Word Search for Kids
Word Search is a free word search game for kids, with a brand-new puzzle every time you play and ten themes to choose from.
Word Search
Loading game…
- Ages
- 5–12
- School years
- Senior Infants–6th Class
- Skills
- Spelling and recognising familiar words, Building vocabulary around everyday themes, Scanning and visual searching
- Time
- 2–5 minutes a round
- Cost
- Free, no sign-up
- Updated
How to play Word Search
- Choose a level and a theme. Easy is an 8 × 8 grid with words across and down, Medium adds diagonal words, and Hard is a 12 × 12 grid where words can also run backwards.
- Find a word from the list in the grid, then drag across it from the first letter to the last. You can also tap the first letter and then the last letter.
- On a keyboard, use the arrow keys to move around the grid and press Enter or Space on the first and last letters.
- Each word you find is highlighted and crossed off the list. Find them all quickly to earn more points!
- Want to play on paper? Press Print this puzzle for a clean copy of the grid and word list.
What your child learns
- Spelling and recognising familiar words
- Building vocabulary around everyday themes
- Scanning and visual searching
- Reading words left to right, top to bottom, diagonally and backwards
- Concentration and persistence
About Word Search
Word searches are a gentle way to practise spelling. To find a word, children have to hold its letters in mind and look for them in order, which helps them notice how words are built. Every theme uses familiar words, so younger children can sound them out and older children can race the clock.
Easy puzzles suit Senior Infants to 2nd Class: a small grid and only across and down words. Medium, for Classes 3–4, adds diagonals on a 10 × 10 grid. Hard, for Classes 5–6, uses a 12 × 12 grid where words can run in any of eight directions, including backwards. Every grid is made fresh, and the computer checks that each word appears exactly once, so there is never a confusing second copy.
Which level should my child play?
| School year | Suggested level |
|---|---|
| Senior Infants | Easy |
| 1st Class | Easy |
| 2nd Class | Easy |
| 3rd Class | Medium |
| 4th Class | Medium |
| 5th Class | Hard |
| 6th Class | Hard |
Move up a level after getting three stars two or three times in a row.
🏆 Leaderboard
Full leaderboard →Play a round to get on the board! Create a free account to save your scores.
Frequently asked questions
What age is this word search for?
It suits children aged about 5 to 12. Easy puzzles have short words that only go across and down, so they work well for early readers. Hard puzzles hide longer words in every direction.
Can I print the word search?
Yes. Press Print this puzzle during a game to print a clean copy of the grid and the word list, without the rest of the page.
How are points worked out?
You earn points for every word you find, plus a bonus for finishing quickly. Medium puzzles are worth one and a half times as much as Easy, and Hard puzzles are worth double.
More games you’ll love
All english games →Look, cover and spell words from memory.
Unscramble letters using picture clues.
Listen and find Dolch sight words.
Find the word that rhymes.
Add numbers within 10, 20, 100 or 1,000.
Practise any times table from 2× to 12×.
Help your child shine in English
Practice at home is a great start. Success Tutoring offers personalised tutoring to build skills and confidence.