Kindergarten Sight Words Bingo Cards (Free Printable Generator)

The word list

These are the 40 Dolch pre-primer words, the words most often met in early picture books and the first ones children learn to read on sight. Cross out any words your class has not seen yet, and add words from your own phonics scope and sequence.

How to play sight words bingo in kindergarten

Sight words are the small, common words that children are expected to recognize at a glance. Many cannot be sounded out neatly, such as the and said, so repeated practice matters. Bingo gives that practice a game shape, with every child looking closely at printed words while one voice calls them out.

Because each card is a 4x4 grid, a round finishes quickly and fits a small group at a reading table. You need a pile of cards, markers and a caller who can say the words clearly.

1. Hand each child a card and about twelve markers. Paper squares, dried beans, small erasers or bingo chips all work.
2. Say the word, then use it in a short sentence so children hear its meaning. For instance: look. Look at the bird.
3. Children scan their cards, find the word and cover it.
4. Walk around and glance at each board. Quietly point to the correct word for a child who is lost without announcing it to the group.
5. When a child covers a full row, column or diagonal, they say bingo and read each covered word back to you. The reading is the real check.
6. Clear the cards and begin again. Rotate the caller each round so children hear the words in different voices.

Four ways to change it for little learners

• Pass-the-card review. After a round, swap cards with a neighbor and have the partners read every word on the new card together, pointing with a finger.
• Rainbow rounds. Play several short rounds on the same card, and give children a new crayon color for each round. Afterward they can see which words they heard in every round.
• Mystery word. Whisper a word to one child, who acts as caller by giving a clue such as "it starts with a t sound." Children must work out the word before covering it.
• Sentence square. Call two words in a sentence, and children cover both. It teaches that these words show up together in text.

Tips for teachers and parents

Start with a smaller set. Twelve words are plenty for the first week, and you can add a few new words each time. Use the editable list above to type only what your class has met.

Give plenty of wait time. Some five-year-olds read slowly, and rushing them only builds anxiety. Count to five in your head before you give a clue.

Mix easy and new words on the same board. A card where half the words are familiar lets children win a few squares fast, which keeps them motivated.

Send a card home in a folder with a handful of cereal pieces as markers. Families can play for five minutes after dinner, and the child becomes the teacher.

Watch for look-alike pairs such as was and saw, or he and we. Slow the caller down when they appear.

Printing tips for the classroom

Use heavy paper or cardstock if the cards will go into a center bin, since they need to survive many small hands. Lamination makes them reusable for years, and dry-erase markers wipe off easily.

Choose one card per page so the words print large and are easy to read from arm's length. Children who still lose their place on a big grid can use the 3x3 size. Black and white mode is fine because the words are the focus, not the color.

Print an extra sheet of the calling list. Cut the words apart and keep them in a small bag with the cards so a volunteer can lead the game.