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Classroom · Puzzles · Kindergarten to 5th grade
Printable for kids
Six packs that grow with your child: picture sudoku with shapes, small 4x4 and 6x6 grids, then easy, medium and hard 9x9 puzzles. Every puzzle has exactly one answer, and every pack ends with an answer key.
Picture sudoku for kidsPictures, 4 by 4 · grades K-1 · 10 puzzles · 4 pagesShapes instead of numbers: circle, square, triangle and star. The gentlest start for kindergarten and 1st grade.
4x4 sudoku puzzlesNumbers 1 to 4 · grades 1-2 · 15 puzzles · 4 pagesTwelve small grids with the numbers 1 to 4. A first taste of sudoku logic for 1st and 2nd grade.
6x6 sudoku puzzlesNumbers 1 to 6 · grades 2-3 · 10 puzzles · 4 pagesThe step between 4x4 and 9x9: six numbers, boxes of 2 by 3. Ideal for 2nd and 3rd grade.
Easy sudoku for kidsEasy 9 by 9 · grades 3-4 · 6 puzzles · 3 pagesFull-size 9x9 sudoku with plenty of numbers given, so children can solve every square by simple scanning.
Medium sudoku puzzlesMedium 9 by 9 · grades 4-5 · 6 puzzles · 3 pagesFewer starting numbers, so children need to plan two or three steps ahead. For 4th and 5th grade.
Hard sudoku puzzlesHard 9 by 9 · grades 5+ · 6 puzzles · 3 pagesA real challenge for strong 5th graders and adults: few clues, careful thinking, one answer each.
Picture sudoku for kids
4x4 sudoku puzzles
6x6 sudoku puzzles
Easy sudoku for kids
Medium sudoku puzzles
Hard sudoku puzzlesHow to teach sudoku
How to teach sudoku- Start with one rule. “No repeats in a row.” Then add columns, then boxes.
- Find the easy square. Look for a row, column or box with only one blank. Which number is missing?
- Scan for one number. Pick a number and look for every box that still needs it.
- Pencil, not pen. Small guesses in the corner of a square are fine. Check before writing them in.
- Size up slowly. Shapes, then 4x4, then 6x6, then 9x9. Each step uses the same thinking.
Common questions
How do you play sudoku?
Fill every empty square so that each row, each column and each thick-lined box has every number (or shape) exactly once. A 4x4 sudoku uses 1 to 4, a 6x6 uses 1 to 6 and a full sudoku uses 1 to 9. You never need to guess: each puzzle here has exactly one answer.
What age can children start sudoku?
Many children can solve a picture sudoku with four shapes in kindergarten, and 4x4 number sudoku in 1st grade. Most are ready for 6x6 in 2nd or 3rd grade and for easy 9x9 sudoku by 3rd or 4th grade.
Is sudoku good for kids?
Yes. Sudoku is a logic puzzle, not a math puzzle: no adding is needed. It builds careful reasoning, patience, working memory and the habit of checking work, and it is a calm early-finisher activity.
Which pack should we start with?
Start one level below where you think your child is. Solving a few puzzles quickly builds confidence and teaches the scanning strategy, and the next size up then feels like a small step.
Can I copy these puzzles for my class?
Yes. The PDFs are free to print and photocopy for classroom and home use, in color or in the black-and-white ink saver. Please link to this page rather than re-uploading the files.
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