Published Nov 7, 2026
Words go across and down.
SLIDE: across, starts in row 4, column 2. FISH: down, starts in row 2, column 1. SNOW: across, starts in row 2, column 2. COLD: across, starts in row 5, column 3. EGG: across, starts in row 1, column 4. ICE: down, starts in row 2, 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 first word search is built for kindergarten: a small 6 by 6 grid, five short penguin words, and words that run only across or down. Picture clues next to the words help early readers know what they are looking for. Finding a word means matching letters in the right order, which reinforces letter recognition and the idea that letters in a set order make a word. It is a calm, satisfying activity for a winter theme week about penguins and the Antarctic.
Common Core RF.K.1.b: Understanding that letters in a set order spell spoken words
Common Core RF.K.1.d: Recognizing and naming every capital and small letter
Short descriptions in our own words. About our standards.
Help your child read each word on the list first, pointing to the picture clue. Then show how to look for the first letter in the grid and check the next letters to the right or below. A common slip is circling just the first letter; ask your child to spell the whole word aloud while tracing it. Highlighters make the found words easy to see.
Easier: Find the first word together, and tell your child whether each of the other words goes across or down before they search.
Harder: Ask your child to copy each found word onto a separate line, or to say one fact about penguins that uses one of the words.
SLIDE: across, starts in row 4, column 2. FISH: down, starts in row 2, column 1. SNOW: across, starts in row 2, column 2. COLD: across, starts in row 5, column 3. EGG: across, starts in row 1, column 4. ICE: down, starts in row 2, column 6.
It is made for Kindergarten (ages 5-6). The level is ★ easy, so it works well as a first practice page.
About 10 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.d (recognizing and naming every capital and small letter).
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.
