Why I love B-I-N-G-O

Children love music which is made up of patterns and fun melodies. BINGO is a classic song that most kids know by kindergarten. If your kids don’t know this song it is still a nice and easy song to sing in the beginning of the year. With bingo you can teach so many kindergarten skills. Use the song so kids can learn the spelling of their name and they can learn addition and subtraction!

Here are some ideas:

Addition & Subtraction

Students will understand the words addition and subtraction by explaining how the song BINGO works. In the song “B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, and Bingo was his name, oh.” Students will use a subtraction pattern in which the last letter is omitted and a clap is added to replace the letter: “B-I-N-G_, B-I-N-G_ , B-I-N-G_, and Bingo was his name, oh.” You don’t even need to say the words addition and subtraction it is the concept that is being taught without ever being directly taught.

There was a farmer had a dog
and Bingo was his name‐oh.
B‐I‐N‐G‐O, B‐I‐N‐G‐O, B‐I‐N‐G‐O
and Bingo was his name‐oh.

Write the lyrics, one word per card and use the cards to learn the song. Students can put the song in order. You can also use the word cards to create alternative rhymes and switch out the nouns, farmer can be student or teacher, etc. Switch out farmer, dog, and bingo to create your own version.