On the 4th of July, Americans celebrate our declaration of independence from the British. The history of this day is staggering, but it’s also a great day to celebrate family and summer fun! A 4th of July word search adds to this fun, especially a personalized one you make yourself. These four tips for making your own 4th of July word search will add a whole new level of freedom to your celebration.

#1 Choose Unique Words

One of the greatest joys of any word search is finding that tricky or unique word in the sea of letters. That’s why you’ll want to choose unique words for your 4th of July word search. Because you’re making your own word search, you have plenty of options for the kinds of words you choose.

Patriotic words are a great place to start. Choose words that highlight the meaning of the holiday and how we celebrate it. Here are a few to get you started:

• Independence
• Flag
• July
• Fourth
• Fireworks
• Freedom

For more words like these, visit the Independence Day word bank from Write Shop.

Notice how a lot of these words can also be used to teach the history of the holiday to kids. Your 4th of July word search might focus solely on the history and educational value of the holiday. To do this, choose words with historical importance. You might list the names of everyone who signed the Declaration of Independence, or keywords from the historical document. This kind of word search will create great history-based conversations with your kids.

Your word search will want to have a personal touch, too! Especially for 4th of July parties, you’ll want to choose words specific to your celebration. Add guest names to the word list, share items that will be on the menu, and include other words unique to your celebration. These kinds of words will set your word search apart from standard 4th of July word searches.

#2 Choose a Fun Design

When making your own 4th of July word search, you have the ability to choose your own shape, fonts, and sizes.

Stars are a popular shape for 4th of July word searches. They symbolize the 50 stars on our nation’s wonderful flag. Stars are not the only good option for a shape, though. Turn your word search into the letter “A” to stand for “America.” Or, make it a sun since you’ll be celebrating on a sunny summer day. If you’re celebrating at your house, choose the house shape. (Plus, it shows that America is your home!) You might also choose the heart shape to show how much you love your country and the freedom it brings.

Choosing a size will depend on the length of your word list and your personal preference. The more words you include in your word search, the larger your puzzle will need to be. As for fonts, have fun! You and your guests might find some fonts easier to read than others. Test out a few for a more enjoyable solving experience.

#3 Give it a Great Title

The title is another opportunity to make your word search pop. How? Personalize it! “4th of July Word Search” or “Fourth of July Word Search” are both good options. Titles like, “Fireworks for the 4th,” “Emily’s 4th of July Fun,” or something referencing what you love about the holiday will make it even more special.

Your title might also reference your party, or what the word search is for. It might be fun to use the word search as an entry to a raffle, for example. A title such as, “4th of July BBQ Raffle Fun!” will get guests interested in the game.

#4 Share With Your Friends

The best part of making any unique word search is sharing it with friends and family. For easy sharing, simply select the social buttons in the left-hand sidebar of your puzzle. Then, share it with your friends on social media. If you have a website, you can also embed the puzzle to share it with your followers. And don’t forget to share your website in the top right comment section. Making of a Mom did with her word search.

If you’re throwing a party or attending a party, you’ll want paper copies for attendees to solve. Print out a stack of them, then set them out with red and blue pens for some patriotic solving. You can even turn the word search into the entry for a raffle. Or, for a great group activity, turn your word searches into a 4th of July Word Search Bingo game.

Independence and freedom are key values to Americans. That’s why you should also have the freedom to make your word search any way you choose. Visit our Independence Day word searches to solve more, or make crosswords, too.