Sudoku for Kids #73
sudoku · ages 5-8 · medium
Editorial team · Published August 11, 2026
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Here’s a 6x6 Sudoku puzzle designed for kids, featuring larger 2x3 boxes within the main grid. We’ve pre-filled about half the numbers, giving your child a satisfying starting point to build upon. The goal is simple: fill in the empty squares so that each row, each column, and each 2x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 6 exactly once, with no repeats. Watching all the numbers click into place is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
To help your child get started, encourage them to look for rows, columns, or 2x3 boxes that have the most numbers already filled in. If a particular row, for instance, only has one number missing from the 1-6 sequence, that's often the easiest square to complete first. This simple elimination strategy builds confidence and provides early successes.
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 complete the puzzle, wiping it clean to try again another day. This offers endless replayability for independent practice or even a fun, quiet competition if you print multiple laminated copies for a small group.
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
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 sudoku size right for a beginner?
Smaller grids are the on-ramp: 4×4 boards suit first-timers, 6×6 suits kids who've solved a few and want more of a challenge. This 6×6 is a good step up once the 4×4s feel easy.
Can my child do this one alone?
That's the sweet spot of this age — hand it over and let them own it. Resist hovering: figuring out a sticking point solo (or choosing to ask for help) is a bigger win than a perfectly completed page.
Will it print okay in black and white?
Yes — the printable itself is black line art on a white background, so any printer handles it, including basic laser printers. Set your printer to grayscale or "black ink only" to save color ink; the page will look exactly the same.