Learning and Playing with Numbers - Dice Bingo

Six dice, a piece of paper and a pencil is everything you need for this game. Dice Bingo is a fun pastime, but also a subtle way to practise numeracy skills. As a bonus, my kids called out the numbers in three languages (German, Croatian, English) and made the game even more entertaining. 

Interesting facts about bingo:

  • Bingo cards were first used by the Germans in the 1800s as an educational tool.
  • US bingo cards have 5×5 squares while UK bingo cards have 3 rows and 9 columns.

Our cards are 6x6. And this is how we made and played our Dice Bingo. OK, we still play it and it seems as if the game is here to stay.  

Materials:

  • 6 dice
  • pencil and paper

Step 1.

Make a 6x6 grid and write numbers 1-6 throughout the first row.
Step 2.

Now, you're ready to play :) Start with the second row. 6 empty squares means that you roll all 6 dice. After each roll, take turns.
Put marks in the squares under each number you get. Marks can be whatever - we had dots, crosses, and pirate skulls. Yes, waiting for your kid to draw those skulls can take forever. 

Unless you got all six numbers in the first roll, you're still in the second row. How many empty squares have you got? That many dice you roll in your next turn. 

Roll until all the squares in the second row are filled. This means that, until you've filled all the squares in one row, you can't start with the next one. And yes, your kid may get to the last row while you're stuck in the first. And you just can't get that number you need.
And that's it. Super easy to make, fun (and sometimes frustrating) to play.