Is your new reader having a party? Why not incorporate word search puzzles and games into the theme, and entertain the new readers as they learn?

Once a child begins to read, they naturally look for words they recognize in everything they see. Whether it's around the house, in your newspaper, or in the alphabetic magnets on your refrigerator, children this age delight in finding words they can recognize, and each new word they can sound out, is an accomplishment that lights up little faces.

Of course the words used in these word search puzzles must not exceed the learning level of the guests, and the guest of honor, but with a little work, and some very inexpensive tools (which the guests can take home as party favors after the party) you can create a word search puzzle that is sure to entertain all the guests at your new reader's word search party.

One easy way to make your own word search puzzle, that mimics the adult word games, is to buy poster boards of many different colors. Cut the poster board into 4x4 inch squares. Using a stencil and broad tipped marker, print all the letters of the alphabet onto these squares. You will want each child to have extra vowels, and extra letters of the alphabet that are more commonly used. Place each set of cards into a zipper bag with each guest's name printed on the outside (a store-bought alternative would be lots of sets of boxed, pre-printed alphabet cards which can be found inexpensively at most dollar stores)

For this word search puzzle game, each contestant will be given their letters, allowed to dump them out, and an egg timer would be set for approximately 3 minutes. The children will be allowed to search the letters and arrange them into as many words as they can find. When the timer goes off, the person has arranged their cards into the most words, in the word search puzzle, wins the prize, while they learn as they play!