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]

Next Plan Idea:

Games and Challenges to Make with Lego

Whenever you go to the beach with kids, you’re sure to come home with some seashells and more than a little sand. Let’s use some of those treasures to make fun crafts.

This handprint craft is made with a sand-infused salt dough and some little shells from the beach. It’s a cute way to remember how little your kids were on that beach trip. Find the instructions at From Under a Palm Tree.

Here’s another take on sand dough that was used to make little ornaments and sculptures. Get the details from Pink Stripey Socks.

Moms and Crafters used air dry clay and seashells to make these cute necklaces. She used the storebought clay but you can also make your own air dry clay if you’d rather.

Crafts on Sea used a shell to make a whale, but I’m sure you could take this idea and make lots of different creatures. I love the idea of sea creatures made with shells like fish or a jellyfish or an octopus using the same method. They also have a seashell decoration made with salt dough that’s really cute and would be fun for kids to paint. Poke a hole before it dries for hanging if you want.

Or take a bunch of little shells and decorate a frame like these from Rhythms of Play. They used a handprint instead of a picture but you could also put in a picture from the beach trip.

This is probably one for the mamas to make because it uses epoxy, but I also wanted to share these cute and easy shell hair pins from Thrifty Mama Ramblings, which kids are sure to want for their mermaid pretend play.

Or how about some sensory play straight from the beach? Use store bought sand if you don’t have a beach nearby to make this beach sand slime from The Mama Notes. Thrown in some shells and kids will love playing with this one.

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