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Play bingo with homemade cards with the help of this guide
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If you want to play a custom bingo game for a party or get-together, it’s so easy to create cards with your own words or terms on them. While an online generator is the easiest, you can make your own bingo cards with simple computer programs or even by hand. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make bingo cards and start playing!
Easy Way to Create Bingo Cards
Use a bingo card generator site, like My Free Bingo Cards or Bingo Baker, for the simplest option. Add words, numbers, symbols, or pictures to the bingo card to customize it. After that, click “Generate” to make multiple bingo cards with the terms in random order.
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Section 1 of 4:
How to Make Bingo Cards with a Generator
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Use an online generator for the simplest way to make bingo cards. Generators allow you to add custom words or pictures, and they’ll create randomized cards on their own. Some bingo card generators are free to use, but others require you to register an account. Some of the best sites for generating bingo cards include:- My Free Bingo Cards allows custom text and theming for free.
- Bingo Baker allows you to add words or images to your custom bingo card for free.
- OSRIC gives you free basic tools for adding a custom word list and creating simple black-and-white bingo cards.
- Print Bingo is free and gives you options to add words only to specific columns on the bingo card, plus they have pre-generated word lists you can use. You can also pay a one-time fee of $12 for premium features, like saving your designs or adding serial numbers to your bingo cards.
- Canva lets you add words or pictures for free, and it allows a lot of customization for how your bingo card looks. However, you have to make an account first.
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Type in a title for the cards and the words to fill the spaces. Look for a text box near the top of the generator with a phrase like "Card Title." Click on the text box and type in the name of your bingo card, such as "Adam's Bingo Card" or "Volunteer Fire Department Bingo Tournament." After that, find the text box that says something like “word list” and enter all of the words you want for filling the bingo boxes. [1] X Research source- Each generator is a little different, but you’ll usually separate different words, numbers, and symbols with a comma. Then, the bingo card generator randomly assigns the items into separate boxes.
- Example : If you want to make an animal bingo game, your word list may read, "bat, bird, turtle, deer, hippo, dog, cat, bear, lion....."
- You can also list numbers (3,5,17,24,56,78,....etc.) and symbols ($,&,*,%,@,....etc.) as options for your bingo card.
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Decide whether or not you want a free space. On many bingo cards, there is traditionally a "free space" where the person playing gets to place a chip down before the game begins. Look for the option on the bingo card generator asking whether or not you want a free space on your bingo card. Click on either "Yes" or "No."- The generator may ask you to fill in the text of the free space. This could be something simple such as "Free Space" or you can write in custom text, like “Mark this spot!”
- Most of the time, free spaces are placed in the center of a bingo card, but some generators let you decide where you want the free space.
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Choose the size of your bingo card. Bingo cards are traditionally laid out in a 5 X 5 block grid. However, you can change the size based on the number of words you have or the length of the game you want. Find the size option on the generator, and enter in the number of rows and columns you want your bingo card to have.- You can even make bingo cards with elongated rectangles rather than the normal squares if you want.
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Print your bingo cards. The generator will ask you how many cards you want to print, so enter how many copies you want. Then click on the button that says "Generate Bingo Cards" or something similar. The generator will connect with your printer and print the cards so the options are randomized on each one.- When your computer pulls up your print box, make sure to change the paper position to Landscape to fit more cards on a single sheet.
- Because bingo cards get pretty beat up over the course of numerous games, print out your custom cards on cardstock rather than traditional printer paper.
- Consider getting your cards laminated if you want them to last for a long time. Companies like FedEx and UPS typically offer laminating services.
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Section 2 of 4:
How to Create Bingo Cards with Software
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Choose a computer software program where you can create tables. Some common computer programs you can use for making bingo cards include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Print Shop, and Google Docs. However, you can use any program that has spreadsheets or editable tables. -
Insert a table into a new blank document. Look for a button that says "Create," "New Document," or some variation of those two. Then, click "Insert," and then "Table" from the drop-down menu to add a table to the document.- If you’re making a bingo card in Excel or another spreadsheet program, you don’t need to insert a separate table.
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Adjust the row and column sizes to a 5 x 5 grid. Depending on how large or small you want your bingo card to be determines how you shift the table. After the standard table appears on your blank document, look for a dialog box on your screen. Enter the number of columns and rows you want. Then, click and drag the sides of the table to make the individual squares different sizes. -
Enter words, pictures, or numbers into each square. Click on one square at a time and write in one term for each square. Your terms could be words, letters, symbols, or pictures. You may also wish to include a "Free Space" in the center of your bingo card. -
Print out your bingo card. Click on "File," and then "Print" from the drop-down menu. Change the setting of your printer to Landscape so the card fits better on the sheet. Print out the bingo card on heavy cardstock rather than plain printer paper so it’s more sturdy.- Make sure you only print 1 copy of the bingo card because you’ll change the order of the terms for other cards you make.
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Change the order of the terms to make a new card. Go back to the original table and click on a square to highlight a term. Click either "Cut" or "Copy" to transfer the term to another box. Use your already printed card as a reference to make sure the term does not appear in the same spot. -
Print a new card after each change. Continue changing the order and printing until you have enough cards for each of the players. You may wish to print a few extra cards just in case you lose a card, or if you have more players than expected. Look into getting the cards laminated as well at companies such as FedEx, UPS, or your local printing shop to make them more durable.
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Section 3 of 4:
How to Make Custom Bingo Cards by Hand
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Draw a large square on cardstock paper. Use a ruler to help guide your lines and draw them straight. Make the square large enough that you’ll easily be able to write or draw inside of it.- Plan out how many rows and columns you want for your bingo board so that you can plan your measurements. For example, if you make a standard 5 x 5 bingo card, draw each side so it’s 10 inches (25 cm) long. That way, the rows and columns easily divide into 2 in × 2 in (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm) squares.
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Divide the large square into 5 rows and columns. On both the top and bottom lines of the square, make small pencils mark where you want the column lines. Connect the top and bottom marks that line up with each other with a straight line. On the left and right sides of the square, make small pencil marks for each row, and then connect them with lines. -
Fill in your squares randomly with words or pictures. Put a term in each square depending on what theme you’re using for your bingo game, such as "dog" or "moose" if you’re doing animals. If you want more of a classic bingo game, fill the bingo card with numbers instead. For a more creative game, you can also put in pictures of terms.- Example: If you are making a bingo card for your Spanish classroom, you can put in Spanish words on the bingo card. When you play, then call out English words so students have to mark the correct Spanish word on the bingo card.
- Don’t be afraid to decorate the card as well. Give the bingo cards a title and draw designs surrounding the actual square if you want. Feel free to be as creative as you can imagine!
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Make additional cards with the terms in different orders. Draw new bingo cards until you have enough for the entire group of players. Place the words or terms in different positions on each bingo card so no 2 players have the same layout.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat size are the bingo squares?Community AnswerYou can choose to make your squares as large as you want, but I usually make them about one inch.
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QuestionHow do I know what numbers to use?Community AnswerYou can use any numbers you'd like!
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QuestionHow many free cards can I print out?Community AnswerIt depends on the website that you are using, but each website should disclose if there is a print limit. You may also be able to make copies of certain cards, as well.
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About This Article
Article Summary
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To make bingo cards, try using an online generator. Just search “Bingo card generator” online to find a website where you can customize your bingo cards to your preferences. Then, all you need to do is print out the cards and play. Alternatively, use a program like Microsoft Word to create a table. Bingo cards are usually 5 by 5 grids, but you can create any size you want. Fill the grid in with words or numbers and print it out. Repeat the process for as many bingo players as you have, using different numbers or words for each card. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can draw a grid with a ruler and pencil. For more tips, including how to measure your bingo grid when drawing it by hand, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 243,754 times.
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