Word search for kids
10 free word searches to print, each with its own answer key PDF. Easy ones come first.
All 10 word searches
Farm animals word search
K and grade 1 (ages 5-6)
Pets word search
K and grade 1 (ages 5-6)
Colors word search
K and grade 1 (ages 5-6)
Garden word search
K and grade 1 (ages 5-6)
Zoo animals word search
Grades 2 and 3 (ages 7-8)
Dinosaur word search
Grades 2 and 3 (ages 7-8)
Ocean animals word search
Grades 2 and 3 (ages 7-8)
Weather word search
Grades 2 and 3 (ages 7-8)
Back to school word search
Grade 4 and up (ages 9+)
Transportation word search
Grade 4 and up (ages 9+)
Make a word search with your own words
Teachers can type a class word list, such as this week's spelling words, and print a copy for everyone. Add an AI picture of any subject, in your own illustration style.
About these word searches
Each puzzle has a theme, like farm animals, the ocean or the weather, with a word list we wrote by hand. A picture from our coloring library sits beside the list, to color once every word is found.
Easy puzzles have an 8 by 8 grid with words across and down only. Medium puzzles are 12 by 12 and add words on a slant. Hard puzzles are 15 by 15, and some words run backwards.
They are free for personal and classroom use. Read the license.
Printing and playing tips
- Print at 100% or choose Fit to page. The puzzle fills a Letter or A4 sheet inside half-inch margins.
- Younger kids can run a finger along each row first, then circle a word once they spot it.
- Keep the answer key for yourself. It is a separate PDF, so it never prints with the puzzles.
Which grades they suit
K and grade 1 (ages 5-6): easy puzzles such as the farm animals word search. Their words only run across or down.
Grades 2 and 3 (ages 7-8): medium puzzles such as the zoo animals word search, with words on a slant as well.
Grade 4 and up (ages 9+): hard puzzles such as the back to school word search. Words run every way, including backwards.
Questions and answers
Are these word searches free?
Yes. Print as many copies as you like for home or a classroom. There is no sign-up.
What age is a word search good for?
Most kids can try one once they read simple words, at about age 5. Start with the easy puzzles, where words only run across and down.
Where is the answer key?
Tap Answer key (PDF) under a puzzle. It is a separate PDF marked teacher copy, with every word marked.
Can I make a word search with my own words?
Yes. The word search maker takes your own list, such as this week's spelling words, and draws a new puzzle to print. Open the word search maker
Do the puzzles change when I print them again?
No. Each puzzle stays the same, so a whole class works on the same page and one answer key fits all.