How can I use an emotions word search with children?

Use it as a starting point for conversation. After solving, ask each child to pick a word and describe a time they felt it, or sort the words into pleasant and uncomfortable feelings.

Which words are the easiest feelings to name?

The easy puzzle covers basics: sad, mad, glad, shy, love, fear, joy and tired.

Is this puzzle suitable for adults?

The 15 x 15 challenge uses more precise words such as embarrassed, overwhelmed and relieved, which adults and older teens can discuss as well as solve.

Is this a replacement for talking to a professional?

No. It is a vocabulary activity. If someone is struggling with their feelings, a trained professional is the right person to talk to.

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Emotions Word Search

An emotions word search with 10 feelings, from happy to surprised, plus two fixed printable puzzles: eight basic feelings for beginners and a 15 x 15 challenge of 16 more nuanced emotion words.

Words (one per line, or comma separated)

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Two printable emotions puzzles

These two puzzles are fixed: the grid is the same every time, so you can print identical sheets for a class or a party. Each has a word list, a Show answers button, a Print button and a printable answer key. Download both as a PDF (with answer keys)

Emotions Word Search 1: Basic Feelings

Easy 10 x 10 grid · 8 words · 3 to 5 letters

A 10 x 10 puzzle for beginners. Eight short words, hidden across, down and diagonally down to the right only.

Name: ____________________ Date: ______________

FMUWJOOOCIOPOSLACJOYFNPHMDEYBOEGPYLATPHOALDSELDAIIRATHUOOVSWIDRICPCVCYLMEHRISOEYOAIBUEALLDLEOIMCDUOV

FEARGLADJOYLOVEMADSADSHYTIRED

Emotions Word Search 1: Basic Feelings: answer key

FMUWJOOOCIOPOSLACJOYFNPHMDEYBOEGPYLATPHOALDSELDAIIRATHUOOVSWIDRICPCVCYLMEHRISOEYOAIBUEALLDLEOIMCDUOV

FEAR: row 3, column 1, down
GLAD: row 4, column 2, down
JOY: row 2, column 8, across to the right
LOVE: row 5, column 6, diagonally down and to the right
MAD: row 3, column 5, diagonally down and to the right
SAD: row 8, column 7, down
SHY: row 2, column 4, down
TIRED: row 6, column 3, diagonally down and to the right

Emotions Word Search 2: Feelings Challenge

Hard 15 x 15 grid · 16 words · 6 to 12 letters · 8 hidden backwards or upwards

A 15 x 15 puzzle with sixteen longer words, hidden in every direction, including backwards and up.

Name: ____________________ Date: ______________

RTTGEXQREDRBEJIHOWNXHOPEFULEJLNRVDETARTSURFBVEOCEETLOLYTLIUGEDHIRTNASHAMEDAMDERNWNOVRHENSLBWEFFMHICTFAEURAORTJAHEOPSCROERRFZEUWSLPPBELLRRUOERUHYMPQSAIAILDEOMLTAEAHEESEOGIKEIISXDSJVSDIXPNQINDHTGIEEPNAOLGGWEYVHRDDATLEFBEVMDCGRI

ANXIOUSASHAMEDCHEERFULCONTENTDETERMINEDDISAPPOINTEDEMBARRASSEDFRUSTRATEDGUILTYHOPEFULJEALOUSLONELYOVERWHELMEDRELIEVEDSERENEWORRIED

Emotions Word Search 2: Feelings Challenge: answer key

ANXIOUS: row 15, column 2, diagonally up and to the right
ASHAMED: row 5, column 8, across to the right
CHEERFUL: row 4, column 3, down
CONTENT: row 7, column 9, diagonally up and to the left
DETERMINED: row 6, column 2, diagonally down and to the right
DISAPPOINTED: row 14, column 15, diagonally up and to the left
EMBARRASSED: row 5, column 1, down
FRUSTRATED: row 3, column 13, across to the left
GUILTY: row 4, column 15, across to the left
HOPEFUL: row 2, column 6, across to the right
JEALOUS: row 12, column 14, up
LONELY: row 15, column 4, diagonally up and to the right
OVERWHELMED: row 2, column 2, diagonally down and to the right
RELIEVED: row 7, column 15, down
SERENE: row 10, column 13, up
WORRIED: row 7, column 2, down

About this emotions word search

Feelings vocabulary is something many teachers and parents work on with children, and a word search is a low-pressure way to bring the words into a conversation. The default list has ten emotions, happy, excited, nervous, curious, grateful, confused, proud, calm, brave and surprised, a mix of pleasant and uncomfortable feelings. Ask which ones feel good, which feel hard and which can be both, as excited and nervous often are.

The easy puzzle has eight simple feeling words: sad, mad, glad, shy, love, fear, joy and tired. These are good for children who are just learning to name how they feel. The challenge puzzle is meant for older children and adults and uses more precise words: disappointed, frustrated, embarrassed, overwhelmed, determined, relieved and serene. Telling similar feelings apart is a useful skill, and the puzzle gives you a reason to compare them.

Many teachers use feelings words in morning meetings or journals. After solving, ask students to pick one word and say when they last felt it, or to draw a face for it. This is a vocabulary activity, not therapy, and if a child is struggling with big feelings, a trained adult is the right person to talk to. The generator lets you build a list from the words your class has been using.

Word notes

Excited: feeling eager and enthusiastic about something that is going to happen.
Nervous: feeling worried or uneasy, often before something new.
Curious: eager to learn or know something.
Grateful: feeling thankful for something someone has done or given.
Confused: unable to think clearly or understand something.
Proud: feeling pleased about something you or someone else has done.
Surprised: feeling a sudden reaction to something unexpected.

Vocabulary tip

Many of these feelings overlap. Ask students to place the ten words on a line from comfortable to uncomfortable, then compare where they put them. There is no wrong answer.

Difficulty guide

Generator (default list). The 10 words run from 4 letters (calm) to 9 letters (surprised), 6.5 letters on average and 65 letters in all, which fills about 33% of the default 14 x 14 grid. On the default Medium setting, words can run in five directions. Choose Easy for across, down and diagonal-right only, or Hard to add backwards and upwards.
Easy puzzle. 8 words of 3 to 5 letters in a 10 x 10 grid, with nothing hidden backwards or upwards.
Challenge puzzle. 16 words of 6 to 12 letters in a 15 x 15 grid, with 8 of them hidden backwards or upwards. Disappointed (12 letters), embarrassed and overwhelmed (11) are the longest words in the challenge, and frustrated and determined end in the same two letters.

Ways to use it

Ask students to pick one word and write about the last time they felt it.
Sort the words into feelings that feel good, uncomfortable or either.
To use your own list, edit the words in the box at the top of the page and press Generate puzzle, or press New layout, same words for a fresh grid. Print it with Show answers ticked to add a separate answer page.

How can I use an emotions word search with children?: Use it as a starting point for conversation. After solving, ask each child to pick a word and describe a time they felt it, or sort the words into pleasant and uncomfortable feelings.
Which words are the easiest feelings to name?: The easy puzzle covers basics: sad, mad, glad, shy, love, fear, joy and tired.
Is this puzzle suitable for adults?: The 15 x 15 challenge uses more precise words such as embarrassed, overwhelmed and relieved, which adults and older teens can discuss as well as solve.
Is this a replacement for talking to a professional?: No. It is a vocabulary activity. If someone is struggling with their feelings, a trained professional is the right person to talk to.