Can we PLEASE stop using bingo behavior charts in kindergarten? I know there are some really adorable options out there, and I love a cute classroom resource as much as the next teacher. But just because a behavior chart looks great hanging on your classroom wall doesn’t mean it’s actually helping your students make positive behavior choices.
Here’s my biggest problem with bingo behavior systems: Why are we leaving classroom rewards up to chance? When kindergarteners consistently meet expectations but don’t receive a reward because their number wasn’t called, it doesn’t take long for them to notice that something isn’t quite fair.
I’ve experienced these systems firsthand, both as a kindergarten teacher and as a parent. And while I absolutely believe in recognizing positive behavior, I think we need to take a closer look at whether the behavior management systems we’re using are actually motivating our students.
There are a couple of different versions of bingo behavior charts that I’ve seen used in classrooms. One is a whole-class reward chart where students earn spaces on a bingo board for making positive choices. The problem is that those spaces are chosen randomly, so the class might complete a row quickly, or they might keep earning spaces without getting bingo.
The other version is often used as part of a schoolwide positive behavior support system, sometimes connected to PBIS. Students earn tickets for meeting behavior expectations and write their names in squares on a bingo board. At the end of the week, certain squares are called, and the students whose names are in those spaces receive prizes.
Both systems have the same problem. Students can demonstrate the behaviors we’re trying to encourage and still walk away without a reward because they weren’t lucky enough to get the right spaces. Bingo is a fun classroom game, but I don’t think a random drawing is the best way to reinforce positive behavior in kindergarten. Our students need to understand the connection between the choices they make and the outcomes they experience, and when rewards are left up to chance, that connection becomes a whole lot harder for five-year-olds to understand.
One of my biggest concerns with schoolwide ticket systems is that students don’t necessarily have the same opportunities to earn tickets. Think about how those tickets are handed out during a typical school day. You might remember to give out a few while you’re teaching, but you’ve also got students who need help, lessons to get through, and all the things that come with managing a kindergarten classroom. Meanwhile, the music teacher might hand out tickets every class, the cafeteria staff might give them out during lunch, and the reading specialist might recognize students during small groups.
There’s nothing wrong with any of those adults recognizing positive choices, but some students may have several opportunities to earn tickets throughout the day while others spend most of their time in one classroom where tickets aren’t handed out nearly as often. And what about the child who quietly follows directions, gets started on her work, and consistently meets your classroom expectations? Sometimes those students receive the least recognition because we’ve come to expect them to do what they’re supposed to do.
That’s where I think these kindergarten behavior systems can really miss the mark. The number of tickets a student collects doesn’t necessarily reflect how consistently they’re meeting expectations. Sometimes it reflects how many adults remembered to give them a ticket, and then we’re giving the students with more tickets a better chance of winning a prize. That doesn’t seem like a great way to recognize positive behavior to me.
Let’s say one student earns 20 tickets throughout the week, while another student who has consistently met expectations earns only five. The first student has 20 chances to win a prize, and the second student has five, even though those numbers don’t necessarily tell us anything about how well either student behaved. Now imagine a third student who’s been having a difficult week but makes one really positive choice, so an adult recognizes it with a ticket. That’s wonderful, and he absolutely deserves recognition for the progress he’s making.
But when Friday rolls around, that student’s square gets called, and he wins a prize while the other two students don’t receive anything. I’m not suggesting that the student who earned one ticket shouldn’t be celebrated, because of course he should! But the students who have been consistently meeting expectations deserve recognition, too. When the reward depends on a random drawing, we’re not necessarily reinforcing consistent positive behavior. We’re rewarding whoever happens to get lucky.
And kindergarteners notice these things. They’re little, but they’re not clueless, and when students keep meeting expectations without receiving recognition, they may begin to question whether the behavior system is worth their effort. Student buy-in is such an important part of kindergarten classroom management because we want our students to understand what they’re working toward and trust that their efforts matter. A reward system that feels unpredictable can make that much harder, especially for the students who are already doing what we’ve asked them to do.
Another reason I’m not a fan of bingo behavior charts is that the reward process can be too abstract for kindergarteners. Imagine a student makes a positive choice on Tuesday and earns a ticket. They write their name on the bingo board and go about their day, and then on Friday, their square gets called over the announcements, and they get to visit the office for a prize. I’m sure they’re excited about winning, but do they remember why they earned that ticket on Tuesday or understand which behavior they’re supposed to repeat?
There’s a pretty big gap between the original behavior and the reward, and that connection matters when we’re trying to encourage positive behavior in kindergarten. Our students need clear expectations and consistent feedback so they understand exactly what they’re doing well and can practice doing it again. A ticket that might turn into a prize several days later isn’t nearly as meaningful as a teacher noticing a specific positive choice and recognizing it right away.
Instead of handing a student a ticket and hoping it leads to something later, imagine saying, “I noticed you raised your hand and waited your turn. That’s exactly what we’re working on!” Now the student knows what they did well, and when that recognition is connected to a visual behavior system where they can see their progress toward a goal, the reward becomes much easier for them to understand.
I think the best place to start is with clear, specific behavior expectations. Telling kindergarteners to “make good choices” or “be respectful” sounds great, but those are pretty big ideas for five-year-olds who are still learning what appropriate classroom behavior looks like. Maybe your class is working on raising hands before speaking, walking quietly in the hallway, following directions the first time, or getting started on work without reminders. When you choose one specific behavior to focus on, students have a much better understanding of what success looks like.
The next step is making sure you’re giving consistent feedback when students meet those expectations, and please don’t forget about the students who are already doing what they’re supposed to do! I know how easy it is to spend most of your time helping students who are struggling with behavior. Somebody needs a reminder, somebody needs help calming down, and somebody else needs you to repeat the directions again. Before you know it, the students who have been quietly working all morning haven’t received much attention at all.
Those students deserve to know you notice their positive choices, too. They’re also wonderful role models for their classmates, and recognizing what they’re doing well helps everyone understand your classroom expectations. Most importantly, when you use a kindergarten behavior reward system, make sure students know how to actually earn the reward, not just how to earn a chance at getting one. We want them to understand that their positive choices matter and that the system we’re using is something they can trust.
One of the reasons I love using our Build-a-Reward charts is that students can see exactly what they’re working toward. The class focuses on a specific behavior and earns pieces to build a character as they make progress toward their goal. When the character is complete, they’ve earned their reward, and there’s no random drawing or hoping their number gets called. Students can see their progress, understand what they need to do, and know that their efforts are helping the class work toward something together.
I also love that it’s a whole-class system because students are working toward a common goal, and everyone gets to participate when they reach it. That doesn’t mean every single student has to behave perfectly all day long, because they’re kindergarteners and they’re still learning! The goal is to encourage progress and help students experience success together without making the entire class responsible for one child’s difficult day.
For individual recognition, our Glow and Grow behavior notes are another option that makes positive feedback more concrete. When a student makes a positive choice, you can give them a Glow note to celebrate what they did well, and they get to take that recognition home right away instead of waiting for a drawing at the end of the week. As the teacher, you can also be intentional about recognizing different students so you’re celebrating the child who’s making progress with a challenging behavior while also noticing the students who consistently meet expectations.
These are the kinds of kindergarten behavior management tools I want teachers to have available. They’re visual, concrete, and connected to the positive choices we’re trying to encourage, which makes it easier for students to understand why they’re being recognized. And when kids know exactly what they’re working toward and can see their progress, they’re much more likely to understand the connection between their behavior and the reward.
Before adding another behavior chart to your classroom, I think it’s worth asking whether the system is really helping your students understand and meet expectations. Do students know exactly what behavior they’re working on, and are they receiving consistent feedback when they demonstrate it? Can they see their progress toward a goal, and when they reach that goal, can they count on receiving the reward? Those things matter so much more than how adorable a chart looks hanging on the wall.
I’m all for making kindergarten fun, and I love bingo as much as anyone, but when we’re using classroom rewards to encourage positive behavior, I don’t think luck should determine who gets recognized. Our kindergarteners need clear expectations, consistent feedback, and opportunities to feel successful. And the students who consistently meet our expectations need to know that we see them, too, rather than assuming they’ll keep making positive choices whether we recognize them or not.
If you’re looking for kindergarten classroom management tools that help you encourage positive behavior without leaving rewards up to chance, take a look inside the Kindergarten Management Toolbox. You’ll find individual and whole-class behavior resources, including visual supports that help students understand expectations, recognize their progress, and work toward meaningful goals. Because managing kindergarten behavior is hard enough without making rewards a guessing game!
Teaching Exceptional Kinders Links and Resources:
The Kindergarten Writing Toolbox
The Kindergarten Management Toolbox
Follow me on Instagram @teachingexceptionalkinders
More about The Kindergarten Toolbox Podcast
Welcome to The Kindergarten Toolbox Podcast, your go-to guide for creating calmer classrooms and more confident writers in the wonderfully unique world of kindergarten.
I’m Amy Murray — former kindergarten teacher, Type C “organized-in-piles” human, and vanilla-latte enthusiast. After years of helping teachers streamline their classroom routines with tips and tools that actually make sense for 5- and 6-year-olds, I created this podcast to support you with the practical strategies you’ve been craving.
Each episode is short, actionable, and designed to help you:
✔ simplify classroom management
✔ reduce behavior chaos with systems that stick
✔ teach writing in a way that meets beginning writers where they are
✔ build routines that make your day flow
✔ use visuals, tools, and expectations that really work in K
Whether you’re a brand-new kindergarten teacher or a seasoned pro looking for clarity and calm, you’ll find step-by-step support to help you feel more confident and in control.
Because kindergarten isn’t just the new first grade, it’s a world all its own, and you deserve tools that actually work.
Hit follow so you never miss an episode…
Here’s to calmer days and more confident writers!
