Human Bingo
Participants mingle to find colleagues who match specific descriptions on their bingo card. First to complete a row or full card wins. Perfect for large groups and conferences.
15-25 min
10-100 people
medium
basic
About This Game
Human Bingo is a dynamic ice breaker that gets people moving, talking, and discovering unexpected connections. Each participant receives a bingo card with descriptions like "Has traveled to 5+ countries," "Speaks 3 languages," or "Has run a marathon." Players must find different people who match each description and have them sign that square. The energy level rises as people race to complete their cards while learning fascinating facts about their colleagues. This activity works equally well in person or virtually with breakout rooms.
Objectives
- Encourage participants to meet and interact with many different people
- Discover unexpected commonalities and interesting facts about colleagues
- Create an energizing, competitive atmosphere that breaks down social barriers
- Build a foundation for future conversations and connections
How to Run This Game
Facilitator Script:
"Welcome everyone! We're going to play Human Bingo. I'm distributing bingo cards with interesting descriptions. Your goal is to find people who match each description and have them sign or initial that square. You must use a different person for each square - no duplicates! First person to complete a full row, column, or diagonal wins. Let's make this fun and energizing!"
Actions:
- Distribute bingo cards to all participants
- Explain the rules clearly
- Show an example of how to fill out a square
- Set the winning condition (row, column, full card)
Tips:
- • Prepare cards in advance with descriptions relevant to your group
- • For virtual: use digital bingo cards shared via screen or sent to chat
- • Include 25 squares (5x5 grid) with varied difficulty levels
- • Make descriptions specific but achievable within your group
Facilitator Script:
"You have 15 minutes to complete as many squares as possible. Get up, move around, and start conversations! Remember - different person for each square. Ready? Go!"
Actions:
- Start timer
- Monitor room energy and participation
- Encourage quieter participants to engage
- Keep track of time and announce updates
Tips:
- • Play upbeat background music to maintain energy
- • Join in yourself to model participation
- • For virtual: use breakout rooms to facilitate conversations
- • Watch for anyone struggling and help connect them with others
Facilitator Script:
"5 minutes remaining! Who's close to bingo? Keep going!"
Actions:
- Give time updates
- Build excitement
- Watch for winners
- Encourage faster pace in final minutes
Tips:
- • Increase energy with enthusiastic announcements
- • For virtual: check chat for winners calling "Bingo!"
- • Consider having small prizes ready
Facilitator Script:
"Time's up! Do we have any bingos? [Verify winner's card] Congratulations! Before we finish, let's hear a few interesting discoveries. Who learned something surprising about a colleague?"
Actions:
- Verify winner's card
- Celebrate the winner
- Ask participants to share interesting discoveries
- Facilitate 2-3 people sharing stories
Tips:
- • Have a small prize ready (even symbolic)
- • Invite people to share the most surprising fact they learned
- • Keep debrief brief but meaningful
- • Connect discoveries back to the value of getting to know each other
Facilitator Tips
- Create bingo cards tailored to your specific group - company culture, industry, demographics
- Include mix of easy and challenging squares to keep game engaging for full duration
- For large groups (50+), consider multiple small prizes to maintain competition
- Print extra blank bingo cards in case participants want to keep playing
- Save the bingo card template for future events - just update a few squares each time
Common Challenges & Solutions
Variations & Adaptations
Reduce time to 10 minutes for a more fast-paced, energizing version
Divide into teams of 4-5. Teams work together to complete one shared card
Create smaller breakout rooms of 5-7 people every 3 minutes. Rotate rooms to meet more people
Customize squares around meeting theme (e.g., work-from-home: "Has a pet photobomb calls")
teams have used this game