Printable sudoku for kids

• Sudoku 4×4 — “Very easy” and “Easy” levels, for children from about 4–6. Digits 1–4 in 2×2 boxes. At the very easy level most squares are already filled in, so children learn the rules without frustration.
• Sudoku 6×6 — “Medium” and “Hard” levels, for ages 6–8. Digits 1–6 in 2×3 boxes. The best step before classic sudoku; the hard level gives fewer clues.
• Sudoku 9×9 — the “Detailed” level, for ages 8–10 and up. The classic board with digits 1–9, with more clues than in adult sudoku.

For an 8-year-old who already knows the rules, 6×6 at the hard level works best, followed by the first 9×9 boards.

• Start with 4×4 and solve the first board together, out loud: “This row already has 1, 2 and 4 — what's missing?”
• Show one method at a time: first find the missing digit in a row, then in a column, then in a box.
• Use a pencil — mistakes can be erased, so children aren't afraid to try.
• When your child gets stuck, don't give the answer; point to a row or box where only one digit is missing.
• Check the result only at the end, against the solution sheet.

Sudoku doesn't need any arithmetic — the digits are just symbols. Instead it trains logical thinking (if there's a 3 here, it can't go there), concentration, patience and planning several steps ahead. Children also learn to check their own work and go back to a mistake instead of starting over. That makes sudoku a great calm activity after school, on a journey, or as an extra task for fast finishers in class.

Teachers can print the same board for the whole class and solve it together on the board, or give different sizes to children working at a different pace. At home, a “sudoku of the week” stuck on the fridge works well — children come back to it whenever they like. Every board is generated separately, so you'll never run out of puzzles.