Published Nov 10, 2026
Words go across and down.
CANDY: across, starts in row 3, column 2. HOUSE: down, starts in row 2, column 1. BAKE: across, starts in row 2, column 2. OVEN: across, starts in row 1, column 1. TRAY: across, starts in row 5, column 2. FOX: down, starts in row 4, column 6.
Made with the help of AI from public curriculum standards, then checked. Mistakes can slip through, so please look it over before use. Found one? Tell us and we will fix it.
This holiday puzzle builds letter-by-letter attention, which is exactly what beginning readers need. Words like COOKIE, CANDY and FOX appear in a small grid, so your child practices matching a written word to the same letters elsewhere on the page. Searching only across and down keeps the direction the same as in books. It also pairs well with reading or retelling the gingerbread man story, since several words come straight from it.
Common Core RF.K.1.b: Understanding that letters in a set order spell spoken words
Common Core RF.K.1.a: Following print from left to right and down the page
Short descriptions in our own words. About our standards.
Read the word list aloud together before starting and point to each picture clue. A common mistake is circling the right letters in the wrong order, for example backwards; ask your child to read the circled word aloud to check. Offer a crayon instead of a pencil so circles are easy to see.
Easier: Find the first word together and talk through how you found it. You can also give the row number for the trickier words.
Harder: After finishing, ask your child to sort the words by length or to write a short sentence that uses two of the words, like a cookie and a fox.
CANDY: across, starts in row 3, column 2. HOUSE: down, starts in row 2, column 1. BAKE: across, starts in row 2, column 2. OVEN: across, starts in row 1, column 1. TRAY: across, starts in row 5, column 2. FOX: down, starts in row 4, column 6.
It is made for Kindergarten (ages 5-6). The level is ★ easy, so it works well as a first practice page.
About 15 minutes. Young children can do it in two short sittings with a break in between.
On the second page of the PDF and on this page under Show the answer key. To print for a whole class, print only the first page of the PDF.
Common Core RF.K.1.b (understanding that letters in a set order spell spoken words); Common Core RF.K.1.a (following print from left to right and down the page).
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your own children or students. Please do not resell it or upload it to other websites.
