Name BINGO with Avery Labels

Helping our students get to know each other is a high Back-to-School priority for all of us. Even though 16 of my 20 students were with me in first grade last year, I need to do some getting to know you activities so the 4 new students can feel like they belong in the class too. To help them out, on the first day of school one of the things we'll do is make and play Name BINGO.

I did this last time I taught 2nd grade and the kids loved it! Who wouldn't, right? It's their own names, it's a game, there might be stickers or M&M's as prizes...  You get the idea. I've seen ideas in books and things where kids write names in the bingo squares, but some of my students have very messy handwriting or will spell a name or two slightly wrong even though they're copying it. Wouldn't that be the case everywhere? Hopefully it's not just me. So instead of having the kids writing the names, I put them on Avery labels. I use the labels where there are 30 per sheet (#5163) and put two names on each label so it looks like this

That way I can cut the three columns of stickers apart and give one to each student and they'll have all 20 names. I'll also cut each column of stickers up the middle (between the two names) so that each name is on its own small sticker. A little hint: only cut up thru the top of the last sticker so the column doesn't get cut in two pieces- they're easier to pass out way. Like this

I also make one sheet of stickers with the word FREE instead of names. I cut these apart and give each student one "free" sticker.

Here's a bingo card you can grab by clicking on it. 

I let students put the name stickers and the "free" sticker in whichever squares they choose. You could, of course, have them put "free" in the middle if you prefer. In the empty squares they can write in their own name (so it's on the card twice) and 3 other names. It'll look something like this when they're finished.

For more first day of school activities check out these other bloggers I've linked up with for their K-12 ideas. 

Thanks to Mackenzie from Brownbag Academics for organizing this!