The King of Beasts: Lion Facts for Kids
Why is the lion called the king of the beasts? This puzzle answers with twelve words: the majestic male with his mane, the roar that can be heard about 8 kilometers away, and the pride, a family of related females, their cubs and a few males, that hunts together on the African savanna.
The title nods to The Lion King, and fans of the film will recognize the setting, but every word here describes the real big cat. Big and cat are split in two, so look for both. Three short words, big, lion and roar, lie on backwards diagonals.
Lion King Vocabulary: 12 Words to Find
Words run across, up and down, and diagonally; 7 of the 12 read backwards. The longest words are Majestic and Predator, with 8 letters each.
- Africa: Almost all wild lions live in Africa; a small group survives in India's Gir Forest.
- Big: With "cat", big cat: the lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar and their close relatives.
- Cat: With "big", big cat. The lion is a member of the cat family, Felidae, like the house cat.
- Hunter: An animal that catches its own food.
- King: As in "king of the beasts", the old nickname of the lion.
- Lion: A big cat of the African savanna. Male lions have a mane; lionesses do most of the hunting.
- Majestic: Grand, impressive and noble-looking.
- Mane: The thick ring of long hair around a male lion's head and neck. A darker mane can signal a healthier lion.
- Predator: An animal that hunts and eats other animals.
- Pride: A family group of lions: related females, their cubs and one or a few adult males.
- Roar: The loud, deep call of a big cat. A lion's roar can be heard about 8 km away.
- Savanna: The open grasslands of Africa where lions hunt zebras, wildebeest and buffalo.
How to Solve the Lion King Word Search
"Majestic" has the only J and runs straight down, like "king" and "pride". "Majestic" and "mane" both start with MA, and "predator" and "pride" both start with PR. The three short diagonal words, big, lion and roar, all read backwards.
Lion Activities for Kids: Real Lions vs. the Movie
- After watching The Lion King, ask children which things in the film are true of real lions and which are not.
- Explain what a pride is and who does most of the hunting: the lionesses.
- Ask children to roar as loudly as they can, then compare: a real lion's roar carries about 8 km.
Lion King Word Search FAQ
Who is the Lion King Word Search for?
Kids aged 8 to 12 who love lions, and fans of the movie.
Which directions do the words run in?
Words run across, up and down, and diagonally; 7 of the 12 read backwards. 3 of them are diagonal.
Is there an answer key for the Lion King Word Search?
Yes. Download it from the printable section above: it is a separate PDF with all 12 words marked. Online, each word is crossed off the list the moment you find it.
More Mammals & Wildlife Word Searches
- Hyena Word Search: the lion's rival on the savanna.
- Zebra Word Search: one of the animals lions hunt.
More medium Mammals & Wildlife word searches (3 in this category)