A-Z Word Hunt Games | Vocabulary Building for Early Learners | ESL & ELL

Boost your students' vocabulary, creativity, and critical thinking skills with this engaging set of A-Z Word Hunt Games! These printable alphabet activities are designed to help learners brainstorm and record words that fit a given theme for every letter of the alphabet. With 12 unique themed worksheets, this resource is ideal for ESL, ELL, and early elementary students who need extra practice with vocabulary, spelling, and letter recognition.

Perfect for centers, morning work, early finishers, or whole-class games, these word hunts encourage students to make connections between categories and words while practicing alphabet sequencing in a fun and interactive way.

What’s Included

• 12 themed A-Z word hunt worksheets covering a wide variety of topics:
• What’s in Your House?
• What’s in Your Classroom?
• What’s in Your Town?
• What’s in Nature?
• What’s in Your Kitchen?
• What’s at the Supermarket?
• What’s at the Zoo?
• What’s in Your Backpack?
• What’s in a Fairy Tale?
• What’s in a Museum?
• What’s in a Library?
• What’s in Your Closet?
• Both color and black-and-white versions for flexible printing
• Simple, print-and-go PDF format

Why Teachers Love This Resource

• Vocabulary Expansion: Helps students build word banks and strengthen spelling skills while practicing the alphabet.
• Encourages Creativity: Prompts open-ended answers, sparking unique ideas and personal connections.
• Flexible Classroom Use: Works for individual assignments, small group competitions, or full-class challenges.
• Low-Prep & Reusable: Quick to print and adaptable for repeated use with different groups.
• Engaging Variety: With 12 distinct themes, students stay motivated and excited to participate.

How to Use

1. Give each student or group a themed A-Z worksheet.
2. Students brainstorm and write a word for each letter of the alphabet that fits the category.
3. Review answers together or run it as a game, awarding points for unique or creative responses.

Perfect For

• Pre-K to 3rd Grade classrooms practicing alphabet sequencing and word recall
• ESL and ELL students building vocabulary in thematic categories
• Centers, morning work, or early finisher tasks that require no prep
• Thematic lessons and seasonal activities that keep students engaged year-round

Available on Teachers Pay Teachers

A-Z Word Hunt Games | Vocabulary Building for Early Learners | ESL & ELL

Pair It With This Literacy Resource

For even more alphabet and vocabulary practice, pair this set with the ESL Alphabet Flashcards – Beginning Sound Vocabulary Cards. Together, these resources provide students with both structured word hunts and visual flashcard support to strengthen early literacy and ESL learning.