Pets Word Search 1
Word Search · Easy · seed for-kids-w1
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Word Search · Kids
Word search for kids
These word searches for kids come as a graded set of twelve, so you can match the puzzle to the child. Pets puzzles for ages 5 to 7 hide eight short words in a 10 × 10 grid, forwards only. Playground puzzles for ages 7 to 9 add diagonals in a 12 × 12 grid. School puzzles for ages 9 to 11 hide twelve words in a 14 × 14 grid. Each has a word bank and an answer key, as a free Letter or A4 vector PDF.
Best for
5–11 years, in three levels
Builds
Letter recognition and left-to-right scanning for new readers, building up to longer words and diagonal searching for older children.
In the classroom
Print the level that fits each group: the same activity at three difficulty levels is an easy way to differentiate a literacy station. Children who finish early can move up a level, and the answer key lets them check their own work.
Free printables in this set
Each puzzle is generated from a stable seed and downloads as a true vector PDF with its answer key — Letter or A4, print at 100%. Free for classroom and commercial use — see the licence. How the answer keys work
Pets Word Search 2
Word Search · Easy · seed for-kids-w2
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Pets Word Search 3
Word Search · Easy · seed for-kids-w3
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Pets Word Search 4
Word Search · Easy · seed for-kids-w4
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Playground Word Search 1
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w5
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Playground Word Search 2
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w6
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Playground Word Search 3
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w7
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Playground Word Search 4
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w8
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
School Word Search 1
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w9
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
School Word Search 2
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w10
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
School Word Search 3
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w11
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
School Word Search 4
Word Search · Medium · seed for-kids-w12
True vector PDF · answer key included · Letter & A4 · free for classroom and commercial use
Generate your own
Type your own words, pick a grid size and difficulty, and print a custom word search with its answer key in seconds.
Which word search is right for my child's age?
Start with the Pets puzzles at ages 5 to 7: eight words of three to seven letters, running only left to right or top to bottom, in a 10 × 10 grid of 100 letters. At 7 to 9, the Playground puzzles add diagonal words and a 12 × 12 grid of 144 letters. At 9 to 11, the School puzzles hide twelve words, including eight-letter ones like BACKPACK and NOTEBOOK, in a 14 × 14 grid of 196 letters. If a child finds every word very quickly, move up a level.
Do the words ever go backwards?
No. Backwards and upside-down words are the hardest part of a word search, so none of these puzzles use them. The Pets level runs words across and down only, and the Playground and School levels add forward diagonals. Backwards words are kept for the hard word search, which is meant for teens and adults.
How do I help a child who is stuck?
Suggest they look for the first letter of the word, then check the letters touching it for the second. Running a finger along each row stops them losing their place. If they are still stuck, page two of the PDF is the answer key with every word ringed: fold it behind the puzzle so they can check one word at a time.
Frequently asked questions
What age are these word searches for kids?
Ages 5 to 11, in three levels: Pets for ages 5 to 7 (forwards only), Playground for 7 to 9 (adds diagonals) and School for 9 to 11 (bigger grid, longer words).
Are kids' word searches free to print?
Yes — free Letter or A4 vector PDFs with the word bank and answer key, for home and classroom use, no signup required.
Can I make a word search from my child's spelling words?
Yes — type the list into the word search generator, choose Easy and a 10 × 10 grid for younger children, and print it with the answer key.