The benefits of learning to play Sudoku

Who has not heard of the famous free online Sudoku game. Teaching children to play it helps stimulate and enhance their math, logic, and critical thinking skills. This game has become one of the most popular not only because they entertain, but because it attracts the attention of young and old, and they exist for all ages and levels, as they are presented with various degrees of difficulty. They are also a great learning tool, helping to strengthen reasoning and calculation skills, performing mental exercises.

It is a logic puzzle, in which the person who plays has to complete a grid with numbers without repeating them. The most common are those that present a grid of 9 cells wide by 9 long, which in turn have 3 x 3 subtables called regions or boxes. The purpose of the game is to fill the cells that are empty with a number that goes in each one of them, without repeating them in each row or column.

In the case of players who are just starting to learn it, it is a good option to start with smaller sudokus such as 4 × 4, 6x 6, or even those with less difficulty. It is possible to find many sudokus online. There are many free sudokus. Additional versions with letters, geometric figures or sports have also been developed. It is interesting to mention that those that are presented with more numbers given, will not necessarily be easier, on the contrary, the difficulty depends on the position of the numbers and their relevance.

Sudokus help for math

The most frequent disadvantages that children have in relation to mathematics is the lack of confidence in their abilities to solve problems. Precisely, by playing with sudoku puzzles we help them to trust, to feel more familiar with numbers and therefore in the “fearsome” mathematics. Without a doubt, they represent an important learning tool.

Mathematics requires practice, as well as a combination of logic, reasoning, and pattern and probability recognition. Therefore, it is essential to develop mental skills as part of life itself.

Sudoku games for kids

Practicing with sudoku puzzles for free turns out to be an educational and beneficial activity for children, especially because from its playful way we can highlight skills and abilities, which by themselves can seem boring or dense. Contributes to the learning of mathematics, helping to develop skills that are more mentally useful than watching television or playing video games.

Online Sudoku improves and enhances the development of the following skills:

1) Spatial relationship. The puzzles help to learn about spatial relationships, which are a skill applied in intelligence tests. To solve a sudoku puzzle, it is ideal to observe the rows, columns and boxes to identify the interrelationship that exists between the elements at the same time.

If we want children to become more fluent, it is necessary to develop awareness of space, relating all the elements. It is usually boring to teach it in another way, therefore, by solving sudokus, we increase capacities naturally.

2) Number sense. Playing sudokus helps children solve difficulties in math. When we think about the numbers to put in the boxes, we are building the part of the brain that is responsible for number sense and exercising it helps to develop an important muscle.

3) Logic reasoning. Logical reasoning skills are learned much better thanks to Sudoku puzzles. For example, when the rows and columns must be filled with the numbers from 1 to 9 without repeating them, the little ones have to apply logic to solve them. With practice we will achieve that numerical skills are treated in a fun and entertaining way.

4) Patterns and sequences. On repeated occasions, the sudokus are solved by identifying their patterns, sequences and the order of the numbers, this helps to know the relationship that exists between the numbers.

How to teach children to play sudoku?

It must always be remembered that we must not pressure children to favor a certain game, because we run the risk of provoking the opposite. However, you have to continue motivating them to play with puzzles, getting them interested in this game, extracting their innate curiosity and their desire to continue investigating.

We can let them see that parents also love solving puzzles, and that with practice they will achieve great results. It can become a positive vice, because they will want to play it over and over again.

Tips for solving sudoku puzzles

When they are more confident in developing the puzzles, children will begin to create their own strategies and tips for coming up with solutions. Here are some practical tips to start the game:

1) Start with simpler and easier puzzles.

2) Identify the most frequently repeated numbers. It is advisable to start with the 3 × 3 boxes that have more numbers.

3) Apply the elimination method: smaller squares can be made vertically (3 × 2 in those with 6 boxes and 3 × 3 in those with 9). Try to identify a number that is repeated in the first two columns, know where it could go by elimination in the third column, remember not to repeat the numbers.

4) Discard possibilities: if the solution is not clear, it is preferable to write in pencil the numbers that they consider can go in the box. It is recommended not to invent them because it can cause confusion. When they have it clearer, they can erase what is wrong with an eraser.

It is interesting to motivate children in the world of Sudoku, since in a fun and playful way, they can develop reasoning and calculation skills that could normally seem boring. Therefore, by doing this task as if it were a game, children will acquire skills that will help them solve math problems, without realizing it.

Related Resources:

How did I develop my brain using mobile applications and what came of it?

5 life hacks for playing Sudoku