Teaching a child how to solve sudoku is more than just teaching them a new game. Sudoku is all about logic. Start early with your children. Allow their brains to learn logic, for it is indeed a learned skill. I firmly believe that children who learn logic early in life will excel in logic later. They will have a head start, and the logic section of their brains will develop more fully.

Now, that being said, how do you teach a child sudoku? The first step is to choose and easy puzzle. Start them with a 4x4 grid. You will need to make sure they understand the different between rows, columns, and mini-grids.

Once they understand these three components, you can begin to show them the logic. Start by locating a row that only needs one number. This should be easy in a 4x4 grid. Your child should be able to easily figure out which number is missing.

Work together on rows, then move on to columns. Again, look for columns that are only missing one number. Once your child has mastered working with rows and columns, you can work with mini-grids.

The second step is to work on rows, columns, and mini-grids that are missing two numbers. This is an important step. This is where logic really comes into play. If a row is missing a 5 and a 6, then show your child WHY a 5 must go in this spot, and a 6 must go in the other.

Also, it is important to note that when your child states that a number "must go here", it is your job to ask why. They may be guessing, and you won't know until they start guessing wrong. A child must understand the rules of sudoku in order to apply them, and it is your job to teach those rules in a methodical manner.

Once your child can routinely do a 4x4 grid, move on to a 6x6. For quite some time, you will need to stay with your child and show them where to go next. I recommend that you show your child which row or column to work on next (or which number to look for).

Before long, your child will be able to successfully complete a 6x6 with no help from you at all. That is when you move to a 9x9, and then on to harder solving techniques.

The most important thing you can do is START!

Good luck, and enjoy this special time with your child.