Grades 3–4
Birds Word Search
Fourteen birds, from the tiny hummingbird to the ostrich, in a 13 by 13 grid with backwards words.
Classroom activity · Word search puzzles
Rainforest Animals Word Search
Sloths, toucans, piranhas and capybaras: fourteen rainforest animals with some backwards words.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–4
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Topic
- Word search puzzles
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Word recognition, Spelling, Visual scanning, Topic vocabulary
What kids do
“Find the 14 rainforest animals. Words go across, down, diagonally, and some go backwards!”
Printed on the sheet:
- Find these 14 words · Words go across, down and diagonally ↘, and some go backwards
Words on this sheet
gorillajaguarlemurmacawocelotparrotpiranhaslothtoucan
Teacher tip
Show pictures of the rainforest animals, like the capybara, before kids search.
How to use it
- Read the word list aloud together before kids start searching.
- Show kids how to look for the first letter, then check the next one.
- Keep a few copies in an early finisher bin so they are always ready.
Watch for
Kids circling random letters to finish fast. Ask them to read each word as they find it.
Talk about it
- Did you find words going a direction you did not expect?
- What would you change to make it harder?
Take it further
Have kids make their own word search on grid paper for a partner.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More word search puzzles
Grades 4–5
Inventions Word Search
Lightbulbs, telescopes, zippers and thermometers: fourteen inventions hidden in all eight directions.
Grades 4–5
Safari Animals Word Search
Long animal names like hippopotamus and wildebeest hidden in all eight directions of a 15 by 15 grid.
Grades 1–2
Ocean Animals Word Search
A 10 by 10 word search with 10 ocean animals that run only across and down, just right for new readers.
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