Work on identifying 3D shapes or describing 3D shapes with a free printable bingo game for kindergarten.
Here is a bingo game that I made for my kindergarten class to play in small groups. Let me show you how to play it, how to make it, and give you the free download.
Bingo is such a classic game, right? This is an easy 3D shapes activity for kindergarten to plug-and-play into your lesson plans.
The bingo cards feature both real-world examples and simple 3D shapes Some shapes are rotated since students are supposed to be able to identify them no matter the orientation The cards are designed to get bingos fast so all kinders get a turn to describe during one of our small group math lessons.
Here are three things I want you to know about these bingo cards:
This Shape Bingo printable version is super fun to learn 2D shapes for early geometry skills. The 34 page PDF includes 18 calling cards and 30 bingo boards all in black and white. Students can color or trace the shapes to add a multisensory learning component to shape recognition. How Shape Bingo works. ‘Shape Bingo’ is a great way to teach kids about shapes and colors! A free, printable activity for kids, ‘Shape Bingo’ involves a mix of art and math as preschoolers have to identify and color various shapes. This fun twist to the regular game of Bingo can be used by teachers as an interesting classroom activity. Print out the bingo game cards. Pull out the cards with the shape names written on them and have students put a marker over the corresponding shape if they have it on their card. Blank game cards are provided for you to add your own shapes.
- The bingo cards feature both real-world examples and simple 3D shapes
- Some shapes are rotated since students are supposed to be able to identify them no matter the orientation
- The cards are designed to get bingos fast so all kinders get a turn to describe during one of our small group math lessons
That way we really are working on the standards.
Now, let's talk about how to play the game.
How to play
The rules are pretty similar to a regular game of bingo. There is a caller who has calling cards and players who each have a playing card.
In order to practice the standard of describing 3D shapes, we won't simply be calling out the shape names. If the goal is to describe shapes - then that's exactly what the caller has to do.
The caller should pick a card from the draw pile and describe it so that the players can find the correct matching shape and cover up one match on their gameboard.
For example, if the caller picks a sphere card, he or she should describe it like, 'Cover the shape with no edges, 0 vertices, and 1 curved face.'
Then, the players should either cover up the real-world sphere (the Earth) or the simple sphere.
This continues until one player has three spaces in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) covered up and that player calls out, 'Bingo!'
The player with the bingo has won the round and a new caller is selected (maybe even the person who won) - and the players swap playing cards. Shuffle the calling card draw pile.
Helpful tips
Here are a few things that might be helpful to know if you're going to play 3D bingo with your class.
- You can use this game simply by calling out shape names too if you have students who are ready for 3D shape identification, but not describing them yet.
- The teacher should start as the caller and model describing using proper vocabulary like vertices, faces, edges, etc. Then, when students are ready they can take turns being the caller for each round. {{Informal assessment... boom!}}
How to make 3D bingo
Now that you know how to play, let's make it. Here's what you need to do.
First, download 3D shapes bingo. [terms of use][downloading help]
Then print the playing cards for your small group - there are seven different cards. You can print on any paper - colored paper, construction paper, etc. (No need to laminate the cards if you use construction paper -they'll hold up just fine when used by a couple of groups over a few years.)
If you don't want full-sheet size bingo mats, change your printer settings to print multiple pages on one paper, which would make a nice half-size bingo card.
Print the calling cards as well and cut those apart.
Grab some counting chips, linking cubes or gold coins for manipulatives to cover up the playing cards and you're ready to play.
This game stores really well in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
Let's wrap it up
There yo uhave it - a bingo game for kindergarten small groups to work on describing 3D shapes. I hope those tips for how to play it, how to make it, and the free download have you set up for success.
Want more 3D shape activities for kindergarten?
If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
More Kindergarten Math
While I think using a classic game like bingo isn't always the most effective way to teach a classroom skill - I do think you can give it a twist and make it worthy of small group time.
Here is a free describing 2D shapes bingo game I created that is worthy of such instructional time in kindergarten.
The twist is that the caller is the one who is really being stretched to work on this skill. But the other players still get a good describing 2D shapes workout too.
The game should move fast enough (with the small playing board) that multiple kinders can get a turn to be the caller.
Let me explain how to play it and which common core standard this helps your kinders master.
How to play 2D shape bingo
The basic rules of bingo: listen to what the caller announces and cover up any space that matches on your board. Call out 'bingo' when you have covered up every space in an entire row, column or diagonal. The first one to get a bingo wins.
This game pretty much follows those rules. Students will cover the shape that matches the description called out by the reader.
But - that's the main twist and why this game works! The caller calls out a description, not the name of a shape.
![Printable Printable](/uploads/1/3/5/8/135817097/663371175.png)
Normally, I am the 'caller' the first time we play. I pick a shape calling card, describe it's features and they cover the shape I described.
Then we take it to another level.
Then we take it to another level.
The goal of the standard isn't for them to hear the description and be able to identify the matching shape - it's for them to describe the shapes, right?
This game was designed to help meet Common Core Standard:
- K.G.4.a - Describe two-dimensional shapes to identify their various attributes, including vertices, sides, corners, and length of sides.
So - my kinders take turns being the 'caller' and they describe the shape to the other players.
Students will use the calling cards to look at the shapes and come up with accurate words to describe each shape.
They will use phrases like, 'Has 3 sides,' 'Has 4 vertices (corners),' 'Has 1 curved side,' or 'Has 2 short and 2 long sides.'
If they don't provide enough information on a shape for the players to accurately match (ie. only stated 4 vertices... but that could be a square or a rectangle) then it's a great teachable moment to ask for more.
It's great for small groups because you can more effectively target what concepts of a shape may be challenging to each student and provide support where needed.
How to make the game
Shape Bingo Pdf
Here's how to make this game to describe shapes.
- Download this free describing 2D shapes game. You agree to these terms of use by doing so. [downloading help]
- Print the playing cards pages and calling cards.
- Print the optional organizational label. Cut and stick onto a gallon Ziploc bag with clear packing tape.
- Cut the playing cards sheets in half and cut the calling cards out.
- Grab some chips or manipulatives that students can use to cover up spaces on their playing boards. Add those to your Ziploc bag if you wish.
You can print in either color or black and white. They also look great printed on colored paper.
And you're ready to play. I hope this game helps your kinders get enough practice to master this skill.
Winning Bingo Shapes
You may also love this free Describing 2D Shapes Mini-Book you can make with your kindergarten class.
If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.