May Day Word Search
May Day on the first of May carries two traditions at once. One is the old spring festival with maypoles, flower baskets and a crowned queen, rooted in earlier observances such as Beltane. The other is International Workers' Day, chosen in 1889 to honor the campaign for an eight hour workday, and now a public holiday across much of the world.
May Day word search (Easy)
Find these 10 words
10 words, across and down only
- basket
- crown
- dancing
- flowers
- garland
- may day
- maypole
- parade
- ribbons
- spring
May Day word search (Medium)
Find these 15 words
15 words, adds diagonals
- basket
- beltane
- bonfire
- crown
- dancing
- flowers
- garland
- may day
- maypole
- meadow
- parade
- picnic
- ribbons
- spring
- workers
May Day word search (Hard)
Find these 20 words
20 words, any direction, backwards too
- basket
- beltane
- blossom
- bonfire
- crown
- dancing
- flowers
- garland
- hawthorn
- may day
- may queen
- maypole
- meadow
- morris dance
- parade
- picnic
- ribbons
- spring
- village green
- workers
Free to print. Press Print for a clean sheet with just the puzzle and the word list. Turn on Large print for bigger letters, or Show answers to print the answer key.
Words in the May Day word search
Every word used across the three levels, with a quick note on what it means.
- may day
- The first of May, marked by spring and labor customs.
- spring
- The growing season May Day celebrates.
- flowers
- Blossoms gathered and given on the first of May.
- maypole
- Tall pole circled by dancers holding ribbons.
- ribbons
- Long strips woven around the pole while dancing.
- basket
- Small container of flowers left on a doorstep.
- dancing
- Moving in step to music on the village green.
- garland
- Rope of flowers and leaves worn or hung.
- crown
- Circle of flowers placed on the May queen.
- parade
- March through streets, common at labor rallies.
- workers
- People whose labor the day also honors.
- bonfire
- Fire lit on May Eve in older customs.
- picnic
- Meal eaten outdoors in the spring air.
- meadow
- Grassy field where May gatherings were held.
- beltane
- Gaelic May festival marking the start of summer.
- may queen
- Young woman chosen to lead the day's festivities.
- morris dance
- English folk dance with bells, sticks and handkerchiefs.
- hawthorn
- May tree whose white blossom names the month.
- blossom
- Flower of a fruit tree, heavy in May.
- village green
- Open common at the center of an English village.