What is Norwegian Constitution Day, and why do kids get their own parade?

17 May marks the signing of Norway's 1814 constitution. Unlike most national days, the main event isn't a military parade but a children's parade (barnetog) — thousands of schoolkids walking through town with flags and brass bands, watched by families lining the streets. It's the reason the whole country slows down for a Tuesday.

How long does the children's parade usually last?

In larger towns and cities the procession can run well over an hour, sometimes closer to two, as school after school passes with its own band and banner. That length is exactly why a bingo card helps — it gives kids something active to do while the adults keep watching for their own school's turn.

Do I need to know what a bunad or lompe is to play?

No. The card is designed for families who are new to the day as much as for locals — a bunad is the traditional regional costume many adults wear, and a lompe is the soft potato flatbread a hot dog gets wrapped in. Spotting them is half the fun even before you know the words.

Is this bingo card only for kids living in Norway?

Not at all. It works just as well for tourists and expat families watching their first parade, since every square is something you can actually see from the pavement — no local knowledge required beyond what the card itself explains.

What age group is this suited for?

Roughly ages 3 to 10. Younger children can chase the easy, frequent squares like flags, balloons and ice cream, while older kids enjoy hunting for the rarer ones — a specific instrument, the royal family's balcony wave, or a russ card handed out by graduating students.

Is there a version for the rest of the summer?

Yes — once 17 May is over, our separate summer bingo picks up the same print-and-play format for the school holiday weeks that follow, so the habit of scanning-and-crossing-off doesn't have to end with the parade.

Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for Kids

Activity Workshop · Printables

Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for Kids

Norway's 17 May is built around the children's parade — a long, cheerful procession of school bands and flags that can easily stretch past an hour, which is a serious test of patience for anyone under ten. This free printable bingo card gives kids something to actively look for while they wait: the Norwegian flag, a bunad, a marching trumpet, the first ice cream cone of the day.\n\nEach of the 36 squares matches something families genuinely encounter at a Norwegian Constitution Day celebration, whether they've grown up with the tradition or are watching their first parade as visitors or new residents. Print a card per child, hand out a pencil, and let the procession do the rest of the work.

About this sheet

Norway's 17 May is built around one long, joyful wait: the children's parade (barnetog) winds through town for well over an hour, brass bands looping the same three marches, and a five-year-old's patience runs out roughly at the ten-minute mark. This bingo card turns that wait into the main event. Instead of asking "are we done yet," kids scan the crowd for a bunad, count trumpets, and watch for the next ice cream cone — the parade becomes something to hunt through, not sit through.

The 36 squares stay close to what actually happens on the day, in the order families tend to notice it: flags first, then the traditional bunad, then the marching band gear, then the food everyone eats standing up — hot dogs in lomper, soft-serve, soda. A few softer squares (grandparents, sunshine or a rain jacket, a ribbon in someone's hair) give younger kids an easy win early on, so the card doesn't feel like it's only for the child who can spot a trumpet from fifty metres.

Print one card per child before you leave the house — no lamination, no prep beyond a pencil in a pocket. Families new to Norway often use it as a quiet decoder for the day itself: if you don't yet know what a bunad or a russ card is, the card doubles as a plain-language cheat sheet while you wait for the procession to pass.

This is a one-day card built for 17 May specifically. If your family also wants something for the long school-holiday stretch afterwards, pair it with our summer bingo — same easy print-and-play format, aimed at the weeks once the flags come down.

What you get

One printable A4/Letter bingo card, 36 squares, ready to print at home
No sign-up, no lamination or cutting — just print and hand out a pencil
Plain-language squares (bunad, lompe, russ card) that work for expat and tourist families new to the tradition
A card sized for the full length of a parade, not just a five-minute activity

How to use it

Print one card per child. No lamination or cutting needed — a plain home printout survives a few hours of parade-watching just fine. Print a spare or two in case of ice cream mishaps.
Hand out a pencil each. A stub of pencil or a washable marker works; give each child their own so there's no fighting over whose turn it is to cross something off.
Play it live during the parade. Encourage kids to scan the procession and the crowd around them rather than the card itself — most squares (flags, bunad, brass instruments, ice cream) show up within the first twenty minutes.
Keep it going after the marching stops. The food and atmosphere squares — waffles, cinnamon buns, sunshine, grandparents — carry the game through the rest of the day's family gathering, well past the parade itself.

Download free

Pick an age, download the A4 PDF with answers, and print. No sign-up.

More activities More printables

More versions of this sheet

Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for Kids – free printable bingo for kids

Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for kids ages 7–9 – free printable A4 board — Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for Kids (7–9)

Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for kids ages 4–6 – free printable A4 board — Norwegian Constitution Day Bingo for Kids (4–6)

Frequently asked questions

What is Norwegian Constitution Day, and why do kids get their own parade?: 17 May marks the signing of Norway's 1814 constitution. Unlike most national days, the main event isn't a military parade but a children's parade (barnetog) — thousands of schoolkids walking through town with flags and brass bands, watched by families lining the streets. It's the reason the whole country slows down for a Tuesday.
How long does the children's parade usually last?: In larger towns and cities the procession can run well over an hour, sometimes closer to two, as school after school passes with its own band and banner. That length is exactly why a bingo card helps — it gives kids something active to do while the adults keep watching for their own school's turn.
Do I need to know what a bunad or lompe is to play?: No. The card is designed for families who are new to the day as much as for locals — a bunad is the traditional regional costume many adults wear, and a lompe is the soft potato flatbread a hot dog gets wrapped in. Spotting them is half the fun even before you know the words.
Is this bingo card only for kids living in Norway?: Not at all. It works just as well for tourists and expat families watching their first parade, since every square is something you can actually see from the pavement — no local knowledge required beyond what the card itself explains.
What age group is this suited for?: Roughly ages 3 to 10. Younger children can chase the easy, frequent squares like flags, balloons and ice cream, while older kids enjoy hunting for the rarer ones — a specific instrument, the royal family's balcony wave, or a russ card handed out by graduating students.
Is there a version for the rest of the summer?: Yes — once 17 May is over, our separate summer bingo picks up the same print-and-play format for the school holiday weeks that follow, so the habit of scanning-and-crossing-off doesn't have to end with the parade.