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The Prairie State · State 21 of 50

Free Illinois Puzzles for Kids

This free Illinois puzzle pack is a printable PDF with five puzzles about the Prairie State: a crossword, a word search, a word fill-in, a word scramble and a cryptogram, with every answer key at the back. It is written for kids in grades 2 to 8 and works for a state report, a social studies unit or a rainy afternoon. Kids learn that Springfield is the capital, that Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, and that Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state. A fact page lists the state bird (the northern cardinal), the state flower (the violet), the state tree (the white oak) and more. Print it on US Letter paper in color or black and white.

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What is in the free Illinois puzzle pack

Thirteen printable pages: a cover, a welcome page with fast facts, five puzzles, a page of true facts, answer keys for every puzzle, and a collect-all-50 checklist.

  1. Puzzle 1 · Crossword

    Illinois Crossword

    12 clues about Illinois

  2. Puzzle 2 · Word Search

    Illinois Places to Explore

    Cities, forests and famous roads across the Prairie State

  3. Puzzle 3 · Word Fill-In

    Illinois Animals

    Creatures of the prairies, woods, rivers and ponds

  4. Puzzle 4 · Word Scramble

    Illinois Fun

    Things to see, eat and do in the Prairie State

  5. Puzzle 5 · Cryptogram

    Illinois Secret Fact

    Crack the code to learn when Illinois became a state

Did you know? 10 facts about Illinois for kids

  • Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818. Springfield has been the capital since 1839.
  • Chicago is the largest city in Illinois and the third largest in the country, with about 2.7 million people in 2020.
  • Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state, and most of them are made into canned pumpkin for pies.
  • The only home Abraham Lincoln ever owned is in Springfield, and it is now a national historic site.
  • Monks Mound at Cahokia Mounds is the largest prehistoric earthen mound in the Americas north of Mexico.
  • The first Ferris wheel was built for a world's fair in Chicago in 1893. It stood about 264 feet tall.
  • On February 1, 1865, Illinois became the first state to approve the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery.
  • The Tully monster, the state fossil, is a soft-bodied animal from about 300 million years ago found only in Illinois.
  • In 1900, engineers reversed the Chicago River so that it flows away from Lake Michigan instead of into it.
  • Illinois takes its name from the Illinois Confederation, a group of Native nations that included the Peoria and Kaskaskia.

Illinois Super Pack · $1.99

20 more Illinois puzzles, each with its own theme

Hungry for more? The Illinois Super Pack has 20 more puzzles: Chicago landmarks, young Abraham Lincoln, prairie wildflowers, inventions like barbed wire and the Ferris wheel, Native nations and a Route 66 road trip. Twenty puzzles, one big state, $1.99.

  • Five word searches, five cryptograms, five word scrambles and five word fill-ins
  • Nothing repeats the free pack
  • An answer key for every puzzle
  • One payment, no subscription; print it for your home or classroom
See a free sample

All 20 puzzles in the Illinois Super Pack

  1. 1Illinois Rivers and WaterwaysWord Search
  2. 2Illinois Farm FieldsWord Scramble
  3. 3Illinois State SymbolsWord Fill-In
  4. 4Illinois Pumpkin PatchCryptogram
  5. 5Illinois Chicago SightsWord Search
  6. 6Illinois Young LincolnWord Scramble
  7. 7Illinois Native NationsWord Fill-In
  8. 8Illinois Big WheelCryptogram
  9. 9Illinois Inventions and DiscoveriesWord Search
  10. 10Illinois Weather and SeasonsWord Scramble
  11. 11Illinois Lake Michigan ShoreWord Fill-In
  12. 12Illinois Mound CityCryptogram
  13. 13Illinois Cities and TownsWord Search
  14. 14Illinois Music and ArtsWord Scramble
  15. 15Illinois Route 66 Road TripWord Fill-In
  16. 16Illinois River ReversalCryptogram
  17. 17Illinois Prairie PlantsWord Search
  18. 18Illinois BirdsWord Scramble
  19. 19Illinois Southern ForestWord Fill-In
  20. 20Illinois Freedom FactCryptogram

Illinois puzzles: frequently asked questions

What is in the free Illinois puzzle pack?
Five printable puzzles about Illinois: a 12-clue crossword, a 15-word search of places to explore, a fill-in of Illinois animals, a word scramble of fun things to see and eat, and a cryptogram that hides a true fact. There is also a fast-facts page and a full answer key. It is one free PDF for grades 2 to 8.
What is the capital of Illinois?
Springfield is the capital of Illinois. It has been the capital since 1839, and Abraham Lincoln lived there for many years before he became president. Chicago, on the shore of Lake Michigan, is the largest city, with about 2.7 million people at the 2020 Census.
What are Illinois's state symbols?
The state bird is the northern cardinal, the state flower is the violet and the state tree is the white oak. Other symbols include the monarch butterfly (state insect), the bluegill (state fish), popcorn (state snack food) and the Tully monster, a strange fossil found only in Illinois.
Why is Illinois called the Prairie State?
Illinois is called the Prairie State because early settlers found huge stretches of tallgrass prairie there. Prairie once covered much of the state. Illinois also has an official slogan, Land of Lincoln, because Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield before he became president.
Is there a bigger Illinois puzzle pack?
Yes. The Illinois Super Pack is 20 more puzzles for $1.99: five word searches, five cryptograms, five word scrambles and five word fill-ins, each on its own theme, from Chicago landmarks to prairie wildflowers. None of them repeats the free pack, and every puzzle has an answer key.

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