Printable Sudoku for kids
Small grids with big squares, made for children who are new to Sudoku. Start with 4 by 4, move up to 6 by 6, and print an easy 9 by 9 when they are ready.
Tip: to save a PDF, choose Save as PDF as the printer. Every puzzle is new and has exactly one answer.
Explaining the rule to a child
Keep it to one sentence: every row, every column and every box has each number once. On a 4 by 4 grid that means the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Then do the first square together. Point to a row that already has three numbers and ask which one is missing.
Children often find it easier to say the rule out loud while they look: "this row has a 1, a 3 and a 4, so the last one must be 2". That habit is exactly how good solvers think.
Three steps up
| 4 by 4 | Numbers 1 to 4, boxes of two by two. Easy starts with about nine numbers filled in, Hard with about five. |
|---|---|
| 6 by 6 | Numbers 1 to 6, boxes of two rows by three columns. A good step for children who find 4 by 4 too quick. |
| 9 by 9 | The full puzzle. Choose Classic Sudoku in the tool above and print Easy, which starts with about 42 numbers. |
Ideas for parents and teachers
- A morning starter. Six small puzzles a page makes a quick warm up at the start of a lesson.
- Solve one together. Print 1 a page, put it on the board and let the class call out the numbers and explain why.
- Swap the numbers for pictures. On a blank 4 by 4 grid, younger children can draw four shapes or colours instead of numbers. Print one from our blank Sudoku grid page.
- Play on screen too. Sudoku for Kids is the same 4 by 4 game online, with big squares and no game over for wrong answers.
More to print
Printable Sudoku
Pages of puzzles from Easy to Extreme, with answers at the end.
Printable Killer Sudoku
Cages and totals, drawn clearly for paper.
Blank Sudoku Grid
Empty grids to copy a puzzle or make your own.
Questions people ask
What age is 4 by 4 Sudoku for?
Any child who can recognise the numbers 1 to 4 can try it. The rule is simple to explain, and a 4 by 4 grid is small enough to finish before attention runs out.
When should a child move up to 6 by 6?
When they can finish an Easy 4 by 4 without help. A 6 by 6 grid uses the numbers 1 to 6 and has boxes of two rows and three columns, so it is a gentle step towards the full 9 by 9.
Can I print these for my class?
Yes. Print as many as you need for home or school. Use 6 a page for a worksheet, or 1 a page to put a big puzzle on the board and solve it together.
Is there an answer sheet?
Yes. Tick "Answers at the end" and the solutions print on their own page, so you can mark the worksheets or hand out the answers afterwards.