Sudoku is beneficial for kids on intellectual, emotional, and social levels. School teachers and parents appreciate that sudoku is a great brain exercise that utilizes the reasoning and concentration skills necessary for all math problems. The added benefits for kids include increasing self-confidence with math and learning to associate math with fun.
Learning Math Games Starts with the Rules
There are consistent rules when learning math games in general, and sudoku is no different. Each sudoku puzzle is unique and there's only one way to solve each one. Sudoku puzzles are comprised of mini-grids that make up a large square. Each mini-grid will have a different number in each box that can be used only once. In addition, each number can only appear once in both the vertical and horizontal lines of the large square.
Depending on the level of difficulty, the sudoku puzzles will either have four mini-grids using the numbers 1 - 4, six mini-grids using the numbers 1 - 6, or nine mini-grids using the numbers 1 - 9. Kindergarten and first grade school kids could start with the four mini-grid sudoku puzzle, while the six number mini-grids would suit school kids in grades 2 - 4. Kids grades 5 and up can have fun with the nine mini-grid sudoku puzzles.
Sudoku Tips School Teachers can Give Kids
School teachers should advise kids against guessing in the beginning of the game, since it's hard to backtrack if a mistake is made. Look for two grids that have the same number and then see if there's a natural place in the third grid for the same number.
Another strategy for sudoku success is to try eliminating numbers. Use a separate sheet of paper and write the numbers 1 - 9. Check visually before writing the number on the puzzle to see if there is an obvious fit. Also, kids can pencil in small numbers in the corner of the square to try out before committing. If frustrated or stuck, kids should either move on to another sudoku puzzle or just return later to it later.
Sudoku Fun with a Whiteboard
School teachers can demonstrate sudoku easily by having the entire class follow along with a whiteboard. Rules of the sudoku game can be written on the side of the grid, and kids can come up to the whiteboard individually to insert a number.
Kids learning math games like sudoku can develop an affinity for math while practicing logic in their strategy to win. And when the school teacher turns the classroom attention to the whiteboard for a game of sudoku, it's a fun way to learn math.
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Carolyn Morgan - Carolyn Morgan is a Sales Promotions Specialist at a television station in Portland, Oregon and has produced talk shows, telethons, and ...
