Alabama Extension’s Youth Exploring Environmental Science (YEES) program brings you Backyard Bingo. It’s an ideal game that allows kids ages five to nine to go outside and explore nature!

Playing Backyard Bingo

The object of the game is for students to explore nature. Kids will use discovery to understand how different elements in the environment work together to form an ecosystem. Play four-in-a-row or blackout with the downloadable bingo cards. Let children discover what‘s in their backyard today.

What You Will Need

• Backyard Bingo cards*
  • Download a PDF of all versions of the Backyard Bingo cards. Print double sided on cardstock for best results.
  • Download JPGs of the text versions of the Backyard Bingo cards – (Card 1, Card 2, Card 3, Card 4)
  • Download JPGs of the image versions of the Backyard Bingo cards – (Card 1, Card 2, Card 3, Card 4)
• A marker to check off squares
• An outdoor area to explore

*To use the Backyard Bingo cards digitally, save the individual text or picture version cards to your phone or tablet. Then use the edit photo function on your device to draw on the card, marking off the items that you discover.

Backyard Bingo Items to Find

• Find moss growing on a tree
• Find a camouflaged bird
• Pick a clover flower
• Splash in a water puddle
• Find a thorn or a prickly leaf
• Pick a purple flower
• Find a bird nest
• Find a broad tree leaf
• Find a trail of ants
• Pull a weed and look at the roots
• Look at the insects under a rock
• Find a bee on a flower
• Find an evergreen tree leaf
• Listen for two birds calling
• Dig a hole and find an earthworm
• Find a ladybug

Take the Survey

Did you play backyard bingo? We want to hear from you! Take just a minute or two and fill out the short survey below and tell us what you think. These surveys not only help better our programs but also help determine federal and state funding. This funding allows us to continue providing affordable, research-based education to you and your family.

Take the Backyard Bingo survey.

Youth Exploring Environmental Science (YEES)

YEES is a component of the UESEP: Urban Environmental Science Education Program. It provides hands-on activities with a pre-K through 8th-grade educational curriculum consistent with the Alabama Course of Study.

For more information about the program, contact Karnita Garner, Allyson Shabel, or Roosevelt Robinson.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Everyone is welcome! Please let us know if you have accessibility needs. This work is supported by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Renewable Resources Extension Act Program (#1012197).