Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Dinosaur Bingo
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Dinosaur Bingo is a free printable game for children who love dinosaurs. They learn dinosaur names and practise numeracy skills as they tick off each dinosaur. It needs only a pencil, and it works for one child or a small group.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Dinosaur Bingo is a game, so children play rather than fill in answers. They tick off each dinosaur one at a time as they go, and the game mixes dinosaur names with numeracy practice. Because it is a bingo game, it works well with a partner or a group. Children listen, look, match and tick. Names can be sounded out slowly together, which makes it a good reading and speaking game too.
Ways to play
Say each name slowly
Dinosaur names are long, so break them into parts and clap each part. Say the name together before anyone ticks it off. This helps children read and remember new words.
Play with a partner
Take turns to be the caller and the player. The caller reads out clues and the player listens and ticks. Then swap roles so both children practise speaking and listening.
Use counters
If you would like to play the game more than once, put a counter or a button on each dinosaur instead of a tick. Clear the counters and play again.
Add a sound or an action
Each time a dinosaur is ticked off, everyone can make a dinosaur noise or stomp like one. It keeps the game lively and gives wriggly children a way to join in.
Why play a dinosaur game?
Dinosaurs are a topic many children love, and that interest is a good way into learning. Dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. We know about them because their bones, teeth, footprints and eggs turned into fossils. Children enjoy the long, unusual names, and learning to say them builds confidence with new vocabulary.
Bingo is a simple game that practises useful habits. Children have to look carefully, listen, match what they hear to what they see, and wait for their turn. Playing again and again helps them recognise names and numbers faster. It also gives a quiet way to practise early numeracy without it feeling like a test.
Dinosaur facts
- The word dinosaur comes from Greek words that mean something like terrible lizard.
- Some dinosaurs ate plants and some ate meat.
- Dinosaurs hatched from eggs.
- Scientists learn about dinosaurs from fossils, such as bones, teeth and footprints.
- Birds today are descended from dinosaurs.
Skills and curriculum link
- Early numeracy
- Dinosaur vocabulary
- Listening and matching
- Careful looking
- Taking turns
- Concentration
Helping your child play
- Sound it outSplit long names into parts and clap each part. Say the name together a few times before the game starts.
- Say it aloudAsk your child to say each dinosaur name as they tick it off. Saying a word helps it stay in the memory.
- Keep it relaxedThis is a game, not a test. Let your child look, think and tick at their own speed.
- Talk about itAsk what your child knows about a dinosaur they have ticked off. Let them tell you, even if they are not sure.
Key words
- DinosaurA kind of animal that lived on Earth millions of years ago.
- BingoA game where you tick off things as you find them.
- FossilThe remains of a plant or animal that lived long ago, kept in rock.
- HerbivoreAn animal that eats only plants.
- CarnivoreAn animal that eats meat.
- PalaeontologistA scientist who studies fossils to learn about life long ago.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes, help and a stretch idea.
- Read the heading and look at the sheet together. Let your child say what they notice before you begin.
- Play the game, ticking off each dinosaur as you go. Say each name aloud and clap its parts if it is long.
- Take turns if you are playing with someone else. Cheer for each tick and keep the mood friendly.
- Play again another day. Repeating a familiar game helps children remember the names and feel more confident.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Play with your child and say each dinosaur name together before ticking it. Clap the parts of long names. Go slowly and take breaks if needed. Pointing to each item with a finger helps children keep their place and stay focused.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to make their own dinosaur bingo grid on plain paper. They choose the dinosaurs and write the names. Then play it with a friend or family member. They could add a clue for each dinosaur to read aloud.
Make it a game
Play a quick round of dinosaur stomp. When a dinosaur is ticked off, everyone moves like that dinosaur for five seconds, then freezes. The first person to tick off every dinosaur calls out bingo and chooses the next action.
Talk about it
- Which dinosaur name was the hardest to say, and why?
- Which dinosaur would you most like to meet, and which would you avoid?
- Do you think this dinosaur ate plants or meat? What makes you think so?
- How could you tell a dinosaur from a modern animal?
- What would a palaeontologist need to find a dinosaur fossil?
- If you could invent a dinosaur, what would you call it?
Take it off the page
Dinosaur name clap
Pick five dinosaur names and clap out the parts of each one. See who can remember the most names without looking at the sheet.
Fossil prints
Press toy dinosaurs or leaves into playdough to make prints. Guess which toy made which print, then swap and guess again.
Dinosaur hunt
Hide toy dinosaurs around a room. Children find them and tick them off a list they have drawn themselves.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child and play the game together. Short sessions work best, and you can come back to it later. Let your child lead, say the names aloud, and enjoy the dinosaur chat.
Teachers
Use it as a quiet starter, a wet play activity, or part of a dinosaur topic. It suits pairs or small groups. Children can practise speaking, listening and early numeracy while they play.
Home educators
Dinosaur Bingo fits neatly into a dinosaur topic at home. Use it alongside books, museum visits or model making. Play it more than once so your child can see how the names become more familiar.
Where this fits
Before playing, children benefit from practice with counting, spotting numbers and listening to instructions. Sharing dinosaur books and talking about the animals also helps them feel ready for the names.
After this game, children can try other matching and number games, such as simple board games or dice games. They can also read dinosaur fact books, draw and label dinosaurs, and move on to more number practice as they grow in confidence.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is Dinosaur Bingo?
Dinosaur Bingo is a free printable game from Jaques of London. Children learn dinosaur names and practise numeracy skills as they tick off each dinosaur. It is played like bingo, so it suits one child or a small group.
- What do I need to play?
You need a printer, paper and a pencil. Counters or buttons are optional if you want to reuse the game. Print both pages and keep page 2 for yourself.
- Can more than one child play?
Yes. Children can play in pairs or small groups and take turns to speak and listen. Playing together also makes it easier to share the dinosaur names and practise saying them aloud.
- Does my child need to know dinosaur names already?
No. Part of the fun is learning new names as you play. Say each name slowly, clap its parts, and let your child repeat it. Their confidence grows with each go.
- What does page 2 contain?
Page 2 is for the grown up. It holds notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea. Answers appear only on sheets that have them.
- Can I use it in the classroom?
Yes. It works well as a starter, a quiet activity or part of a dinosaur topic. Children can play in pairs, which gives practice in speaking, listening and taking turns.
- Can we play it more than once?
Yes, and repeating it helps. Use counters instead of ticks, or print another copy. Familiar names become easier to say and spot each time, and children often enjoy being the confident one.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.