Sudoku for kids

Sudoku is a fantastic game for improving visual discrimination, logic and strategy skills. In my experience with Gr 2s, the kids love it.

Thankfully, it comes in so many different levels that it is possible to find something for every child and then to upgrade gradually.

The most simple sudoku puzzles are in picture form (4x4) - usually in two levels:

• the easiest level is where only one picture from each block is missing (this requires children to only look at each 2x2 block and not at rows or columns)
• a little harder is where more pictures are missing (and the child now has to look at blocks, rows and columns)

A great picture sudoku website is:

where you can find the 2 levels described above and a variety of themes. (click on logo)

Once a child has got the hang of picture sudoku, it is time to move to numbers. There are many different levels.

A great numbers website is:

where you can find two levels of number sudokus:

• numbers 1-4 in a 4x4 format
• numbers 1-6 in a 6x6 format

Games for learning

In the Numeracy Programme that I run, I feel it is important to include content on problem-solving, logic and strategic thinking, for good foundations for maths later on. I also like to use as many forms of teaching/practicing a concept as possible (to encourage a fuller understanding) and to use as many games as possible.

Recently, I discovered a TpT (Teachers Pay Teachers) teacher-author who has created amazing puzzles and games that satisfy my above objectives.

Introducing... Games 4 learning by Theresa in Australia.

She has made colourful, unique and exciting games for kids, and many of them are FREE. There are both literacy and numeracy games (suitable for about age 7-10). Click on the picture to go to her TpT store (you will have to register before you can download).

Thank you Theresa!