Tricky Word Bingo – A Fun & Engaging Literacy Game

Build confidence with high-frequency "tricky words" through this fun, hands-on Tricky Word Bingo game! Designed for Early Years, Prep/Foundation, Grade 1, and Grade 2, this engaging resource provides repeated practice to help children recognise and read tricky words with increasing confidence and automaticity.

Perfect for literacy rotations, small groups, partner work, independent learning, and homeschooling. This low-preparation activity makes practising tricky words enjoyable.

What's Included

• Multiple Tricky Word Bingo boards.
• Matching tricky word cards to print, cut out, and use during the game.
• Tricky words organised into colour-coded groups, making it easy to introduce and practise words as students learn them.
• A mixed set containing all tricky words for ongoing review and consolidation once students have been introduced to every word.

How to Play

1. Print the bingo boards and tricky word cards.
2. Cut out the word cards and laminate them (optional) for durability.
3. Place all word cards face down in a pile.
4. Give each student a bingo board and some counters.
5. Students take turns selecting a word card, reading the tricky word aloud, and showing it to the group. Reading each word aloud is an important part of the activity, helping to reinforce word recognition and build reading fluency.
6. If the word appears on their bingo board, they place a counter over it.
7. Play continues until one student has covered all the tricky words on their board and calls “Bingo!"

Why You'll Love It

• Encourages repeated reading of tricky words in a fun, game-based format.
• Supports the development of automatic word recognition and reading fluency.
• Colour-coded word groups make it easy to introduce and reinforce new words progressively.
• Includes a mixed review set for ongoing consolidation.
• Low-preparation, print-and-play resource.
• Laminate for a durable activity that can be used year after year.

Perfect For

• Literacy rotations
• Small group instruction
• Partner activities
• Independent learning
• Early finisher tasks
• Literacy stations
• Intervention groups
• Homeschool learning

Curriculum Connection:

The tricky words in this resource have been organised into colour-coded groups that align with the sequence used in the InitiaLit program. While inspired by this progression, this is an independently created resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by MultiLit or the InitiaLit program.

This fun, interactive game is an excellent way to reinforce tricky word knowledge, build reading confidence, and keep students engaged while they learn!