Word search

Ocean Animals

Find six ocean animals in an 8×8 word search, with pictures to help children read the words.

  • Age 5
  • 20 min
  • Medium
  • Any group size
  • Word search

About this activity

Children look for ocean animal names in a letter grid. A picture word bank helps them identify each animal.

This playful activity encourages children who are beginning to read to notice letters and compare them with a model.

Learning objectives

  • Identify and name ocean animals using pictures.
  • Find words by comparing their letters with the word bank.
  • Follow rows and columns of the grid with their eyes.

The printable

Print
Ocean Animals Worksheet for Kindergarten, Age 5

What you need

  • Printed word search
  • Pencil or crayon

How to do it

  1. Print the page and find a pencil or crayon.
  2. Look at the pictures together and read the animal names aloud.
  3. Show your child how to look for the first letter of a word in the grid.
  4. Follow the next letters with a finger, across a row or down a column.
  5. Invite your child to circle each word they find.
  6. When finished, read the names together again and talk about the animals.

Teaching suggestions

  • Read each word aloud and point to its letters as you say it.
  • If getting started is tricky, choose a short word and help find its first letter.
  • Cover part of the grid with a sheet of paper to make the search easier.
  • In a group, let children take turns choosing and finding a word.

Variations

Make it easier

Show your child where a word starts and search for the remaining letters together.

Make it harder

After finding a word, invite your child to name its letters without looking at the word bank.

Extend the activity

Invite your child to draw a favorite ocean animal and share something about it.

Talk about it

  • Which animal would you like to learn more about? Why?
  • How did you find a word in the grid?
  • What differences did you notice between these animals?

What to look for

  • Notice whether the child identifies animals using the pictures.
  • Watch for the child comparing letters in the grid with the word bank.
  • Notice whether the child follows a row or column to look for a word.

Themes