Kangaroo Words: Can you find the hidden joeys?
If you’ve never heard of kangaroo words before, you’re not alone.
They are one of my favorite recent discoveries!
A kangaroo word secretly "carries" one of its own synonyms inside it—just like a mama kangaroo carries her joey. For example:
masculine → male
observe → see
chocolate → cocoa
The letters don't have to be consecutive, but they do have to appear in the correct order… How fun is that!?
I knew the first time I came across this concept that these would be a hit in my classroom— and I was right!
When I Use Kangaroo Words in My Classroom
One of the best things about these puzzles is how flexible they are. I use them as:
Think Outside the Box Thursday challenges
bell ringers
early finisher activities
sub plans
I always introduce kangaroo words through a whole class activity and then print them to keep them in the word puzzles pocket of my S’mores board. Students grab them when they need an extra challenge and earn classroom raffle tickets for completing them!
More Than A Puzzle
The first time I introduced this concept, one of my students confidently announced that the hidden word inside masculine was man.
It led to one of my favorite vocabulary discussions of the year.
Is man actually a synonym for masculine?
Not quite.
Man is a noun, while masculine is an adjective. They're obviously related, but they're not interchangeable.
Male, however, can function as an adjective, making it a much closer synonym depending on the context.
That's what I love about activities like this.
What starts as a simple brain teaser almost always turns into a deeper conversation about language.
Sometimes we're discussing shades of meaning.
Sometimes we're debating whether two words are actually synonyms or merely related.
Sometimes students discover a vocabulary word they've never encountered before. (If this happens, I simply encourage them to look the word up—but not the answer!)
Other times they're thinking critically about how words function in a sentence.
Either way, they're talking meaningfully about language.
And that’s exactly what I want!
Worksheets rarely inspire these types of conversations.
A puzzle, however?
A puzzle gets students fired up! And ready to engage. (Or argue!)
Can You Find the Hidden Joeys?
Try to solve a few for yourself!
Can you find the hidden synonym inside each of these words?
🦘 encourage
🦘 honorable
🦘 instructor
🦘 deceased
(No need to cheat!—you can find the answers in the free printable below 👇)
⭐Grab the Free Printable
If your students enjoy word puzzles as much as mine do, I've put together a free Kangaroo Words printable complete with an answer key and bonus challenge that they will absolutely LOVE!
It's ready to print and use in your classroom tomorrow.
Whether you're looking for a bell ringer, an early finisher activity, or a fun way to sneak in meaningful vocabulary practice, your students will have a blast hunting for hidden joeys.
