WorksheetsAbout this worksheet
A word search hides words in a grid of letters. It is a quiet way to practise spelling, because the child must look at every letter of the word in order. Use a ready list, or choose My own words and type this week's spelling list, the names of the class, or words from a lesson.
What this skill is
In a word search the child hunts for words hidden among other letters. To find a word, the eye must hold its letters in the right order, which is the same work that spelling asks for. The puzzle also trains patient, row by row looking, and it does this while feeling like a game and not like a test.
A worked example
A good way to find the word MANGO:
- Look at its first letter, M, and scan the grid row by row for every M.
- At each M, look at the squares around it for an A.
- If there is an A, keep going in that same direction: N, G, O.
- When the whole word is found, draw a loop around it and tick it in the list.
For words with a rare letter, hunt for that letter in place of the first one. In ZEBRA or QUEEN, the Z and the Q are far quicker to find.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Own words: English letters only, up to 14 words. A word longer than the grid is left out.
- Easy level suits classes 1 and 2. Backwards words are for older children and grown-ups.
- Ask the child to tick each word in the list as it is found, and to say it aloud.
How to use this sheet at home and in class
- At home: type this week's spelling words under "My own words". After the puzzle, cover the list and ask the child to write the words from memory.
- In class: a word search of words from the lesson makes a calm five minutes at the end of a period, and early finishers can make up a sentence with each word.
- Match the grid to the child: 10 by 10 and Easy for classes 1 and 2; 15 by 15 with diagonal or backwards words for classes 5 and 6.
Mistakes to watch for
- Looking for the whole word at once and giving up. Teach the first-letter method above.
- Circling a word that is nearly right, such as MANGE for MANGO. Check every letter before looping.
- Giving a hard level too soon. Backwards words can put a young child off; raise the level only when the easy one is finished with pleasure.
What to try next
- Letter and number tracing worksheets: for children still learning letters.
- Writing paper worksheets: to write the found words neatly.
- Number names worksheets: spelling the number words.