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The Palmetto State · State 8 of 50

Free South Carolina Puzzles for Kids

This free South Carolina puzzle pack is a printable PDF with five puzzles about the Palmetto 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 Columbia is the capital, that Charleston is the largest city, and that a fort made of palmetto logs held off British warships in 1776. A fact page lists the state bird (the Carolina wren), the state flower (the yellow jessamine), the state tree (the sabal palmetto) and more. Print it on US Letter paper in color or black and white.

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What is in the free South Carolina 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

    South Carolina Crossword

    12 clues about South Carolina

  2. Puzzle 2 · Word Search

    South Carolina Places to Explore

    Cities, islands, lakes and parks from the mountains to the sea

  3. Puzzle 3 · Word Fill-In

    South Carolina Animals

    Creatures of the marshes, forests and ocean

  4. Puzzle 4 · Word Scramble

    South Carolina Fun

    Things to eat and do in the Palmetto State

  5. Puzzle 5 · Cryptogram

    South Carolina Secret Fact

    Crack the code to learn when South Carolina became a state

Did you know? 10 facts about South Carolina for kids

  • South Carolina became the eighth state on May 23, 1788, when it approved the U.S. Constitution.
  • On June 28, 1776, a fort built of palmetto logs and sand on Sullivan's Island held off an attack by nine British warships.
  • Congaree National Park protects the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the southeastern United States.
  • Sassafras Mountain, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the highest point in South Carolina at more than 3,500 feet.
  • Charleston is the largest city, with about 150,000 people at the 2020 Census. Columbia is the capital.
  • About 5.1 million people lived in South Carolina at the 2020 Census, up more than 10 percent from 2010.
  • The sweetgrass basket, a Gullah Geechee tradition, is the official state Lowcountry handcraft.
  • Loggerhead sea turtles, the state reptile, crawl onto South Carolina beaches to lay their eggs.
  • South Carolina has two state mottoes, and both are in Latin: Dum spiro spero and Animis opibusque parati.
  • The Venus flytrap became South Carolina's official state carnivorous plant in 2023.

South Carolina Super Pack · $1.99

20 more South Carolina puzzles, each with its own theme

Want more? The South Carolina Super Pack has 20 more puzzles: Lowcountry islands, rivers and lakes, Native nations, Gullah Geechee sweetgrass baskets, sea turtle nests, swamp creatures and Lowcountry foods. Twenty puzzles, one sunny road trip, $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 South Carolina Super Pack

  1. 1South Carolina Lowcountry CoastWord Search
  2. 2South Carolina Lowcountry FoodsWord Scramble
  3. 3South Carolina Cities and TownsWord Fill-In
  4. 4South Carolina Palmetto FortCryptogram
  5. 5South Carolina Rivers and LakesWord Search
  6. 6South Carolina Weather and SeasonsWord Scramble
  7. 7South Carolina Swamp and ForestWord Fill-In
  8. 8South Carolina Forest FactCryptogram
  9. 9South Carolina Native NationsWord Search
  10. 10South Carolina State SymbolsWord Scramble
  11. 11South Carolina Ocean LifeWord Fill-In
  12. 12South Carolina Motto FactCryptogram
  13. 13South Carolina Famous PeopleWord Search
  14. 14South Carolina Gullah Geechee HeritageWord Scramble
  15. 15South Carolina Farm CountryWord Fill-In
  16. 16South Carolina Astronaut FactCryptogram
  17. 17South Carolina Upstate MountainsWord Search
  18. 18South Carolina Sea Turtle NestWord Scramble
  19. 19South Carolina Road TripWord Fill-In
  20. 20South Carolina Basket FactCryptogram

South Carolina puzzles: frequently asked questions

What is in the free South Carolina puzzle pack?
Five printable puzzles about South Carolina: a 12-clue crossword, a 15-word search of places to explore, a fill-in of South Carolina animals, a word scramble of beach and food fun 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 South Carolina?
Columbia is the capital of South Carolina. It sits in the middle of the state, called the Midlands, where the Broad and Saluda Rivers meet to form the Congaree River. Charleston is the largest city, with about 150,000 people at the 2020 Census.
What are South Carolina's state symbols?
The state bird is the Carolina wren, the state flower is the yellow jessamine and the state tree is the sabal palmetto. The state dog is the Boykin spaniel, the state reptile is the loggerhead sea turtle and, since 2023, the state carnivorous plant is the Venus flytrap.
Why is South Carolina called the Palmetto State?
South Carolina is called the Palmetto State because of the sabal palmetto, its state tree. On June 28, 1776, a fort built of palmetto logs and sand on Sullivan's Island held off nine British warships, and the palmetto became a proud symbol of the state. It appears on the state flag.
Is there a bigger South Carolina puzzle pack?
Yes. The South Carolina 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 Lowcountry islands to sea turtle nests. None of them repeats the free pack, and every puzzle has an answer key.

Keep the road trip going

Tour the states in the order they joined the Union, or explore the rest of the South.

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