Sprinkle some festive fun into your December lesson plans with this free printable Christmas word search. These holiday activities for kids are an easy way to celebrate the season at home and in the classroom.
December is here, and for us that means lots of family activities like baking cookies, reading books, and making holiday cards together while we count down the days until Christmas.
It’s also a great time to add Christmas crafts, worksheets, and activities to your lesson plans. This is true if you are in the classroom, homeschooling, or celebrating the holidays with your kids on the weekend and over winter break.
This Christmas activity will keep your kids engaged this December and is easy to prep!
Simply print the easy Christmas word search for younger kids or the more difficult holiday word search for older kids and adults.
The two options make sure you have a fun Christmas activity for the whole family to enjoy. An answer key is included in case your children need help finding the Christmas words.
Why Word Searches are Good for You
Word searches are not only fun, but are educational too. They:
Boost vocabulary: A holiday word search can improve cognitive skills and introduce kids to seasonal words they might not encounter every day, like “holly,” “ornament,” or “poinsettia.”
Improve literacy: A Christmas word search can help kids recognize and spell holiday words.
Help kids to focus: Searching for words in a grid sharpens attention to detail and improves concentration.
Promote problem-solving: It challenges kids to think spatially as they find words arranged in different directions.
Make learning fun: When disguised as a holiday activity, learning becomes more enjoyable and less of a chore!
Ideas for Using a Holiday Word Search
Classroom Holiday Activities: A Christmas word search is perfect for December morning work, early finisher activities, and to use as part of your holiday lesson plans and Christmas party.
Family Fun: Print out copies of the holiday word search for a cozy evening at home. You can even turn it into a game to see who can complete it the fastest!
Road Trip Entertainment: Keep your kids off their screens during long holiday trips by including a Christmas word search in your travel kit.
Advent Calendar: We complete a fun activity together as we count down the days until Christmas. A holiday word search is always part of our countdown.
Free Christmas Word Search for Kids
You can download the free printable holiday word search here. There are two versions – one with eight words for younger kids and one with 20 words for older kids and adults.
More Holiday Learning Activities for Kids
Why stop at just finding the words? Pair the word search with a follow-up activity:
Use the words as writing prompts and draft a short holiday story or poem.
Have kids draw pictures of the words they find.
With this Christmas scavenger hunt, hide the holiday cards around the room for your kids find, read, and write the words.
Printable Holiday Word Search
Fill out the box below and the free printable holiday word search and answer key will be emailed to you so you can download, print, and use it today.
Other Fun Christmas Activities and Crafts
Want more Christmas word searches and activities? Check out these resources in my shop:
Happy holidays!