Is this a good back-to-school activity?

Yes. The default list is made of things in a classroom or backpack, and the easy puzzle suits the first week with young children.

Recess is a break in the school day when children can play outside or inside. It is called break or playtime in some countries.

Can I make a word search from my class supply list?

Yes. Type the items, one per line, give the puzzle a title such as your class name and press Generate puzzle.

Which puzzle is best for early finishers?

The 15 x 15 school day challenge is a good folder activity for students who finish early, and the answer key makes it easy to check.

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School Word Search

A school word search with 10 words, from pencil to marker, plus two fixed printable puzzles: eight classroom words for beginners and a 15 x 15 challenge of 16 words from the school day.

Words (one per line, or comma separated)

Or start from a topic:

Grid size

Difficulty

Puzzle title

Subtitle (optional)

Two printable school 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)

School Word Search 1: Classroom Words

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: ______________

LONETTAKTTBGLUEUBIETDESKBDIRHILXLGOFOKRTMCCLOHBXEDORHJKOSZBCRAUALUUFSKPTPLLUNCHPFDIEEKRWTFIOHRNRAAAH

BELLBOOKCHALKDESKGLUELUNCHPENRULER

School Word Search 1: Classroom Words: answer key

LONETTAKTTBGLUEUBIETDESKBDIRHILXLGOFOKRTMCCLOHBXEDORHJKOSZBCRAUALUUFSKPTPLLUNCHPFDIEEKRWTFIOHRNRAAAH

BELL: row 2, column 1, diagonally down and to the right
BOOK: row 3, column 5, down
CHALK: row 5, column 2, diagonally down and to the right
DESK: row 3, column 1, across to the right
GLUE: row 2, column 2, across to the right
LUNCH: row 8, column 5, across to the right
PEN: row 8, column 3, diagonally down and to the right
RULER: row 6, column 2, diagonally down and to the right

School Word Search 2: School Day Challenge

Hard 15 x 15 grid · 16 words · 6 to 11 letters · 12 hidden backwards or upwards

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

Name: ____________________ Date: ______________

DBPDOINUVYRAYTLNYMRNVRTHDIIKTKUILIOEEPQRIOOEROAKBKTACEQODKEORHFCMRRTNBBBPHWGDOIGEEATESKGSEYLSOEFSXCLIASKMAAEKAEESATECKROLGRCBTSPAAOOSOHPHIGHLIGHTERLWPDNITTCWDUBCABYONYRUNJRELPATSEORSLIDICTIONARYGMCRHCALCULATOREUPMUISANMYGESAB

ASSEMBLYCAFETERIACALCULATORDICTIONARYGEOGRAPHYGYMNASIUMHIGHLIGHTERHOMEWORKLOCKERPLAYGROUNDPRINCIPALPROTRACTORSCIENCESTAPLERTEXTBOOKWORKSHEET

School Word Search 2: School Day Challenge: answer key

ASSEMBLY: row 9, column 9, diagonally up and to the left
CAFETERIA: row 9, column 4, diagonally up and to the right
CALCULATOR: row 14, column 5, across to the right
DICTIONARY: row 13, column 5, across to the right
GEOGRAPHY: row 9, column 2, diagonally up and to the right
GYMNASIUM: row 15, column 11, across to the left
HIGHLIGHTER: row 10, column 2, across to the right
HOMEWORK: row 9, column 15, up
LOCKER: row 7, column 2, diagonally up and to the right
PLAYGROUND: row 10, column 1, up
PRINCIPAL: row 15, column 2, diagonally up and to the right
PROTRACTOR: row 1, column 3, diagonally down and to the right
SCIENCE: row 9, column 13, diagonally up and to the left
STAPLER: row 12, column 13, across to the left
TEXTBOOK: row 9, column 6, diagonally up and to the right
WORKSHEET: row 10, column 14, up

About this school word search

A school word search is a natural back-to-school activity and an easy first puzzle for a class of new readers. The default list is ten things you find in a classroom or backpack: pencil, crayon, notebook, scissors, backpack, classroom, recess, library, eraser and marker. They are all words children see and say every day, so they can be spelled with confidence.

The easy puzzle uses eight short words: book, desk, pen, ruler, glue, chalk, bell and lunch. The challenge puzzle covers the whole school day, with places (cafeteria, gymnasium, playground), people (principal), subjects (science, geography) and things (calculator, protractor, highlighter, stapler, worksheet, textbook), making it a good puzzle for older students to solve at the end of term.

For the first week of school, use the puzzle as a get-to-know-the-room activity: students find each word, then locate the thing in the classroom. Teachers can use the generator to make a puzzle from their own supply list or class rules.

Word notes

Pencil: a writing tool with a core of graphite in a wooden case.
Crayon: a stick of colored wax for drawing.
Notebook: a book of blank or lined pages for writing.
Scissors: a cutting tool with two blades joined by a pin.
Recess: a break between lessons when students can play.
Eraser: a rubber used to remove pencil marks.
Marker: a pen with a thick felt tip.

Vocabulary tip

Use the puzzle as a classroom scavenger hunt: after finding each word, students look around the room and point to the real object. This works well for children learning English.

Difficulty guide

Generator (default list). The 10 words run from 6 letters (pencil, crayon, recess, eraser and marker) to 9 letters (classroom), 7.0 letters on average and 70 letters in all, which fills about 36% 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 11 letters in a 15 x 15 grid, with 12 of them hidden backwards or upwards. In the challenge, homework and worksheet share the same four letters (work), and highlighter, at 11 letters, is the longest word.

Ways to use it

After solving, students find each object in the room.
Write a sentence about the school day that uses three of the ten words.
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.

Is this a good back-to-school activity?: Yes. The default list is made of things in a classroom or backpack, and the easy puzzle suits the first week with young children.
What is recess?: Recess is a break in the school day when children can play outside or inside. It is called break or playtime in some countries.
Can I make a word search from my class supply list?: Yes. Type the items, one per line, give the puzzle a title such as your class name and press Generate puzzle.
Which puzzle is best for early finishers?: The 15 x 15 school day challenge is a good folder activity for students who finish early, and the answer key makes it easy to check.