Learn Portuguese: Forest Creatures – Picture Crossword for Kids

This crossword brings your child gently into contact with Portuguese. The drawings show the foxes, deer and hedgehogs, and your child says the Portuguese word to themselves before setting each letter into the grid. In doing so they practise turning a remembered Portuguese word into its correct written form — a lovely warm-up for anyone just starting to learn Portuguese. At the crossing points the words meet on a shared letter, and that is exactly where small moments of "oh, it fits!" appear. Take your time, because this puzzle wants to be solved slowly. There is no timer and no score, only your child, the pictures, and the satisfaction of every Portuguese word spelled correctly into place, box after careful box.

As they solve, your child looks closely: what are the foxes, deer and hedgehogs called in Portuguese? Then each letter travels neatly into its box. Because the Portuguese words cross and help one another, the spelling turns exciting and gets practised along the way. Let your child puzzle and explore at their own pace. The loveliest moment is when the last Portuguese word fits the grid exactly. Until then your child may think and try as often as they like — here there is neither a clock nor a single right speed to keep. Portuguese adds little marks to some letters, like the curly a in "ã", which gives the word a soft nasal sound.

Has your child caught the joy of naming and spelling in Portuguese? Then keep going! The crosswords about the tools and the ones with zoo animals hold fresh pictures, new Portuguese words, and new crossings to puzzle over. And once your child is really in the swing of it, there is a whole free collection built around the forest creatures — free to print or simply to play online. That way learning Portuguese stays varied and gives a little fresh pleasure each day, all at your child’s own pace. Have fun discovering, writing, and puzzling together!