Summer’s winding down already, and teachers, students, and parents everywhere are preparing for kids to go back to school. It’s an exciting time! Kids are about to meet new people and learn new things. Get them even more excited with these back to school word search puzzles, or make one yourself.

Back to School Word Search Puzzles

Whether you’re looking for a straightforward back to school word search or something a little more personal, you can find it at My Word Search. Anyone will enjoy these first four word searches below. With class subjects, supplies, and fun activities in the word list, kids will remember all the things they love about school.

To make something a little more personal, find inspiration from the word searches below. They’re about going back to school, but they have a personal touch unique to their creators.

These first two list the names of all of the students in a teacher’s classroom. It’s a great way for students to get to know each other during the first few days of school.

These next two puzzles show clever ways that parents and schools get kids excited about going back to school. In the first puzzle, a student got to enjoy a back to school sleepover with their favorite snacks and games. What a great way to head back to school!

Then, this college went above and beyond for their incoming freshman with this word search. The word list features key locations on campus, which will help new student familiarize themselves with their new home for the next few years.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? That’s what our word search maker is for! Read on to the next section to learn the amazing ways you can make your own back to school word search.

Making Your Own Back to School Word Search

The puzzles above probably gave you inspiration for making your own back to school word search. As a teacher, you can make these kinds of puzzles and more for your classroom.

First, when adding student names, you can take it a step further by adding first and last names. You might think this will make the word search crowded. It doesn’t have to! You can add a student’s first name to the word list, then their last name to the puzzle itself.

Do this by adding last names to the “Add Your Words” section on the left. Then, change the names in the word list on the right from a student’s last name to their first name. Students will need to have conversations with each other and learn each other’s names to solve the word search.

Then, if you want to make a puzzle about your classroom, you can mix and match the words in a similar way. Maybe your word list consists of important items in the classroom, such as supplies. Add the supplies to the word list. Then, share where the students can find each supply in the word search. For example, maybe “pencils” are in the “drawer.” Students can solve the puzzle with color-coded answers while they familiarize themselves with the classroom.

Make your back to school word search puzzle as simple and as personal as you’d like! That’s the great thing about making your own puzzles and going back to school: you can make the experience whatever you want it to be. Then, over the course of the school year, you can come back and make more word searches for your class and make crossword puzzles, too.