How it works
Pick a level
Easy for early readers. Hard hides words in all eight directions, including backwards.
Download or print
One clean US Letter page, with the answer key on page two. Nothing to sign up for.
Grab a pencil
Or solve on screen: tap the first and last letter of each word you find.
About this puzzle
Big, bold letters and fewer, longer words: an easier-on-the-eyes ocean word search. Coral reefs, tides and everything with fins. An ocean word search that pairs nicely with a science unit on sea life.
The large print edition uses an 11×11 grid that fills a letter-size page, and words only run across, down or diagonally down.
All 20 words in this theme: Whale, Dolphin, Octopus, Jellyfish, Coral, Seaweed, Shark, Starfish, Seahorse, Lobster, Tide, Waves, Crab, Turtle, Shell, Reef, Plankton, Squid, Saltwater, Anchor.
Talk about it
Questions to share while solving, for activity groups, memory care or a visit with family:
- Which beach or lake did you visit most often?
- Have you ever seen a whale, dolphin or seal in the wild?
- Did you collect shells or sea glass?
- Have you been on a boat or a cruise? Where did it go?
- What is your favorite seafood dish?
Activity tip: Play ocean wave sounds quietly in the background. Many groups find it relaxing, and it often starts conversations about trips to the shore.
Questions
How big are the letters?
The grid fills most of a letter-size page, with letters about one and a half times the size of a regular (Medium) word search, and the word list is printed in large type too.
Are these suitable for memory care or activity groups?
Yes. Words only run left to right, top to bottom or diagonally down, so the puzzles are relaxing rather than tricky. Print as many copies as your group needs.
Is there a harder version?
Every theme also has a regular print edition with Easy, Medium and Hard levels.