Free Word Search Printables {By Topic}

Published:
February 21, 2022

Abby Banks

Contributor:
Abby Banks

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Using word searches in your homeschool is a great way to help develop increased word recognition in your kids. They’ll learn new vocabulary words and reinforce spelling rules. Plus, they’re just plain fun! Check out the great list of word search printables below, plus ideas for using them in your homeschool. Get ready for hours of word hunting fun!

completing a word search and text Free Word Search Printables By Topic

Word Search Printables

Using a word search printable in your homeschool can be a good brain break from repetitious math problems. Word searches are easy ways to help kids build critical thinking skills. 

How do Word Searches Help Children?

Word searches a fun activity where you look at the provided list of words and try to find those hidden words within the puzzle. It’s the perfect solo activity for you or your child on a rainy day. A great word search will even include words that are hidden in every possible direction – including diagonally and backwards! While your kids may need to start with an easy puzzle, in no time at all they will be able to tackle even a difficult word search puzzle.

Word searches have so many benefits. While you may think of it as a waste of time, it’s not! Consider these benefits of playing with word searches.

What Skills do Word Searches Work On?

Students will grow in multiple skills as they do word searches. Most importantly, your kids will develop problem-solving skills. They are able to become more strategic in problem solving as they practice on word searches. Plus, completing word searches give our kids a sense of accomplishment and our brains reward that perseverance with a surge of dopamine. 

Additionally, in their language skills, kids are looking for consonant clusters and vowel combinations as they complete word searches. So this puzzle form is the perfect exercise for growing spelling to language fluency skills. But word searches are great for introducing new words across the content areas. So go ahead and include a word search in your lesson plan for science, history, and other subjects.

Is a Word Search Good for Memory?

Yes, studies have shown that any word puzzles, including word searches, are helpful to maintaining your mental acuity. As you grow your vocabulary, you’re also improving focus, memory, and reasoning skills.

It’s important for our kids to develop these cognitive skills because they transfer over to other learning activities. These are the skills that help students be able to think, read and comprehend, recall, and pay attention to tasks.

Word Search vs. Crossword

You might be wondering what the difference is between a word search and a crossword puzzle. With a word search, you’re given a word bank of words that you must find in a jumbled up section of random-seeming letters. In a crossword, you have to figure out the word that goes in the puzzle based on a clue or definition. Both word puzzles are great for the brain.

Word Search Printables

If you are looking for a word search printable, we’ve got you covered! Explore the list below and discover some free word searches to print and use with your children or even for yourself!

Printable Word Searches – Wow! Check out these 20 popular puzzles plus find hundreds more by browsing their categories.

26 Word Search Puzzles You Can Print for Free – You’ll find a lot of fun topics like mammals, winter, United States, and astronomy.

Printable Word Search for Kids

Our list of printable word search puzzles below are broken down by topic or theme, so you can find exactly what you are looking for. If you cannot find a word search printable that suits your needs, there’s even some word search generators you can use below. 

Easy Word Search Printables

Word Searches for Kids – You’ll find easy word searches here for all the seasons, plus directions and farm animals. The grids are small and have 10 or fewer words. Perfect for K-2.

Free Printable Word Search Puzzles for Kids – There are some great options over here that would go with your history studies, like American Revolution, Ancient China, and countries. But there are also simple options for your younger kids, including a CVC word search.

Difficult Word Search Printables

45 Hard to Extremely Hard Word Search Puzzles – The difficult word searches here include from 30 to 50 words! 

Hard Difficulty Word Search Puzzles – These difficult puzzles have a small font, large grid, and multiple words are combined. Good luck!

Printable Summer Word Search

32 Free Summer Word Search Puzzles for Kids and Adults – These puzzles are organized by difficulty level. Find some great ones here including A Day at the Beach, Summer Sports, Lemonade Day.

Summer Word Searches and Summer Word Puzzles – Print off a few of these summer-themed puzzles to take with you on road trips. There are multiple difficulty levels in these puzzles.

Fall Word Search Printables

Fun Fall Word Search – Here’s a great fall-themed seasonal word search from Scholastic.

Fall Word Searches for Kids – You can grab a fall-themed puzzle here at three different difficulty levels.

Word Search Printables for Spring

23 Spring Word Search Puzzles for Kids – Find nearly two dozen spring puzzles that are organized by difficulty level. There are puzzles for spring cleaning, bumble bees, gardening, and flowers.

Spring Word Search – You’ll find multiple options here so you’ll get exactly what you need. Choose from hard or easy and upper case or lower case letters.

Animal Word Search Printables

Animal Word Search Puzzles – Animal word searches are great for adding to your science studies. Choose from themes like groups, large animals, and tundra dwellers.

Zoo Animals Word Search – Your kids will find 24 animals in this great puzzle.

Jungle Animals Word Search Puzzle Printable – This is a nice and simple puzzle, with only eleven jungle animals to find hidden in the word search.

Disney Word Search Printables

Disney Word Search Games – The Disney lovers in your home will love these themed puzzles: Zootopia, Moana, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, plus a few more.

Disney Word Search – This is a huge list of 37 Disney-themed puzzles which include villains, songs, movies, and main characters.

8 Free Printable Disney Princess Word Searches – You’re sure to find your favorite Disney princess here: Beauty and the Beast, Tangled, Snow White, Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Frozen, Jasmine and Aladdin, and Princess and the Frog.

Bible Word Search Printables

Free Printable Bible Word Search Puzzles – Find over 30 puzzles to choose from here, including Plagues of Egypt, Women of the Bible, Life of Joseph, and Books of the Old Testament.

Bible Word Search Activities for Children – Wow! There are nearly 100 Bible-themed puzzles here. 

Bible Word Search Puzzles – Choose from 50 Bible Word Searches. These puzzles can help reinforce the main ideas and characters in the Bible lessons you teach.

Spanish Word Search Printables

Spanish Wordfind Puzzles – Here’s a great way to practice Spanish in your homeschool! Your kids can learn to identify the Spanish words they’re learning when you download puzzles including colors, insects, vegetables, and more.

Spanish Word Search Printables – Choose from 15 great puzzles with Spanish words. Includes adjectives, family, months, and more.

Large Print Word Search

Free Large Print Word Search Puzzles – Large print options are great if you don’t want to squint when trying to complete a word search! You’ll find a huge list of options here.

10 Large Print Word Search Puzzles – The large print is easy to see. Enjoy puzzles like Broadway, Cheese, and Rafting Rivers.

Word Searches for Teens

Word Search Games for Adults and Teens – Even teens can exercise their brains with a great word search. From classical composers to electricity-themed puzzles, there’s something for everyone here.

Printable Word Search for Teens – You’ll find three puzzles here for your teens. 

Word Search Puzzles for Adults

20 Word Search Puzzles You Can Print for Free – You’ll never run out of word searches with this list! Find interesting topics, like Frankenstein, machines, Picasso, ball sports, and pizza.

Printable Word Searches for Adults – Word searches can be relaxing and challenging at the same time. Keep your brain alert with dozens of these fun puzzles.

Word Search Printables

If you are looking for word searches to use during the holidays, check out the list below. 

Holiday-Themed Word Search Puzzles to Print

The holidays are a great time to work on word search puzzles. Add them to your homeschool holiday plans for an enjoyable treat. Enjoy the free download at the links below.

Easter Word Searches

32 Printable Easter Word Search Puzzles – These word searches are organized by difficulty level, so you can find just the right ones for your family.

Easter Word Search Printable – Here’s a pretty themed puzzle for your kids. They’ll find 20 Easter words in this search.

Free Printable Easter Activities: Easter Word Search – Here’s another pretty printable for you. Print off a copy for the Easter baskets or for the kids to complete while they’re waiting for Easter dinner.

Thanksgiving Word Search Printables

25 Free Thanksgiving Word Search Puzzles – Here’s a huge list of Thanksgiving-themed puzzles organized by difficulty level.

Thanksgiving Word Search – Print some of these for your Thanksgiving guests to complete while they’re waiting on the turkey.

Thanksgiving Word Search Puzzle – Here’s a great option for your Thanksgiving table. Find 17 holiday-themed words in this fun puzzle.

Printable Christmas Word Search

43 Free Christmas Word Search Puzzles – Here’s another massive list of holiday-themed puzzles! Choose from the Twelve Days of Christmas, Santa, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and many more!

Top 15 Free Printable Christmas Word Search – You’ll find multiple difficulty levels to choose from here for your Christmas-themed puzzles.

Printable Christmas Word Search – Here’s a single Christmas word search, but it has a festive and colorful design. So this would look great at a Christmas party.

4 Fun Printable Christmas Word Search Puzzles for All Ages – Here’s a couple more holiday options, including Christmas decorations, characters and treats.

New Year Word Search

New Year’s Word Search Printable – This festive puzzle would look great on the table at your New Year gathering.

New Year’s Word Search Printable 2 – Here’s another nicely designed option for your New Year celebration.

New Year’s Word Search – Use this word search to entertain the kids on New Year’s Eve!

Valentine Word Search

25 Free Valentine’s Day Word Search Puzzles – Choose from the difficulty level that would work best for your kids. Includes plenty of options for all ages.

Free Printable Valentine’s Day Word Search Puzzle– Here’s one simple Valentines puzzle that features 17 themed words to find.

Summer Word Search

Are you looking for a free printable summer word search? Grab this instant download. 

Free Printable Word Search Maker

If you want to make a free word search printable, check out a word search generator.

Create Your Own Word Search Puzzle  – You can choose the size of your puzzle, plus decide whether to use upper or lower case letters.

Word Search Maker – Includes between 10 and 30 words to create your own custom word search.

Word Search Puzzle Generator – This generator gives you the option to choose between basic, intermediate, and advanced.

Word Search Maker – Choose your own words or choose a word list, like state capitals, days of the week, and Dolch sight words.

Word Search Worksheet Generator – Choose from multiple design themes to make your finished product look professional.

More Free Printable Puzzles

Printable Crossword Puzzles for All Ages – You’ll find dozens of crossword puzzles divided by age level and theme. This post even includes math and history and Bible-themed crossword puzzles.

Free Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles – Your kids will improve their problem-solving skills with these fun puzzles. You’ll find pattern block puzzles, memory matching games, jokes, brain teasers, and riddles.

Free Printable Opposites Puzzles for Preschoolers – This instant download will give you a fun puzzle to use with your preschoolers to learn about opposites. You’ll also find links to additional preschool puzzles including antonyms, matching pairs, and animal-themed.

Free Printable Puzzles for Kids of All Ages – You’ll find dozens of options here for printable puzzles. Titles include seasonal, holiday, math, puzzles for older kids, language arts and more.

In Conclusion

Word searches and other types of puzzles are a great way to take a brain break from homeschool curriculum. Your kids will still be engaging the muscles in their brain and building critical thinking skills, but they’ll have fun while doing it. Happy Word Hunting!

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