Backyard Bird Bingo for Kids

A window, ten quiet minutes and one very busy bird are enough for this game. I like to start with the smallest possible question: did that bird hop or walk? You can settle that one without knowing its name.

National Bird Day falls on January 5.

Holiday dates for planning

National Bird Day date reference

Pick a perch of your own

Sit where everyone can see the same branch, fence or patch of ground. Put the two bingo boards on a windowsill with a pencil each. Give the birds a minute to come back after everyone settles in. On a walk, stop in one spot for each round and watch from a distance.

Play what you actually see

Choose board A or B. Check a square when a bird does the thing pictured in the words. One bird can earn several squares over time. Three in a straight line wins. If two people spot the same hop, they both get it. Play together on one card with younger watchers and read the squares aloud.

When the branches stay empty

Try a new view or come back later. A quiet watch still belongs in the field notes: record where you looked and how long you waited. When a bird does appear, sketch the shape before worrying about color. Ask what the tail was doing. That little detail often makes a drawing look alive.

Get the free printable set

Backyard Bird Bingo and Field Notes includes three US Letter pages. Print both bingo boards for two players, or share one board and give each watcher a field note.