cards, and markers; use paper tokens for little ones, because cereal, buttons, and coins are a choking hazard for children under 3.
Bingo is one of the few games where a three-year-old and a ten-year-old can play the same round. Nobody waits for a turn, the rules fit in one sentence, and the caller sets the pace for everyone.
Picture bingo also works for children who do not read yet. The caller names a picture and holds it up, and players look for the same picture on their card. The game becomes listening, looking, and matching, which is why picture bingo suits preschoolers and kindergarteners.
The examples below use our Christmas Picture Bingo set, which has three card formats that share the same 36 Christmas and winter pictures, but the tips work for any picture bingo game.
Choose a Card Format by Age
- Ages 3–5: 3×3 picture-only cards. Nine large pictures and no words. Four cards fit on one page. A line is three in a row, so rounds end quickly.
- Ages 5–8: 5×5 picture-only cards. Twenty-four pictures around a FREE space in the center. Two cards fit on one page.
- Ages 6–10: 5×5 picture and word cards. The same layout, with the name printed under every picture. Early readers can match the picture first and then check the word.
On 5×5 cards, everyone covers the FREE space before the first call.
Mixing ages in one game
Because all three formats use the same 36 pictures, a preschooler with a 3×3 card and an older sibling with a 5×5 card can listen to the same caller. A 3×3 card holds only 9 of the 36 pictures, though, so the little one gets fewer matches. Announce one winner per format, or give the youngest player two 3×3 cards so they have more to mark.
Plan How Many Cards to Print
- One page holds four 3×3 cards or two 5×5 cards. Divide the number of players by four or two and round up.
- For 30 children on 3×3 cards, print all 8 pages of that format. For 30 children on 5×5 cards, print 15 pages.
Each format in the set has 30 different cards, so up to 30 players per format can each have a unique card. Print single-sided at 100% (Actual Size) or Fit to Page. If you want to reuse the cards, slip them into dry-erase pockets or laminate them. Our guide to printing printables at home covers paper and printer settings.
Set Up the Caller
You have two ways to call pictures.
A no-cut caller board. One page shows all 36 pictures with a box to check off. To call in a random order, close your eyes and point to a box (if it is already checked, point again), or make a shuffled list of the numbers 1–36. Check each picture as you call it, so you can confirm a win later. Slip the page into a plastic sleeve to reuse it for several rounds.
Cut-out calling cards. If you like drawing from a hat, bowl, or gift bag, a grown-up can cut out the 36 calling cards. Draw one at a time, say the name, and hold the picture up. Put called cards in a separate pile so you can check a win.
Say the name and show the picture every time, and pause long enough for the slowest searcher. Add a word for look-alikes: a wooden sled or Santa’s sleigh, a cookie or a gingerbread man, a polar bear or a teddy. The winner of a round can be the next caller.
Keep Markers Safe for Little Ones
Markers need the most care. Small items such as cereal, buttons, and coins are a choking hazard. Keep them away from children under 3, and watch preschoolers closely if you use them at all.
For young players, paper tokens are the safer choice. The Christmas Picture Bingo set includes a page of 80 round paper tokens, which a grown-up cuts out. One page is enough for three players on 5×5 cards or eight players on 3×3 cards, so print a few copies for a group. Older children can use dry cereal or small paper squares, with a grown-up nearby.
Pick Winning Patterns
Show the pattern before each round. These are the four patterns in the set’s Grown-Up Guide, with typical numbers of calls from simulated games with 15 players (real games vary):
- Line Bingo: any full row, column, or diagonal. About 8 calls on a 3×3 card and about 12 on a 5×5 card.
- Four Corners: the four corner squares. About 18 calls on a 5×5 card.
- The X: both diagonals. About 20 calls on a 3×3 card and about 26 on a 5×5 card.
- Blackout: every square on the card. About 27 calls on a 3×3 card and about 34 on a 5×5 card.
For a longer game without new cards, play one card through several patterns. Award Line Bingo first, keep the markers in place, and continue to The X and then Blackout.
Use a Fair Tie Rule
Ties happen, especially in Blackout rounds. Agree on the tie rule before the first call.
A simple rule: if two players shout BINGO on the same call, both win, and each picks a sticker or a small treat. If you need a single winner, the tied players play rock-paper-scissors.
Before you announce a winner, check the card against the called pictures, gently: with young children, a mistaken BINGO is usually just excitement.
A Simple Plan for Christmas Bingo in the Classroom
Bingo fits a class winter party because it is calm, seated, and easy to stop at any point.
- Before the party: put one card per child and the markers on the desks.
- First round: Line Bingo as a warm-up, so everyone learns how calling works.
- Second round: Four Corners on 5×5 cards, or another Line Bingo round on 3×3 cards.
- Final round: one long game from Line Bingo through The X to Blackout, with the tie rule ready.
The pictures are everyday winter and Christmas objects, such as a snowman, mittens, hot cocoa, a sled, a penguin, and a gingerbread man. For more ideas for little ones, see our no-reading Christmas activities for preschoolers.
What’s in the Christmas Picture Bingo Download
The set is a digital download sold on Etsy, and nothing is shipped. You get five PDF files:
- All cards in color, US Letter: 39 pages with 30 cards of 3×3 pictures, 30 cards of 5×5 pictures, 30 cards of 5×5 pictures and words, and the page of 80 paper tokens.
- All cards in color, A4: the same 39 pages laid out for A4 paper.
- Printer-friendly black and white version: the same 39 pages as line art, in US Letter.
- Caller and Grown-Up Guide: 7 pages with how to play, how many pages to print, the four winning patterns, the no-cut caller board, and the 36 calling cards.
- Start Here: a one-page printing guide.
A few honest notes: the calling cards and paper tokens need cutting if you use them, while the caller board needs none. The black and white version comes in US Letter only. The license covers your own family and a single classroom. You can see the card formats and sample pages on the Christmas Picture Bingo page, which links to the Etsy listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Christmas bingo format for preschoolers?
Use 3×3 picture-only cards. They have nine large pictures and no words, and a Line Bingo round usually ends after about 8 calls.
How many bingo cards do I need for a class of 30?
One card per child. In the Christmas Picture Bingo set, that means all 8 pages of the 3×3 cards or 15 pages of either 5×5 format.
What can kids use as bingo markers?
Use paper tokens for young children. Cereal, buttons, and coins are a choking hazard and should be kept away from children under 3. Older children can use dry cereal or small paper squares with a grown-up nearby.
What happens if two children get bingo on the same call?
Both win, and each picks a sticker or a small treat. If you need one winner, the tied players play rock-paper-scissors.
