Word search maker
Free · no account
The grid fills itself around your words and prints with a word bank underneath, so a child who cannot yet read the list still knows what they are hunting for.
It is the quietest five minutes in a lesson, and the one printable that works equally well as early-finisher work, homework, or something to leave with a cover teacher.
Free, no account, and nothing is stored.
📄 What you get
- One puzzle grid on an A4 page
- A word bank underneath, with pictures
- Words placed across and down, never backwards
🪜 How it works
- 1
Type your words — short ones work best for younger children.
- 2
Choose Word search, and the grid builds around them.
- 3
Print one per child, or one between two for a race.
🗂️ Or start from a ready pack
Not in the mood to type? These come with words already in them.
💬 Questions
Are the words hidden backwards or diagonally?
No — across and down only. Backwards words are a puzzle-magazine convention that teaches nothing about English spelling, and for a six-year-old they turn a reading task into a shape-hunting one.
How many words fit?
Up to thirty, though eight to twelve is the sweet spot for a single lesson. More than that and the grid grows until the letters are too small for young eyes.