How to Create a Monthly Book Bingo for Your Reading Journal

Reading journals are fantastic tools for tracking your literary adventures, and adding a creative touch like a monthly book bingo can make reading even more fun and motivating. A book bingo game encourages you to explore new genres, themes, or challenges by filling a bingo card of prompts with the books you read.

This post will guide you through designing your own monthly book bingo for your reading journal, sourcing prompts, and creative ways to keep track in a visually appealing, engaging way.

Monthly Book Bingo Basics:

Design Your 5x5 Grid.

The classic book bingo design is a 5 squares by 5 squares grid, creating 25 total spaces. To keep things fun and thematic, the middle square is a "free space," often decorated with a cute image that links to your month's reading theme or journal aesthetic. For example, if your theme for the month is “autumn leaves,” your free space might be a small hand-drawn leaf or a themed sticker. This layout is versatile, allowing plenty of options to customize your reading challenge with different prompts and styles. The 5x5 grid offers enough squares to make reaching “bingo” a satisfying accomplishment, whether you go for a single line or a full card.

Choosing Prompts for Your Book Bingo

Prompts are the heart of book bingo and can be tailored to your reading goals or interests.

Some popular ideas are:

Read a book set in a specific location (e.g., Canada, a fantasy kingdom).

Pick a book by a debut author

Read a book with a certain color on the cover

Choose a genre you’ve never read before

Books featuring strong female protagonists

A book recommended by a friend

If you’re not sure where to source prompts, many book bloggers and creators release monthly themed bingo cards or prompt lists you can download for free or purchase.

Some notable creators offering unique monthly bingo prompts and printable layouts include:

Book Riot (known for creative monthly reading challenges)

Modern Mrs. Darcy (curated themes and prompts)

Various bookish Pinterest boards dedicated to book bingo printables

Mixing prompts from different creators or creating your own twist keeps your reading fresh and engaging.

Tracking Your Books: Fun and Practical Ideas

When it comes to marking off completed bingo squares, there are several popular methods: Write the book’s title inside each box, along with the prompt it fulfills for a neat record. Use sticky notes or small flags with the book title printed or written to cover the prompt on the card; this allows you to swap books if necessary.

Simply color in or decorate the boxes as you finish each read—this is a favorite method for those who enjoy adding vibrant personal flair. Some readers even add a star rating or brief note next to a boxed prompt to capture their thoughts right in their journal.

Flexibility with Frequency: Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual Bingo

Book bingo doesn’t have to be a monthly commitment if your reading habits vary. Quarterly or annual bingos work perfectly for slower reading paces or when you prefer longer books. Adjust the number of prompts or challenge yourself to fill the card by the end of the year, making it a personalized reading goal that aligns with your lifestyle.

Where to Find Inspiration: Pinterest Boards and Online Communities

Pinterest is a treasure trove for book bingo ideas, layouts, and printable bingo cards. Here are some boards to explore for inspiration:

“Book Bingo Layouts” — bundling various creative card designs

“Reading Journal Ideas” — where book bingo sometimes features alongside other reading trackers and doodles

“Monthly Reading Challenges” — offering curated prompts and community sharing

Exploring these boards can spark your creativity and help you design a book bingo card you look forward to filling.

Wrap-Up: Make Your Reading Journal Pop with Book Bingo

Creating a monthly book bingo adds excitement, variety, and challenge to your reading routine. It’s a visually appealing way to track your progress while nudging you to diversify your reading choices. Whether you hand-draw your bingo card or download printables from trusted creators, integrating this game-like element into your reading journal keeps motivation high and makes every book feel like a part of a bigger adventure.

So grab your favorite pens, stickers, or printables, set your monthly theme, and start planning your next book bingo. Happy reading and bingo marking!