Our oceans are filled with excitement, wonder and diversity. And what better way to deepen your knowledge of it than with an ocean-themed puzzle? Read on to discover our printable wordsearch and some exciting facts about the hidden words.
Ocean word search for kids
Need to keep a young ocean explorer busy on the weekends or during school holidays? Print off our fun wordsearch and see if they can find all 12 ocean-themed words hidden in it! Whether you set a time limit to see how many they can find or make it a competition, this is a great way to keep the kids entertained.
Remember, words can be found horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all directions, so keep your eyes peeled!
12 words you need to find
Hidden within our wordsearch are 12 ocean-themed words, some of which are easier than others. Here’s the full list of words to search for:
1. Barrier reef
Found just off the coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest coral reef system. Over 2,900 individual reef species stretch over more than 2,000 kilometres of the ocean floor – that’s almost double the length of England!
2. Camouflage
Plenty of ocean animals can camouflage themselves to hide from predators or sneak up on unsuspecting prey. From stonefish to cuttlefish, these crafty creatures tend to blend into their surroundings by changing their colours.
3. Clownfish
Famously known as the fish from Finding Nemo, clownfish are actually a diverse group with around 30 recognised species of clownfish swimming around in waters across the globe, including the pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) and yellow sebae clownfish (Amphiprion sebae).
4. Coral
Coral species thrive in tropical habitats, with the majority living in the Indo-Pacific region. At Tynemouth Aquarium, you can see the beauty of the different species in our Coral Garden Exhibit.
5. Fish
Fish are found all around the world, but how do they see their surroundings? Believe it or not, the vision of a fish isn’t much different from our own. With a cornea, lens, iris and retina, many fish species have a wide field of vision, although smaller details are more difficult to see.
6. Habitat
The world is a big place, and there are lots of different types of underwater habitats within it. These include coral reefs, wetlands, estuaries, ponds and many more.
7. Ocean
Our oceans might be home to almost a quarter of a million species, but the habitats are threatened by pollution. Staying educated about how litter and pollution are harming these environments can help us protect them.
8. Lionfish
Lionfish are colourful, venomous fish which belong to the Scorpaenidae family. There are 12 known species around the world, each characterised by vibrant colours and striped bodies.
9. Seal
Harbour and grey seals are residents of the UK shores, both of which are classified as Phocidae seals.
10. Shark
You might not think that sharks are swimming around on the shores of the North East near Tynemouth Aquarium, but they do! In fact, there are 8 species that have been spotted in this region, from the porbeagle shark to the basking shark.
11. Swimming
Did you know not all fish swim the right way up? Upside down jellyfish, lionfish and upside down catfish are just some of the ocean creatures that swim upside down!
12. Plants
The creatures in our oceans share their habitats with underwater plants, some of which are stranger than others! From kelp to seagrass, the plants often help support the different life forms swimming around.
Well done if you found them all! If you’d like to learn more about our exciting ocean creatures and visit our underwater world at Tynemouth Aquarium, you can book tickets here.