First Halloween Words for Kids: Candy, Ghosts and Pumpkins
Eight of the first words children learn about Halloween are hidden in this small grid: candy, costume, ghost, pumpkin, scary, treat, trick and witch. They are short, they are familiar, and most kids can read them on their own by the end of kindergarten.
The grid is only 8x8 and no word runs diagonally, so a young solver can work through it row by row. The one surprise is that three words are hidden backwards or upside down, which makes for a nice "found it!" moment.
Easy Halloween Vocabulary: 8 Words to Find
Words run across, up and down; 3 of the 8 read backwards. The longest words are Costume and Pumpkin, with 7 letters each.
- Candy: Sweets. Collecting them door to door is the heart of trick-or-treating.
- Costume: Clothes worn to look like someone or something else. Dressing up is a big part of Halloween.
- Ghost: The spirit of a dead person said to appear to the living.
- Pumpkin: A large orange squash. Carved with a face, it becomes a jack-o'-lantern.
- Scary: Making you feel afraid.
- Treat: Something sweet or special, like the candy handed out on Halloween.
- Trick: A joke played on someone. "Trick or treat" means "give us a treat or we will play a trick".
- Witch: A woman in stories who uses magic, often shown with a pointed hat and a broom.
How to Solve the Easy Halloween Word Search
Start with the words that have unusual letters. Only "trick" has a K and only "candy" and "scary" end in Y, so hunting for those letters first narrows the search fast. Then look for "trick" and "treat" together: they both start with TR.
How Long the Easy Halloween Word Search Takes
66 players have solved this puzzle on their first try, and they took a median of 50 seconds. Half of them finished between 31 seconds and 89 seconds. 98% did it without a hint.
Times measured on Word Search Free, online play only, first attempt per player. Updated 2026-10-15.
Easy Halloween Activities for Kindergarten and First Grade
- Read the word list out loud together first, and let children point to each picture on the sheet that matches a word.
- Give it out at the start of a class party as a calm first activity while everyone arrives.
- Ask early readers to sort the words by number of letters, from the five-letter "candy" to the seven-letter "costume".
Easy Halloween Word Search FAQ
Who is the Easy Halloween Word Search for?
Children aged 5 to 7, early readers and anyone trying a word search for the first time.
Which directions do the words run in?
Words run across, up and down; 3 of the 8 read backwards. There are no diagonal words.
How long does this puzzle take?
About 50 seconds: that is the median first-try time of the 66 players who have solved it online. Most finish between 31 seconds and 89 seconds.
Is there an answer key for the Easy Halloween Word Search?
Yes. Download it from the printable section above: it is a separate PDF with all 8 words marked. Online, each word is crossed off the list the moment you find it.
More Halloween Word Searches
- Trick Or Treat Word Search: the same level, all about the big night out.
- Children's Halloween Word Search: the next step up, with diagonal words.
More easy Halloween word searches (8 in this category)