Click (or tap) a cell, then pick your number from the ring that opens around it — handy without using the keypad below!
Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 6.
Every row, column and 2×3 box must contain each number only once!
- ✏ Notes — pencil in possible numbers in a cell without committing. You can also switch it on with the Space key or a right-click on a cell you can fill (on mobile: a long press).
- ✕ Erase — clears a cell's number.
- ↩ Undo — reverts your last move.
- 🆘 Help — animates the grid to show you where a number goes.
- ⊙ Ring — a circle of numbers opens around the cell for faster play (tap the ⓘ right next to it to see how).
Medium kids sudoku: 6×6, the next step after 4×4
With its 36 cells arranged in 2×3 boxes, 6×6 sudoku — our medium kids sudoku — is the ideal stepping stone between the 4×4 grid and classic sudoku. The same rules apply: every row, every column, and every 2×3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 6, each exactly once.
It's the perfect grid for kids aged 6 to 10, or for any beginner who just finished their first 4×4 grids. It also introduces notes mode, which lets you jot down possible numbers in a cell — a first step toward real solving techniques. Stuck? The 🆘 Help button animates the grid to show the way forward — see how this animated help works on the blog.
Why move from 4×4 to 6×6?
- More numbers to track — from 4 to 6 possible candidates per cell, a good visual memory exercise.
- Introducing notes mode — essential for tackling harder grids later.
- Still calculation-free — pure observation and logic.
- A real progression step — before the 8×8, then the classic 9×9.
What age is 6×6 sudoku for?
Usually around 6-7 years old, once the child is comfortable with 4×4 sudoku: they can already spot what is missing from a row or a column, and 6×6 simply asks them to hold that reasoning across two more numbers. An older beginner discovering sudoku here can start straight at 6×6 without ever playing 4×4 — easy mode already gives plenty of numbers at the start.
What 6×6 adds on top of 4×4
The principle doesn't change — deductive logic, observation, patience — but 6×6 adds one real difficulty: keeping track of more candidates at once. With 6 possible numbers per cell instead of 4, a quick glance is no longer enough; the child has to start writing down what is still possible rather than holding it all in their head. That is exactly what notes mode is for — a first, very concrete taste of the solving techniques experienced players use on 9×9 grids.
Helping your child on 6×6
The same principles as 4×4 apply, with one addition: encourage notes mode as soon as the child hesitates between several numbers, rather than guessing. The 🆘 Help button is still there for a genuine dead end — it shows where to look for the next cell without revealing the answer, so the reasoning stays with the child. As on the other grids there is no timer pushing them along — but closing or reloading the page starts a fresh grid, so it's best to leave the tab open during a break.
For the full method, step by step with diagrams, see the article how to solve a 6×6 sudoku.
Prefer paper? The printable version also offers 6×6 grids (4 per page), with answer keys at the end if you want them. For teachers, the Sudoku in the classroom page offers a sample lesson and ways to differentiate.
Frequently asked questions
What age is right for Junior Sudoku 6×6?
Around 6 to 10 years old, or for any beginner who's already tried 4×4 sudoku and wants to move up to a slightly bigger grid.
What is notes mode?
It lets you jot down, in small print, every number that could still go in a cell — just like pencil marks on a paper grid. It's a first taste of real solving techniques.
Why not jump straight from 4×4 to classic 9×9 sudoku?
Because the leap would be too big. The 6×6 grid helps you learn to track more numbers at once and use notes mode, before tackling the 81 cells of classic sudoku.
After 6×6 sudoku, what's next?
The Junior+ Sudoku 8×8, then classic 9×9 Sudoku, available as a random grid or the daily puzzle.
My child uses notes mode randomly — is that a problem?
Not at all. Writing candidates down badly at first is how children learn what notes are for. The habit settles on its own once they notice that a well-kept note saves them from starting a row over. There's no need to correct the notes themselves — just ask what a given note means.
Does a 6×6 grid have to be finished in one sitting?
Yes, in practice: closing or reloading the page starts a new grid, and games on the kids grids aren't saved. A 6×6 takes a few minutes, so it's rarely an issue — but during a break, leave the tab open rather than closing it.