Nursery Rhyme Bingo: Free Printable Mother Goose Bingo for Preschool
Nursery rhyme bingo is a preschool game where each square is the name of a classic nursery rhyme, like Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill or Hickory Dickory Dock, and the caller gives a clue ("an egg who sat on a wall") so kids guess the rhyme and mark it. It's a cozy way to share the old Mother Goose rhymes and build early listening skills. Below is a 24-rhyme bingo list for 4x4 cards, a caller list with a clue for every rhyme, and ideas for circle time and story hour.
The button opens the generator with all 24 rhyme names as 4x4 cards (no free center). With 24 rhymes and 16 squares, every card is different. It's set to 20 cards.
▶ Make these nursery rhyme bingo cards
How to play nursery rhyme bingo
- Read each card with the children before you start, or add a little drawing to each square.
- Give a clue from the list below: "A mouse ran up the clock."
- Kids guess the rhyme (Hickory Dickory Dock) and mark it if it's on their card.
- Say or sing the rhyme together before the next call. That's the best part.
- Four in a row wins, but keep playing until everyone has a row.
Nursery rhyme bingo caller list
| Rhyme | Clue to read |
|---|---|
| Humpty Dumpty | An egg who sat on a wall |
| Jack and Jill | Two children who went up a hill to fetch water |
| Little Miss Muffet | A girl on a tuffet, scared by a spider |
| Hey Diddle Diddle | A cow jumped over the moon |
| Baa Baa Black Sheep | A sheep with three bags of wool |
| Mary Had a Little Lamb | A lamb that followed a girl to school |
| Twinkle Twinkle Little Star | A song about a star up high |
| Hickory Dickory Dock | A mouse ran up the clock |
| Little Bo Peep | A girl who lost her sheep |
| Jack Be Nimble | A boy who jumped over a candlestick |
| Old Mother Hubbard | Her cupboard was bare when her dog wanted a bone |
| Little Boy Blue | A boy asleep under the haystack |
| Itsy Bitsy Spider | A spider climbing up the water spout |
| Pat-a-Cake | A clapping rhyme about the baker's man |
| Hot Cross Buns | One a penny, two a penny |
| Peter Piper | A tongue twister about picking peppers |
| Row Row Row Your Boat | Gently down the stream |
| Old King Cole | A merry old king with his fiddlers three |
| Pease Porridge Hot | Some like it hot, some like it cold |
| Rain Rain Go Away | A song asking the weather to come back another day |
| Mary Mary Quite Contrary | How does your garden grow? |
| London Bridge | A bridge that's falling down in a game for two |
| The Muffin Man | He lives on Drury Lane |
| Little Jack Horner | He sat in a corner with his pie |
These are traditional rhymes, many first printed in the 1700s and 1800s and passed down by families for generations. Words can vary a little from book to book, so use the version your family knows.
Circle time and story hour ideas
- Act it out: after each call, kids jump like Jack Be Nimble, clap for Pat-a-Cake or "row" for Row Row Row Your Boat.
- Prop bag: pull a prop from a bag as the call (a toy sheep, a plastic egg, a star, a spider) and let kids guess the rhyme.
- Finish the line: say the first half of a line and let kids finish it.
- Rhyme of the week: the winning card's last rhyme becomes the class's rhyme of the week.
- Library story hour: read two or three rhymes from a picture book, then play a round.
Why nursery rhymes matter
- Rhyme and rhythm help children hear the sounds inside words, which helps later with reading.
- New words: tuffet, pail, fiddlers, porridge. Rhymes are full of words kids don't hear every day.
- Counting and order: rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock and Baa Baa Black Sheep include numbers.
- Sharing across generations: grandparents often know the same rhymes, so they're a lovely thing to play together.
Make it easier or harder
- Toddlers: make a 3x3 card in the generator with nine favorites, and sing each one as you call it.
- Preschool: use the 4x4 card with picture clues.
- Kindergarten: let kids read the rhyme names with help, and play to a full card.
- Family game night: grandparents call, grandkids play.
Tips for a happy game
- Use big markers, like pom-poms or large buttons (watch little ones with small pieces).
- Keep rounds short: 10 minutes is plenty.
- Everyone wins a sticker, so the game ends happy.
More preschool bingo
For little ones, try bingo for toddlers and preschoolers and picture bingo for non-readers. Rhyming bingo is a great next step, and animal bingo pairs well with the sheep, cow and mouse rhymes. Librarians can find more in bingo for libraries.
Want to add your family's favorite rhymes? Open the bingo card generator and type your list.
▶ Make these nursery rhyme bingo cards
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play nursery rhyme bingo?
The caller gives a clue, like "an egg who sat on a wall," and kids guess the rhyme (Humpty Dumpty) and mark it. Then everyone says the rhyme together.
What nursery rhymes go on a bingo card?
Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Little Miss Muffet, Hey Diddle Diddle, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Hickory Dickory Dock, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Row Row Row Your Boat are favorites.
What is Mother Goose bingo?
Another name for nursery rhyme bingo. "Mother Goose" is the traditional name for collections of old English nursery rhymes.
Is nursery rhyme bingo good for toddlers?
Yes, with a small 3x3 card, big markers and a grown-up singing each rhyme as it's called.
Why are nursery rhymes good for kids?
Their rhyme and rhythm help children hear the sounds in words, and they teach new words and counting.
