Spring Crossword Puzzle (free printable)
A free spring crossword with thirteen words and easy clues for grades 1 to 4: tulip, butterfly, caterpillar, raindrop, seeds and more, with an answer key.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheets print.
All 13 words are in the crossword (14 × 12 squares).
About this set
Thirteen spring words with clues that a first or second grader can read with a partner and that a fourth grader can still enjoy: the flowers (tulip, blossom), the weather (rainbow, puddle, umbrella), the garden (seeds, sprout, garden) and the animals and life cycle (caterpillar, butterfly, robin, nest). Several clues are riddles. A word bank helps the youngest class, and an answer key is the second page. Pair it with the spring science unit as a review, or leave a stack at the reading corner for early finishers during the busy weeks of spring testing.
Grades: 1st to 4th grade. Best in: March, April, May.
The words and clues
- Tulip :
- A bright cup-shaped flower that blooms in early spring
- Rainbow :
- Seven colors that arch across the sky after rain
- Butterfly :
- An insect with colorful wings that starts life as a caterpillar
- Caterpillar :
- A fuzzy, crawling larva that turns into a butterfly
- Seeds :
- Plants grow from these tiny things you can plant in soil
- Sprout :
- The first small green shoot that pushes out of a seed
- Puddle :
- A small pool of rainwater on the ground
- Umbrella :
- You hold it over your head to stay dry in the rain
- Robin :
- A bird with a red-orange chest that is a sign of spring
- Nest :
- A bird builds this to lay eggs in
- Garden :
- A place where people grow flowers and vegetables
- Kite :
- It flies high on a string when the wind blows
- Blossom :
- A flower on a fruit tree in spring
How to use it: five ideas
- Riddle time: read the clues aloud as riddles and let the class shout out the answers before writing.
- Life cycle link: after solving, students put caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly and egg in order.
- Word bank for grade 1: leave it on and read each clue to the group.
- Garden labels: students use the plant words to label a drawing of a garden.
- Write a clue: students make their own clue for “sprout” or “nest” and trade with a neighbor.
Related
Questions
Is the puzzle too hard for first grade?
With the word bank on and a partner reading the clues, first graders can do it. Delete some of the longest words, like caterpillar, to make it shorter.
Can I change the clues?
Yes. Edit any line in the box, and the crossword rebuilds with new numbers.
Can I change the words and clues?
Yes. Each of the 13 lines is a word, a colon and its clue. Edit any of them, and the crossword is rebuilt with new numbers.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Press Print and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The puzzle is page one and the answer key is page two.
How do I get a different layout?
Press “Make another”. The same words and clues are placed in a new arrangement, so each table can have its own puzzle.
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