If you do not want to a have a theme for your word search, you don’t have to. It is up to you what you decide to put into your word search. If you are making the word search as a gift, you could personalize the word search for the person you are making it for by using themes like, ‘names of relatives’ or ‘favorite things. ’
Examples of words for the theme ‘animals’: dog, cat, monkey, elephant, fox, sloth, horse, jellyfish, donkey, lion, tiger, bear (oh my!), giraffe, panda, cow, chinchilla, meerkat, dolphin, pig, coyote, etc.
You can also make your grid on the computer. To make a grid in versions of word prior to Word 2007: Select ‘View’ at the top of the page. Select ‘Toolbars’ and make sure the ‘Drawing’ toolbar is selected. Click on ‘Draw’ (it looks like an ‘A’ with a cube and a cylinder). Click ‘Draw’ and then click ‘Grid’. A grid option box will pop up–make sure you select ‘Snap to Grid’ and then select any other options you would like for your grid. Click ‘OK’ and make your grid. To make a grid in Word 2007: Click ‘Page Layout’ at the top of the page and click the ‘Align’ list within the ‘Arrange’ grouping. Click ‘Grid settings’ and make sure ‘Snap to Grid’ is selected. Select any other options you want for your grid. Click ‘ok’ and draw your grid.
You do not need to use a 10x10 grid. You can make your grid as big or as small as you like, just remember that you need to be able to draw small squares within your grid. You can make your grid into the shape of a letter (perhaps the letter of the person’s name who you are making it for?) or into an interesting shape.
If you are giving the word search to a child, you might consider making the squares larger. Making larger squares will make the puzzle a bit easier because each individual square and letter will be easier to see. To make your puzzle harder, make smaller, closer together squares.
Depending on who you are giving the puzzle to, you may wish to make your letters larger or smaller. If you want your puzzle to be a little less challenging, like if you are giving it to a child, you might consider writing your letters larger. If you want your puzzle to be more challenging, make your letters smaller.
Make sure that you do not accidentally make other words out of your extra letters, especially other words that fit into your theme. This will be very confusing for the person doing the puzzle.
