Sudoku for Kids!

When we adults use the word "play," we generally are referring to the opposite of what we call "work." That is, to the activities that do not necessarily produce anything (except possibly pleasure) and which we do because we want to - rather than because we have to. It is important for parents and other adults involved in the lives of children to remember that to children - particularly to those of toddler, preschool and early elementary age, the two ideas - work and play - are not usually mutually exclusive. In fact, they are most often one in the same. In fact, play is understood to be the work of childhood. Knowing this should inform us about the kind of things we provide children to 'play' with because we are really providing them with instruments of learning through which they will always learn something. What that something is depends not only on our attitude towards it and the child, but also to what the something actually is. Sudoku, jr. 4X4, categorized as a 'game' is of the type that is actually a valuable learning opportunity for young children ages 5-7. This game and games like it should be considered when deciding what to buy children to 'play' with.

Specifically, Sudoku, jr 4X4 is a youngster's version of the ever-popular Sudoku games (invented by an American, Howard Garns, in 1979 and called "Number Place," then transformed into Sudoku by the Japanese puzzle group, Nikoli, in 1984) seen being played by adults everywhere - electronically, in newspapers and in the multitude of printed (paperback) collections that are available. Sudoku has become the 21st. century's numeric equivalent of the crossword puzzle and is similar in design. For those of you who may yet be unfamiliar with the basic idea behind the game, a number of squares (usually 81 - nine blocks of nine squares each forming a larger square) are presented. The object is to fill each square with a number from one to nine so that when finished, no row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally) repeats any single number. Sounds pretty simple, huh? Take it from me. It isn't!