Sudoku for Kids #67
sudoku · ages 5-8 · medium
Editorial team · Published August 11, 2026
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This free printable offers a 6x6 Sudoku grid, thoughtfully designed with 2x3 boxes inside. About half the numbers, from 1 to 6, are already filled in, giving your child a satisfying starting point. The goal is to complete each row, column, and the outlined 2x3 box with the numbers 1 through 6, ensuring no number repeats within any of those sections. Successfully filling in the empty squares provides a great sense of accomplishment.
To tackle this specific puzzle, encourage your child to start by looking for rows, columns, or 2x3 boxes that have only one or two empty squares. For example, if a row already contains 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the missing number must be 4. Focusing on these nearly complete sections first often reveals clear solutions, building confidence as they progress through the grid.
A practical tip for this page is to print a few copies and laminate one. Your child can then use a dry-erase marker to solve it repeatedly, allowing them to practice and try different strategies without needing new paper each time. This also makes it a great quiet activity for travel or waiting rooms.
Teacher notes
Skills practiced
- Logical reasoning and elimination
- Number recognition and one-to-one checking
- Persistence with a multi-step problem
- Explaining reasoning aloud: "this must be a 3 because..."
Suggested use in class
- Math warm-up projected on the board, solved together
- Independent center with the answer key face-down for self-checking (pair up students who need support)
Time estimate
10–15 minutes
Materials
- Printed page
- Pencil with eraser
Download & print — it's free
US Letter (8.5×11"). Print at home, no sign-up needed.
Tip: set your printer to “Fit to page” for best results.
Includes answer key (page 2 of the PDF)
Print just page 1 for the puzzle, or both pages to keep the solution handy for checking.
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Frequently asked questions
How long should a kids' sudoku take?
Anywhere from five minutes to half an hour is normal, and speed doesn't matter. If it's over in two minutes, move up a grid size; if it stalls completely, solve the next number together and hand the pencil back.
Should kids solve sudoku in pencil?
Definitely pencil, with an eraser nearby. Guessing and backtracking are part of learning the game, and being able to erase keeps it playful. Writing tiny "candidate" numbers in a corner of a square is a real solver technique kids enjoy discovering.
Is this too babyish for my 8-year-old?
Try it before assuming — kids this age still love a good puzzle or coloring session, especially with "grown-up" tools like gel pens or fine-tip markers. Adding a self-set challenge (a timer, a color pattern, beating a sibling's time) refreshes any page.