Winter Word Search — 12 Free Printable Puzzles
Twelve winter word search puzzles to print, from picture puzzles of snowmen and penguins for five-year-olds to 25-word grids of snow sports and winter holidays for grown-ups. Every puzzle comes with its own answer key on page two, in US Letter and A4, and there is nothing to sign up for. They work all the way from December to February.
Jump to: Easy picture puzzles · Medium · Hard · All 12 in one PDF
Easy Winter word search — picture puzzles
Four 10 × 10 grids with just eight words each, and every word has a picture beside it, so children who are still learning to read can match the picture and hunt for the letters. Words only run across and down.
Snowy Day
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Ice, Snowman, Sled, Cap, Mitten, Scarf…
Winter Animals
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Penguin, Bear, Seal, Fox, Owl, Deer…
Cozy Winter Night
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Fire, Cocoa, Moon, Star, Cabin, Candle…
Winter Sports
Easy · 10×10 · 8 words
Ski, Skate, Sled, Hockey, Curling, Snowboard…
Medium Winter word search
Four 14 × 14 grids with 15 words each: winter weather, winter clothes, animals in winter and snow-day fun. Words run across, down and diagonally (never backwards), which suits most children from about eight upwards.
Winter Weather
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Blizzard, Snowflake, Snowstorm, Icicle, Sleet, Hail…
Winter Clothes
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Mittens, Gloves, Scarf, Beanie, Earmuffs, Parka…
Animals in Winter
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Hibernate, Migrate, Burrow, Polar Bear, Penguin, Walrus…
Snow Day Fun
Medium · 14×14 · 15 words
Sledding, Snowman, Snowball, Skating, Igloo, Snow Angel…
Hard Winter word search
Four 18 × 18 grids with 25 words each, hidden in all eight directions, backwards included. Two-word phrases are hidden without spaces. These are for older kids, teens and adults.
Winter Wonderland
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Crystal, Glisten, Sparkle, Powder, Snowfall, Snowcap…
Winter Holidays
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Hanukkah, Menorah, Dreidel, Latkes, Kwanzaa, Kinara…
Winter Words
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
January, February, December, Chill, Freeze, Thaw…
Snow Sports
Hard · 18×18 · 25 words
Skiing, Snowboarding, Slalom, Biathlon, Bobsled, Luge…
All 12 puzzles in one PDF
Printing for a class, a snow day or an indoor recess? This single file holds all twelve puzzles in order (easy, medium, then hard), followed by the twelve answer keys at the back, so you can print pages 1–12 for the children and keep 13–24 for yourself.
How to use these puzzles
- Pick a level. Easy puzzles have eight words with a picture for each and only run across and down. Medium adds diagonals. Hard hides 25 words in every direction, including backwards.
- Download and print page 1. Each PDF is two pages: the puzzle, then the answer key. Print at Actual size (100%) and choose page 1 only if you do not want the answers going round the table.
- Circle or highlight. A highlighter is easiest for small hands; a pencil loop works for everyone else. Tick the box beside each word as it is found.
- Check with the key. Page 2 shows every word highlighted, with the full word list underneath.
Make your own instead
Want this week’s spelling words, a list of winter science words, or the names of everyone in the class? The word search maker hides any list you type in a grid of the size you choose, then downloads it as a PDF with an answer key, in the same Letter and A4 sizes as the puzzles above.
Questions people ask
Which puzzle suits which age?
The four easy picture puzzles work from about five, as long as someone reads the words aloud the first time; after that the pictures carry them. Medium grids suit roughly eight to eleven. The hard grids are aimed at teens and adults: 25 words in 18 × 18 letters, with backwards and diagonal words mixed in.
Is each word hidden only once?
Yes. Every grid was checked by the program that built it so that each word appears exactly once, in any direction. No word in a list sits inside another one either, so every find is a real find.
Are these Christmas puzzles?
No, they are winter puzzles: snow, weather, clothes, animals and sports, plus one hard grid covering winter holidays from Hanukkah and Kwanzaa to New Year’s Eve. So they work in January and February too. For Christmas words, see the Christmas word search set.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. The titles are blue on screen and the easy puzzles have small colour pictures, but everything reads clearly in black and white. The grids and word lists are pure black.
Letter or A4: which should I download?
Every puzzle comes in both. US Letter is the standard in the US and Canada; A4 everywhere else. Pick the one that matches the paper in your printer and the grid will print square, with nothing cut off.
More winter puzzles and printables
- Christmas word search — twelve festive puzzles, from picture grids to carols.
- Crossword puzzle maker — type winter words and clues, print a crossword with answers.
- Snowflakes SVG — snowflake designs to cut or color.
- Maze generator — printable mazes at any size for indoor days.
- Sudoku generator — four difficulty levels with answer keys.
- Word scramble maker — mix up winter words for older children.
- Hangman sheets — ready-to-play sheets with your own winter phrases.
See all free printable games →
