Hand actions for Bingo
Bingo is an action rhyme, so act it out together as you sing. Here are the movements that go with each part:
- Sing the letters B-I-N-G-O the first time through
- Each time you sing it again, drop one more letter and clap instead
- By the end you clap all five times where the letters were
What does Bingo mean?
A fun spelling song about a farmer's dog named Bingo. Each time through, you swap one more letter for a clap, until you are clapping the whole name. It is a game as much as a song.
What Bingo teaches
Beyond being fun to sing, this rhyme quietly builds several early skills:
- Spelling the letters B, I, N, G, O
- Clapping and keeping a beat
- Memory, as you drop letters one at a time
- Listening for what comes next
When your child knows it well, our alphabet flashcards carry the same early skills into playful practice.
Where Bingo comes from
Bingo is a traditional song that goes back to around 1780. It has no single author and is in the public domain.
Fun activities
- Clap out the letters together
- Drop one letter each round and clap in its place
- Spell your own pet's name the same clapping way
Frequently asked questions
What are the words to the Bingo song?
There was a farmer had a dog, and Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, and Bingo was his name-o.
How do you play the Bingo clapping game?
Sing the letters B-I-N-G-O the first time, then each time you repeat the song, replace one more letter with a clap until you are clapping all five.
What does the Bingo song teach?
It teaches spelling with the letters B, I, N, G, O, plus clapping to a beat and the memory needed to drop letters one round at a time.