Getting to Know You Bingo for the First Day of Class
Updated: 5 hours ago
The first few minutes of class can feel a little stiff. Students are looking for a seat, wondering who they know, and deciding how much they want to talk. A simple game can change the whole mood.
Getting to Know You Bingo is an easy first-day activity that gets students moving, laughing, and learning about one another. Instead of sitting through a long round of introductions, students walk around the room with a bingo card and look for classmates who match the statements in each square.
Why kids like this game
First-day introductions can be hard for kids. Some students love talking in front of a group, but others freeze when everyone is watching. Bingo takes away that pressure.
Instead of asking each child to stand up and share facts about themselves, the game gives everyone a reason to talk one-on-one. The conversation feels short, simple, and safe. Students can ask questions, answer quickly, and move on.
The best part is that students discover things they have in common. One child may find out that three classmates have dogs. Another might meet someone who also likes to draw. Someone else may be excited to find a classmate who has been to the same beach or also has a favorite saint.
Those little discoveries help students feel less like strangers and more like a class.
A good first-day activity does more than fill time. It helps students feel welcome.
What to put on the bingo cards
A good bingo card should have a mix of simple, fun, and faith-friendly statements. The goal is to make the squares easy enough for students to answer, but interesting enough to start real conversations.
Here are some easy ideas:
Likes to read books
Plays soccer
Has a dog
Likes to draw
Has a brother or sister
You can make the card fit the age of the class. Younger students may need very simple prompts, such as “has a pet” or “likes apples.” Older students can handle more thoughtful questions, such as “can name a virtue” or “has a saint they admire.”
How to play Getting to Know You Bingo
This activity does not need a lot of explanation. Keep the directions short, then let students begin.
Give each student a bingo card and a pencil.
Ask students to walk around the room and talk to their classmates.
When a classmate matches a statement, that classmate writes their initials in the box.
Students keep talking to different classmates until someone gets five in a row.
The row can go across, down, or diagonally.
The first student to complete a row calls out “BINGO!”
Check the winning boxes before naming a winner.
Before celebrating the winner, quickly ask about each square. For example, “Who has a dog?” or “Who has been to the beach?” This keeps the game honest and gives the class another chance to learn about each other.
For younger students, you may want to model one round first. Walk up to a student and say, “Do you like to draw?” If the student says yes, ask a follow-up question like, “What do you like to draw?” Then have the student initial the square.
That small example teaches students the real goal of the game.
Help students have better conversations
Without guidance, some students may rush through the room asking rapid questions just to fill boxes. That is normal, especially when they hear the word “bingo.”
Before starting, remind the class that this is not only a race. The goal is to learn something new about the people in the room.
You might say:
“Try not to only ask, ‘Do you have a dog?’ Ask one more question, like ‘What is your dog’s name?’ or ‘What kind of dog do you have?’”
That one extra question can make the game much better.
Here are a few helpful sentence starters to put on the board:
“What do you like about that?”
“When did you do that?”
“Have you always liked that?”
These prompts help shy students know what to say next. They also encourage outgoing students to slow down and listen.
Add faith connections without making it too hard
Because this is a faith formation class, faith-related squares can make the game even more meaningful. Keep them light and welcoming, especially on the first day. The purpose is connection, not a quiz.
Good faith-based squares include:
Has a favorite saint
Has a rosary at home
Knows the name of the parish priest
Has visited another Catholic church
You can also adjust the squares based on what students will learn during the year. If the class is preparing for First Communion, include gentle prompts about Mass, prayer, and family traditions. If the class is older, add squares about saints, service, Scripture, or the sacraments.
Simple ways to make the game run smoothly
A little planning helps the activity stay fun instead of chaotic.
Set a time limit before students begin. Ten to fifteen minutes is often enough, depending on the size of the class. If the group is large, you can let several students call bingo and then compare cards.
You can also set a rule that students may only use the same classmate once or twice on the whole card. This encourages them to meet more people.
If the room is small, create clear walking space. Move chairs in slightly or have students stand around the edges before starting. For a very young group, you might play in pairs, with an adult or aide helping guide the conversations.
A small activity that starts something bigger
Getting to Know You Bingo is simple, but it can set a warm tone for the rest of the year. Students walk in unsure of one another and leave knowing names, interests, and shared stories.
That kind of connection is meaningful in any classroom. In a faith formation class, it also supports the deeper goal of helping students grow together in faith, kindness, and community.
Print the bingo cards, hand out pencils, explain the goal, and let the conversations begin. By the time someone calls “BINGO,” the room will already feel a little more like a class.
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