| If you ask around, I'm sure that you will find that | | | | Perhaps the most popular themed versions of |
| most people have played bingo at some point in | | | | bingo are those relating to holidays, to be used on |
| their lives. You'll probably encounter a few folks | | | | those occasions. For example a bingo card |
| who say that have never played the game, but | | | | containing words like "Nativity" or "Sleigh" might be |
| the chances are that majority of them will in fact | | | | used at Christmas, and one containing words such |
| know how the game is played. | | | | as "Heart" or "Romance" on Valentine's Day. |
| The classical game of bingo is played used bingo | | | | Another situation in which bingo is popular is in |
| cards containing numbers (the numbers are | | | | education. The game is well suited to English, |
| normally placed in small squares, and these | | | | foreign languages, history, geography, science and |
| squares arranged in a five by five grid). Each | | | | math lessons. Once again appropriately themed |
| player's objective is to be the first to cross off a | | | | bingo cards should be used - in this case prepared |
| line of five items diagonally, horizontally or | | | | in advance by the teacher. Teachers can also |
| vertically on their card, but the numbers can only | | | | vary game play, for example, by in a French |
| be crossed off when called out by the bingo caller. | | | | lesson by calling out words in French, and requiring |
| While the classical game remains popular with | | | | students to find the corresponding English item |
| many people, themed versions of the game | | | | printed on their bingo card (or vice-versa), or in a |
| (using custom bingo cards) have also come into | | | | math lesson printing the bingo cards with math |
| vogue in recent years. In themed versions of the | | | | problems, and requiring students to write in the |
| game, instead of numbers, words or phrases are | | | | answers rather than simply cross off squares. |
| printed of the cards. | | | | |