All About Sudoku for Kids

September 9 is International Sudoku Day, but this fun number game is great to play — for kids and adults — any day of the year.

If you’ve never played it before, Sudoku is a logic-based number puzzle game. It is played on a 9×9 grid, with some of the cells already filled in with numbers. The objective of the game is to fill in the remaining cells with numbers 1-9 so that each row, column, and 3×3 subgrid contains all of the numbers from 1-9 exactly once.

The grids can vary in degree of difficulty based on how many grids are connected and how many numbers are shown to start with. Kids need a basic understanding of numbers, logic and patience to complete a Sudoku game, so it’s recommended for kids ages 7 and up.

For kids, you can start with specially designed, easier puzzles that have 4×4 grids or 6×6 grids instead of the usual 9×9 grid. It can also be helpful to have more of the grid filled in when they start so they can get the idea of how the puzzle is supposed to work better.

For instance Kids Math Games Online has printable Sudoku puzzles for all skill levels, starting with a 4×4 grid (which only uses the numbers 1-4) with as many as eight of the grid spaces filled out to make it easier for kids new to the game to solve it.

More good Sudoku games for kids can be found here:
Sudoku for Kids
Puzzles to Print
Math in English (also has puzzles with shapes or letters instead of numbers)
Cool 2B Kids
Science Kids (also has a blank template for devising your own games)

You can also try the online games at Sudoku Online. That page also has good tips about trying Sudoku with kids, probably the most important being to explain the rules very clearly, and to help them with their first few puzzles but let them make mistakes so they can figure out how to do it on their own. And of course there are apps you can use to play Sudoku at any skill level.

Do you play Sudoku or do your kids? I’d love to hear about it if you play together!

[Photo: Kids Math Games Online]

Remembrance Day (marked as Veterans Day in the United States) is Nov. 11, and it marks the end of hostilities in World War I. Poppies are a traditional symbol of the day because it is said they were the first flower to grow again on the battlefields, which inspired a famous poem. Let’s check out some poppy crafts you can make with your kids as part of a World War I unit or for Remembrance Day.

This pretty poppy craft from Krokotak just requires the printable, some crayons, scissors and glue. The printable includes the center of the flower and kids can draw the outside as well as adding stem.

Glued to My Crafts has a printable for a torn paper poppy, or you could color or paint this one as well.

Use torn or cut pieces of paper to make these poppy suncatchers from Red Ted Art.

Happy Hooligans has a bunch of great poppy crafts but I particularly like the painted rocks and easy paper plate poppy.

Crafty Morning has a cute poppy craft made with fingerprints, which is quick and easy to do with kids of any age.

Older kids and adults can make these folded paper poppies from Chica and Jo, but they do involve hot glue and floral wire, which can be sharp, so it’s not for young kids. An easier paper poppy that only calls for regular craft glue can be found at Sugar Spice and Glitter. This one also has a printable template to make it easier.

These felt poppies from One Little Project also use a glue gun and a sewing needle, but they’re so pretty I couldn’t resist sharing them for older kids. Add a pipe cleaner stem or turn them into pins to wear for remembrance events. Check out their coffee filter poppy craft for a great option for younger kids.

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