Engaging Wordsearches

What you need

Word Search book - Relish designed Wordsearch book if you have access to this
Download resource
A pen or pencil
A tray, if needed
A magnifying glass, if needed

Intro

A word search is a wonderful and wordy way to wile away an afternoon. There are many large print Wordsearch books available. Relish have designed and tested our own one alongside people with dementia to make sure they’re engaging and meaningful for all abilities.

Each word search contains a lively variety of themes, memories and interests that are perfect for encouraging discussion and sparking memories.
There are other large print Wordsearch books you may find too that can be used and generally have a theme that can be used to encourage discussions too

The Activity

All you need is a quiet and clear space, preferably at a table with a plain tablecloth or background, so the words can be crossed off easily once they’re found. If someone can’t sit at the table, you can rest a tray and book on their lap
Give them the book and a pen or pencil that’s easy to hold
Explain that they’re going to search for hidden words in the grid from the ones on the list
Encourage them to do the word search independently by choosing one word at a time. Guide them to find the first letter of the word they are looking for to see if that leads to the right word
You could use a magnifying glass to make the letters bigger
If they’re struggling, offer some support to keep the word search fun and light
Give words of support throughout and praise every time they find a word
When the word search is finished, spark a conversation around its theme