African-Animals Word Search
word search · ages 5-8 · easy
Editorial team · Published August 20, 2026
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Our African Animals Word Search offers a fun challenge for kids aged 6-9. This free printable features an 11x11 letter grid containing nine hidden animals: ELEPHANT, GIRAFFE, ZEBRA, LION, RHINO, HIPPO, CHEETAH, WILDEBEEST, and GAZELLE. These words are hidden across, down, and diagonally downwards, with a few cleverly reversed, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment with each discovery. The word list is printed clearly below the grid, making it easy to check off each animal as it's found.
To successfully tackle this puzzle, encourage your child to start by scanning for the first letter of each word from the list. For example, if searching for "LION," they should look for the letter 'L' first. Once an 'L' is found, they can then check the surrounding letters to see if 'I', 'O', and 'N' follow in any of the allowed directions, including backwards. This systematic approach helps them methodically work through the list.
A practical tip for parents and teachers: print a few copies and laminate them. Children can then use dry-erase markers to circle the words, allowing the puzzle to be reused multiple times by a single child or shared among a small group. This activity is excellent for building vocabulary, improving visual scanning skills, and encouraging focused concentration.
Teacher notes
Skills practiced
- Letter recognition and visual scanning
- Spelling and sight-word practice
- Directional reading: across, down and diagonal
- Vocabulary: using each found word in a sentence
Suggested use in class
- Spelling-list review on the day before a quiz
- Pair work: one partner reads the word, the other hunts for it
Time estimate
10–15 minutes
Materials
- Printed page
- Pencil or highlighter
Download & print — it's free
US Letter (8.5×11"). Print at home, no sign-up needed.
Tip: set your printer to “Fit to page” for best results.
Includes answer key (page 2 of the PDF)
Print just page 1 for the puzzle, or both pages to keep the solution handy for checking.
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Frequently asked questions
Which directions can the hidden words go?
Words hide across, down and along the downward diagonal — and a few sneaky ones run backwards. That's the kid-solvable set: tricky enough to be fun, no upward diagonals to hunt. Have your child cross each word off the list as they circle it so they always know what's left.
Is this word search too hard for a new reader?
New readers can absolutely play — hunting for letter patterns works even before fluent reading. Help them find the first letter of a word, then let them check the next letters themselves. It's pattern-matching first, reading practice second.
Is this too babyish for my 8-year-old?
Try it before assuming — kids this age still love a good puzzle or coloring session, especially with "grown-up" tools like gel pens or fine-tip markers. Adding a self-set challenge (a timer, a color pattern, beating a sibling's time) refreshes any page.
Will it print okay in black and white?
Yes — the printable itself is black line art on a white background, so any printer handles it, including basic laser printers. Set your printer to grayscale or "black ink only" to save color ink; the page will look exactly the same.