Free Printable Chinese New Year Word Search for 2026

Ring in the Lunar New Year for 2026 with a fun and festive Chinese New Year Word Search with an answer key!

The whole family can enjoy this fun activity because there are three difficulty levels (easy, medium, and hard), so you can print the perfect puzzle for all ages. Each one includes its own answer key for easy checking!

This free printable Lunar New Year word search is an easy way to celebrate the holiday, teach kids new vocabulary, and keep everyone happily busy. Whether you're at home, in a classroom, or hosting a party. It’s great for all ages, including toddlers, elementary kids, teens, and adults.

If you're teaching kids about Lunar New Year traditions or you just want a festive activity to go with your celebration, these free word searches are a perfect fit. Each puzzle includes themed words that capture the spirit of the holiday, like horse, lantern, fortune, and prosperity.

Grab a pencil, marker, or highlighter, choose your level, and jump into the word-hunting fun!

Jump to:

• What Is the Lunar New Year?
• How to Access and Print the Word Searches
• Word Bank List
• Chinese New Year Word Searches
• More New Year Ideas

What Is the Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year (often called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival) is a major holiday centered on fresh starts, family reunions, and good-luck traditions. In 2026, the Lunar New Year begins on February 17. It’s the Year of the Fire Horse, which is a Horse year in the zodiac with a fire element in the traditional cycle, associated with confidence, big changes, and chasing fresh opportunities.

How to Access and Print the Word Searches

Printing is simple:

1. Choose your difficulty level: easy, medium, or hard.
2. Click the button below the puzzle you want.
3. Print and play!

Printing tips (so they look extra nice):

• Use cardstock for a sturdier page (especially for classrooms).
• Want to reuse them next year? Laminate the pages and use dry-erase markers.
• Set your printer to the best quality and select "Fit to page" or "Fit size."

Word Bank List

Here are the festive words you'll be searching for:

• Horse
• Lantern
• Zodiac
• Red
• Fireworks
• Tiger
• Rabbit
• Fortune
• Lunar
• Festival
• Family
• Wealth
• Noodles
• Prosperity
• Dumplings
• Lucky
• Tradition
• Blessings
• Harmony
• Happiness

Chinese New Year Word Searches

Easy Level (Younger Kids)

This easy word search is great for younger children, especially elementary kids who are new to puzzles. Words are placed in a simple format (left-to-right or top-to-bottom) with no tricky overlaps, so it feels fun and doable.

It's also a great learning activity that helps with:

• spelling and vocabulary
• focus and attention to detail
• visual scanning skills

Fun tip: Give kids crayons or markers to circle the words for a bright, colorful puzzle page!

Medium Level (Older Kids + Teens)

Ready for a little more challenge? The medium puzzle includes words placed in three directions:

• horizontally (left to right)
• vertically (top to bottom)
• diagonally (left to right)

This one is perfect for older kids and teens who like puzzles that make them think, but that won’t be too tricky.

Make it extra fun: Turn it into a quick competition to see who can find all the words first.

Hard Level (Teens + Adults)

This hard word search is for the puzzle experts. Words can be placed in six directions, and some words overlap, which makes it more difficult.

It's a fun way to keep older kids, teens, and adults entertained, especially during a family gathering when you want an activity everyone can do.

More New Year Ideas

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