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Building logical reasoning skills in kids with Sudoku!

By Kannan | July 2, 2008

Click here and play Sudoku and other puzzles

Teaching children to do Sudoku is a great way to enhance their logical reasoning skills while having fun. While the usual sudoku puzzles are done on a 9×9 grid, we can use a smaller 4×4 grid to teach the basics to kids.

Kids as young as first graders can solve a 4×4 Sudoku once they get an understanding of the puzzle. Follow these simple steps to teach a child Sudoku.

  • Make a 4×4 grid on a paper. You can use the interactive sudoku puzzle in Math Buddy Funzone to make it more interesting.
  • Explain the rules to the child. You will need to make sure they understand the differences between rows, columns, and mini-grids. The objective is to complete the grid of numbers so that no row, column or the smaller 2×2 boxes (mini-grids) contain the same number twice.
  • Ask the child to first look for rows, columns or boxes that have three numbers already filled in. Fill in the missing numbers where appropriate and use this new information to help find other digits.
Sudoku for kids
  • Next, ask them to take each of the empty squares and write down the possible numbers that could go in those squares by looking at other numbers in the row or column.
  • By elimination, find the numbers that go into the empty squares.
You will need to sit with your child and help them out initially. Occasionally point out the answers if they get frustrated. They will eventually see the patterns and be able to do it on their own.

Math Buddy has created an interactive Sudoku for kids to help kids get introduced to Sudoku. You can have your kid try this and other interesting puzzles in the “Interactive Puzzles” section of Fun Zone.

Start off your child with a fun Sudoku now by clicking here

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