Looking for a fun and educational activity (bonus: it’s screen free!) to enjoy with your kids? This free printable crossword puzzle is perfect for a rainy day challenge or perhaps even as a classroom activity. All of the clues feature animals and insects and this crossword puzzle is designed to be engaging yet easy enough for older kids (maybe with a little help from parents or teachers).
Crossword puzzles are great for kids for a number of reasons, not least that they help to boost vocabulary and engage the brain in problem solving. Plus they are a way to make learning into a fun game.
What’s the difficulty level?
This crossword is ideal for elementary-aged kids with a mix of very easy clues such as “striped big cat” (tiger) and slightly more tricky clues like “fish that’s a musical instrument” (bass). Answers include well known animals like lion and zebra as well as some less common (but still familiar) creatures like flamingo and ant.
Parents or teachers can help with the tougher clues. Alternatively ditch the screen free mentality and let the kids look things up. Hey, everyone just needs a break sometimes.
The clues are generally kid friendly, with simple definitions and fun hints. Some might be immediately obvious, while others may take a little more thought.
As usual, I’ve included both A4 and US Letter versions of this printable crossword puzzle. The answer key is included on the second page, so if you want to save paper and ink you can just print the first page and keep the second available as a digital reference.
How to Download
- Click the appropriate link (US Letter in North America; A4 for the rest of the world) below to get your free PDF.
- Print and grab a writing implement to get to solving!
Have fun solving!
