Hard Summer Word Search
Big grids with words hidden in all eight directions, backwards included. The second puzzle is an expert bent-word challenge where words turn corners.
Beat the heat with a printable summer word search full of beach days, campfires, watermelon, and fireflies. Toss a few copies in the beach bag or the glove box; they're a screen-free way to fill road trips, rainy afternoons at the cottage, and the last week before school lets out.
Hard Summer Word Search
Find and circle every word in the list. Words go in every direction, even backwards.
- BARBECUE
- BEACH
- BEACH BALL
- CAMPFIRE
- CAMPING
- CANOE
- FIREWORKS
- FISHING
- FLIP FLOPS
- HIKING
- ICE CREAM
- LAKE
- LEMONADE
- OCEAN
- PICNIC
- POOL
- SAILING
- SANDCASTLE
- SEASHELLS
- SUNGLASSES
- SUNSCREEN
- SUNSHINE
- SURFING
- SWIMMING
- TENT
- VACATION
- WATERMELON
- WAVES
Expert Summer Word Search: Bent Words
Find and circle every word in the list. Words bend and twist, letter by touching letter.
- BEACH BALL
- CAMPFIRE
- CANOE
- FIREWORKS
- FISHING
- FLIP FLOPS
- HIKING
- KAYAK
- LAKE
- LEMONADE
- OCEAN
- ROAD TRIP
- SAILING
- SANDCASTLE
- SEASHELLS
- SUNGLASSES
- SURFING
- TENT
- WATERMELON
- WAVES
Hard Summer Word Search — Answer Key
Expert Summer Word Search: Bent Words — Answer Key
About this summer word search
- The summer solstice, around June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, is the longest day of the year; New York City gets about 15 hours of daylight.
- The dog days of summer are named for Sirius, the Dog Star, which ancient Greeks and Romans saw rising with the sun during the hottest stretch of the year.
- Teachers call learning loss over the break the summer slide. A couple of word searches a week keeps spelling and vocabulary active without feeling like homework.
Want a different version? Make your own word search with these words, a shaped grid, or bent words. See the full summer word list.
Words in these puzzles
sunshinebeachvacationswimmingsunscreenice creampoolcampingbarbecuepicnicfireworkswatermelonlemonadesandcastlewavesoceanseashellsflip flopssunglassesbeach ballsurfingsailingfishinghikingcampfiretentlakecanoekayakroad trip
Frequently asked questions
›Is this summer word search free to print?
Yes. Print it straight from your browser or download the PDF, which includes 2 puzzles and their answer keys. No sign-up needed.
›Where is the answer key?
The answer keys print on their own pages after the puzzles, and they are in the PDF too. Every word is highlighted, so checking is quick.
›Can I make my own summer word search?
Yes. Press "Customize this puzzle" to open it in the word search maker. There you can add or remove words, change the grid size, pick a shape or add a hidden message.