All six animal word lists
Read a list before you print to pick the puzzle that suits your child. Each puzzle has its own words — none repeats within a level.
Starter: 8 words · 10 × 10 grid · Across → and down ↓
Starter Puzzle 1
- Cat
- Dog
- Lion
- Bear
- Frog
- Duck
- Mouse
- Horse
Starter Puzzle 2
- Pig
- Cow
- Hen
- Owl
- Bee
- Ant
- Wolf
- Lamb
Starter Puzzle 3
- Bird
- Camel
- Snake
- Koala
- Puppy
- Kitten
- Pony
- Hippo
Explorer: 12 words · 12 × 12 grid · Across →, down ↓ and diagonal ↘
Explorer Puzzle 1
- Rabbit
- Tiger
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Monkey
- Zebra
- Panda
- Otter
- Fox
- Deer
- Sheep
- Goat
Explorer Puzzle 2
- Kangaroo
- Penguin
- Squirrel
- Hedgehog
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Gorilla
- Beaver
- Raccoon
- Donkey
- Parrot
- Turkey
Explorer Puzzle 3
- Crocodile
- Flamingo
- Chipmunk
- Buffalo
- Ostrich
- Peacock
- Moose
- Lizard
- Rhino
- Badger
- Hamster
- Chicken
Which level fits your child?
Both levels suit children aged about 6 to 9, but reading confidence matters more than age. A child who is still sounding out words will enjoy Starter; a child who reads short chapter books is usually ready for Explorer. As a rough guide, Starter suits many 1st and 2nd graders and Explorer many 2nd and 3rd graders. Neither level hides words backward.
Starter · 8 words · 10 × 10
Short, familiar animal words of 3–6 letters, like “Frog”. Words only run across and down, so children can scan one row or column at a time.
Explorer · 12 words · 12 × 12
Longer words of up to 9 letters, like “Crocodile”, in a bigger grid. Words also run diagonally, which asks for more careful looking.
Not sure?
Start with Starter. Finishing a puzzle feels better than giving up halfway, and you can print an Explorer puzzle next time.
Talk about the animals
Once a word is circled, a quick question turns it into a conversation. These ideas use words that really appear in the six puzzles.
Farm or wild?
Sort the words into two piles. Cow, Pig, Hen, Horse, Sheep, Goat, Donkey and Turkey live on farms; Lion, Tiger, Elephant, Giraffe, Kangaroo and Penguin live in the wild.
Who says what?
Ask for each animal’s sound: the Cow moos, the Owl hoots, the Wolf howls, the Frog croaks, the Snake hisses and the Bee buzzes.
Baby animals
Puppy, Kitten and Lamb are already baby names. Can your child name the rest? A baby Lion is a cub, and a baby Kangaroo or Koala is a joey.
Biggest to smallest
Line up the animals you found by size. Elephant, Hippo and Rhino at one end; Mouse and Bee at the other.
Ways to use these animal word searches
Before a zoo or farm visit
Print a puzzle the night before and check off each animal you see the next day.
A calm activity
A Starter puzzle is a short, screen-free task — handy for a rainy afternoon or while dinner cooks.
Alongside an animal book
Pair a puzzle with a favorite picture book and look for the animals in both.
Printing tips
- Choose US Letter in the United States and Canada, and A4 almost everywhere else. The layout is made separately for each, so nothing is cut off.
- Print at actual size (100%) rather than “fit to page” to keep the letters large and evenly spaced.
- Everything is black and white. Draft or ink-saving mode still leaves the grid easy to read.
- The answer key circles each hidden letter, so it works on a black-and-white printer too.
- Each page carries a small puzzle ID, such as MWS-1594VM4, printed on both the puzzle and its answer key so the pair is easy to match.
Frequently asked questions
Which animal word search should I print first?
Start with Starter Puzzle 1. It uses eight short, familiar animals — Cat, Dog, Lion, Bear, Frog, Duck, Mouse and Horse — hidden across and down.
Are the three puzzles in each level different?
Yes. Each puzzle has its own word list, and no animal is repeated within a level, so a child can work through all three without meeting the same word twice.
Are the animals ones young children know?
Starter uses everyday animals from homes, farms and picture books. Explorer adds animals such as Hedgehog, Chipmunk and Flamingo that are good to talk about.
Can I change the words in the animal word search?
Yes. Choose “Customize this word search” below the download buttons, or open the word search generator with the animal words already filled in. Swap, add or remove words, then download your own puzzle and answer key.
Are these printables free?
Yes. All six puzzles and their answer keys are free PDFs, with no account or email needed.