Small words, big excitement
December is a great time to catch young readers' interest, because they already know and love the words. This puzzle uses eight of them: Santa, elf, tree, gift, star, bell, snow and joy. The largest word has just five letters, so children can scan for it without losing track.
Skills hiding in the fun
Finding a word means holding its letters in order while searching a grid. That builds letter recognition and left-to-right tracking, and it gives children a reason to spell. Read the list together before starting, and let pre-readers match the letter shapes.
December classroom ideas
- Use it at a quiet table while others rehearse for the concert.
- Pair an older reading buddy with a kindergartener for a shared puzzle.
- Colour each found word in red or green, then decorate the border.
At home
Slip one into an Advent calendar pocket or take it along to a restaurant to pass the time. Press "New sheet" to make a matching puzzle for a sibling. To make it personal, add the name of your child's elf on the shelf or a favourite toy to the word list.