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Moon Phases Word Search
11 words · 13×13 grid
How to play: click (or tap) the first letter, drag to the last letter, then release. Words go in any direction, including backwards. Or download the PDF to solve on paper.
Find these words
Earth's shadow has nothing to do with the phases of the Moon: we simply see different amounts of the half the Sun lights up as the Moon moves along its ORBIT. This grid follows one lunar cycle, from the new moon through the WAXING CRESCENT and GIBBOUS shapes to the full moon and back. Words run across, down, backwards and up. For the rest of the planets, try the solar system word search for kids.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a full cycle of moon phases take?
About 29.5 days from one new moon to the next. That is a little longer than the 27.3 days the Moon needs to circle Earth, because Earth moves along its own path around the Sun in the meantime.
So when does Earth's shadow fall on the Moon?
Only during a lunar ECLIPSE, when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up and the full Moon passes through Earth's shadow. It is a good fact to discuss after this word puzzle.
