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Free Summer Reading Bingo Printable | Fun For All Ages!

ByClare Brown Updated on

Looking for a way to keep your kids engaged and learning all summer long? A summer reading bingo printable could be just the ticket.

This simple and fun activity can help children of all ages improve their literacy skills, avoid the dreaded summer slide, and develop a lifelong love of reading.

We love reading in this house, and in fact, our son has enjoyed books long before he could read. Yes, I know we are blessed. But I am always on the lookout for fun ways to encourage reading, and I have created this free printable bingo card for the summer months.

The summer reading challenge is something we have done for years. We play this reading challenge all the time and there is a printout of it in his bedroom. As soon as he gets “bingo” he gets a prize. But I will explain more about that later.

A colorful "Book Bingo" summer reading challenge worksheet clipped to a blue clipboard with a pink pen resting on it. The bingo board includes 25 squares with different reading tasks such as “Read a book outside,” “Read a poem,” “Read a book written by a male author,” and a central “Free Space.” The bottom of the image has bold black text on a yellow background reading “Free Book Bingo – Fun Summer Reading Challenge.”

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How to play book bingo?

We just love to make a competition out of things.

So this summer reading challenge printable is a perfect time to get even more books! There are a number of ways to win this reading challenge:

  • 5 in a Row: Of course the traditional BINGO. If he gets 5 in a row, he gets to choose a book to buy from Amazon.
  • All the Books Around the Edge of the Board: He gets to buy a book of his choosing, plus a $10 Amazon voucher to spend on what he wants!
  • All of the Books: This will take some time, as there are 25 books to read. But when he has read all of the books on the book bingo, the prize is a book of his choosing, plus a $25 Amazon gift voucher!

Being a homeschool mom, any excuse to buy more books is a bonus. Especially if they are books he actually wants to read!

This printable reading bingo game is free to print but is for personal, library, or classroom use only. Scroll to the bottom of the page to get the pdf file. You can play this game along with our free printable summer reading comprehension worksheets.

All the books around the edge of the board. He gets to buy a book of his choosing, plus $10 Amazon voucher to spend on what he wants!

Image with a title "Summer Reading Challenge" showcasing multiple reading challenges and bingo cards for different school levels, including High School, Middle School, Elementary School, and Early Childhood. The reading challenges are color-coded and offer various activities to encourage summer reading, while the bingo cards feature tasks such as "Read a book" to track progress.

ENJOY A SUMMER OF FUN WITH OUR READING CHALLENGE!

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Why a reading bingo challenge?

Summer reading bingo combines the thrill of a game with the educational benefits of reading.

Children get to mark off squares on their bingo cards as they complete reading-related activities, turning reading into a fun challenge. This approach can motivate even reluctant readers to pick up a book.

The bingo card can include a variety of tasks such as “read a book aloud,” “visit the local library,” or “read a nonfiction book.”

These activities not only encourage reading but also help develop comprehension skills, phonics, and a broader vocabulary. Plus, completing a bingo card gives children a sense of accomplishment and the opportunity to earn prizes or badges.

A colorful “Book Bingo” summer reading challenge sheet is clipped to a blue clipboard with a pink pen resting diagonally across it. The bingo grid includes creative reading prompts like “Read a joke book,” “Read a book written by someone famous for something else,” and “Read in your pajamas,” encouraging kids to explore different types of reading.

The perfect bingo card

Our free summer reading bingo printable is designed to keep kids engaged and excited about reading. Each bingo card incorporates a variety of activities that balance easy tasks with more challenging ones. Here’s how we’ve designed our bingo card to make reading fun and educational:

  • Mix of Activities: The bingo card includes a blend of simple and more complex tasks. For example, “read for 20 minutes” can be paired with “read a book about a historical event,” ensuring that kids are both entertained and challenged.
  • Variety of Books: To expose children to different genres and formats, the card features squares for reading fiction, nonfiction, chapter books, and picture books. This variety helps kids explore new interests and develop a well-rounded set of reading skills.
  • Library Visits: To encourage the use of local library services, some tasks prompt kids to “attend a library storytime” or “check out a new book from the public-library.” These activities not only support reading but also familiarize kids with the resources available at their local libraries.
  • Independent Reading: Promoting independent reading is key to developing lifelong reading habits. The bingo card includes activities like “read a book of your choice,” allowing children to follow their interests and discover new favorites.
  • Fun Challenges: To keep the game enjoyable, we’ve added creative challenges such as “read under a tree” or “read a book with a friend.” These tasks make reading a dynamic and engaging activity that kids can look forward to.

You can download our customizable and printable bingo card at the bottom of the post. It’s perfect for personal, library, or classroom use, making reading a fun and rewarding adventure for all ages.

Download our free reading log printables too.

Books for the summer book bingo

Sometimes finding books can be hard. So I wanted to give you some book suggestions that my son has enjoyed over the years for each challenge.

I have tried to give a variety of books for each category and for all age groups.

Find out how to encourage reading habits in children of all ages.

Books turned into a movie

The best books that have been turned into a movie for kids:

  1. Harry Potter
  2. Alice in Wonderland
  3. Charlottes Web
  4. Lord of the Rings
  5. Oliver Twist

With these books, you can read the book first and then watch the movie. What I love about this is they can write a book report and then write a compare and contrast movie and book template.

A young person wearing glasses and a black shirt sits on a gray couch, reading the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling. The cover features a blue-toned illustration of Harry casting a spell, and the reader appears focused and engaged.

Books with an animal on the cover

The best books with animals on the cover are:

  1. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
  2. The Tiger who came to tea (for younger students)
  3. When you trap a tiger
  4. Wings of fire
  5. I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies
A summer reading challenge "Book Bingo" sheet is clipped to a blue clipboard, featuring colorful categories like "Read a book with a number in the title" and "Read in your pajamas." Next to it is the book Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney, with its blue illustrated cover showing two cartoon characters and labeled as an international bestseller.

Kids book about a historical event

The best books about a historical event for kids are:

You can play this game along with our free printable summer reading log.

Joke book for kids

You will find the best joke books for kids here, but a funny reading book could be I Funny by James Patterson.

A boy wearing glasses and a black T-shirt sits on a black leather couch reading the book I Funny: A Middle School Story by James Patterson. The book cover is bright orange and yellow, featuring a cartoon face with a fake nose, glasses, and mustache.

A book with a number in the title

The best kid’s books with a number in the title are:

  1. I am Number Four
  2. Walk Two Moons
  3. The One and Only Ivan
  4. The Three Billy Goats Gruff
  5. The Forgotten Five and the Invisible Spy

Prize-winning book

The top 5 kid’s prize-winning books are:

  1. Amari and the Knight Brothers
  2. Watercress
  3. Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist
  4. New Kid
  5. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
A summer reading challenge book bingo sheet on a clipboard sits next to a copy of How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. The bingo sheet features colorful text and prompts like "Read a book outside" and "Read a book with an animal on the cover." The red book cover displays a dragon flying across a map design.

Books written by an author who is famous for something else

The best kid authors who are famous for something else include:

  1. David Walliams
  2. Tom Fletcher
  3. Madonna
  4. Dolly Parton
  5. David Baddiel
A boy with glasses sits on a red couch reading the book Grandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams. The book cover is teal and illustrated with a cartoonish scene of a grandpa and child flying a vintage green airplane over a whimsical landscape.

Poetry books

The best poetry books for kids:

  1. I’m Just No Good at Rhyming
  2. Spike Milligan Silly Verse for Kids
  3. Poetry for young people by Maya Angelou
  4. Where the sidewalk ends
  5. Poetry for kids

Need to print later? Add this to your Pinterest board or share it on Facebook. You’ll have it handy whenever you’re ready to use it!

A book set in the future

The best kid’s books that are set in the future are:

  1. I, Robot
  2. The City of Ember
  3. The Ear, the Eye and the Arm
  4. Freakling
  5. The One Safe Place

Kids self-help books

If you are looking for philosophy books for kids you will love these options.

A young boy wearing glasses sits on a colorful bean bag chair while reading Big Ideas for Curious Minds. The book has a dark teal cover with yellow illustrations and text, featuring small icons like glasses, books, and question marks.

Books to do with sports

  1. Weird but True Sports
  2. The Boy Who Never Gave Up
  3. The High Cheese 
  4. Messi: A Boy Who Became A Star
  5. The Hero two doors down

Books set in another country

  1. When Life Gives you Mangoes
  2. The Water Princess
  3. Babushka Baba Yaga
  4. Rechenka’s Eggs
  5. The Kids Who Travel the World: Paris

Kid’s books with only 1 word in the title

The best kid’s books with only 1 word in the title:

Books about a President

Check out the best President books for children.

Boy reading Ben Franklin's in my bathroom book
I know Benjamin Franklin was not a President, but a Founding Father can count!

Benefits of summer reading bingo

Summer reading bingo offers numerous benefits, starting with combating the summer slide, which refers to the loss of academic skills over the summer months.

By engaging in this reading challenge, children can maintain their literacy skills and stay prepared for the upcoming school year.

Additionally, making reading a fun and rewarding activity helps promote lifelong reading habits, encouraging children to view reading as a pleasure rather than a chore.

Regular reading through bingo also improves comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency, as children engage with various types of reading materials.

Summer reading bingo encourages family involvement, allowing parents and siblings to participate by reading aloud, choosing books together, or discussing stories, making reading a shared and enjoyable experience.

Additional free summer printables

Looking for more ways to keep your kids entertained? Check out these additional free printables that offer a variety of fun and educational summer scavenger hunt ideas for all ages.

Younger kids will love these books about summer for preschoolers.

Get the free printable book bingo here!

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Last Updated on 12 April 2025 by Clare Brown

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