Sight word bingo
Thirty different cards with high-frequency words from the first lists children learn: the, and, said, was, you. Print them as they are or paste your own weekly words into the form. Smaller 3x3 and 4x4 cards are one click away for kindergarten.
Download 30 cards (PDF) Paper and print options Call it on screen
30 different numbered cards, two to a page, with a caller sheet on page one and a winner check by card number. Free, no sign-up. The same link prints the same cards next time.
Card 1 - every card is different
Sight Word Bingo
The 68 words on these cards
- the
- and
- a
- to
- said
- in
- he
- I
- of
- it
- was
- you
- they
- on
- she
- is
- for
- at
- his
- but
- that
- with
- all
- we
- can
- are
- up
- had
- my
- her
- what
- there
- out
- this
- have
- went
- be
- like
- some
- so
- not
- then
- were
- go
- little
- no
- see
- look
- do
- come
- one
- big
- here
- me
- down
- play
- where
- jump
- help
- make
- funny
- get
- did
- saw
- now
- our
- came
- two
How to call sight words
Say the word, use it in a short sentence, then say it once more: "said. She said hello. said." Do not spell it out, or the game turns into letter matching and skips the reading. For beginning readers, hold up the word on a card for a few seconds after you say it, then put it away.
Smaller cards for kindergarten
A 5x5 card is a lot of reading for a five-year-old. Change the size in the form to 3x3, which needs 8 words with the free space, or 4x4 with 16 words, and print one big card a page. Fewer squares also means a winner sooner, which matters for short attention spans.
Swap in your weekly list
Delete the words in the form and paste this week's list, one word a line. Mix in a few words from earlier weeks so they keep coming back. If your school follows the Dolch or Fry lists, paste the exact level you are teaching.
Make the winner read
When a student calls bingo, ask them to read every word in the winning line out loud. That is the real practice, and the rest of the class hears the words again. A student who wins can be the next caller, which is more reading practice for them.
As a literacy center
Four students and one caller are enough. Print a small set from your list, give the caller the first page with every word on it, and let them cross off each word as they read it. Use a 3x3 card so a round fits in the center time.
Questions
Is this the Dolch sight word list?
It is a mix of common words that appear on the early Dolch and Fry lists for pre-primer, primer and first grade. If you teach a specific list, paste it into the form instead.
How many words do I need for a kindergarten card?
A 3x3 card with a free space needs 8 words and a 4x4 card needs 16. Use a few more than that so the cards differ.
What if some students cannot read the words yet?
Say the word and show it written at the same time, so they can match the shapes. Pair them with a reader for the first few games.
Can I mix capital letters into the words?
Yes, type the words as you want them printed. Words that differ only by capital letters count as the same word, so each one appears once.