Bingo ideas / For the classroom

Empathy Bingo Cards

A kindness game for circle time or a team workshop. Hand out cards of caring actions to notice or do — listening without interrupting, including someone left out, saying thank you — and the first to a line wins by spreading a little empathy.

Free to design and print · edit any square · 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5

Empathy is easier to teach when it is concrete, and this card turns it into visible actions. The squares below describe real ways people show they understand and care — sharing, comforting a friend, considering another point of view — so students or coworkers can spot and practice them throughout the day.

Use it as a behavior challenge where players mark a square each time they do or witness a kind act, or as a discussion starter in an SEL lesson. Because every card is shuffled from the same list, each person gets a different grid to work through.

Sample empathy squares
  • Listen carefully
  • Share with a friend
  • Say thank you
  • Include someone
  • Help without asking
  • Comfort a friend
  • Apologize sincerely
  • Notice a feeling
  • See another view
  • Forgive a mistake
  • Offer a compliment
  • Wait your turn
  • Ask "Are you okay?"
  • Give a hug
  • Stand up for someone
  • Cheer someone up
  • Be patient
  • Show you care
  • Respect a boundary
  • Lend a hand
  • Speak kindly
  • Make room
  • Keep a secret
  • Celebrate others

These are just a starting point — swap in your own words in the editor before you print.

Ideas for your game

  • Run it as a day-long challenge

    Have players carry their card and mark a square each time they do or notice a kind act, turning empathy into something they actively look for all day.

  • Pair it with reflection

    After a round, ask players to describe one square they marked and how it felt, deepening the lesson by connecting the action to its effect on others.

  • Adapt it for adults

    Reword the squares for a workplace team-building session — active listening, crediting a colleague, checking in on someone — so the game works beyond the classroom.

Editable and printable

Edit every square. Open the card in the editor, keep the suggested squares or replace them with your own words, emoji, or photos, and pick a theme that fits the day.

Print a whole set at once. Each card is shuffled from the same square list, so every player gets a unique grid. Print to standard letter or A4 paper on any home printer — or order professionally printed cards shipped to your door.

Or play live. Share one link and a QR code and the whole room plays from their phones, in person or over video.

Questions

How do I make empathy bingo cards for free?

Open the editor, pick a calm theme, keep the suggested actions or type your own, and print. You can make and print a basic set without paying.

How is this different from a worksheet?

Instead of answering questions, players actively look for and perform kind acts, which makes empathy a practiced behavior rather than an abstract idea on paper.

Can adults use this at work?

Yes. Reworded for the workplace, the squares cover active listening, giving credit, and checking in, making it a warm icebreaker or team-building exercise.

How long does a game take?

It depends on the version. A quick discussion round takes minutes, while a day-long action challenge runs the whole day as players collect kind acts.

Keep exploring