Mini Sea Battle Game for Young Kids

About this game

A beginner version of the ship-guessing game: 6 by 6 grids with letters A to F and numbers 1 to 6, and only three small ships to hide, so a game lasts about ten minutes. Each page holds two games for one player; page 2 is the copy for player 2. A gentle first lesson in grid coordinates for first and second graders, and easy to play in the back seat. First graders, about ages 6 to 7, can read the short rules and play it with a friend or sibling.

Tips for using it

• Give each player a different colored pencil: it is easy to see who drew which line or letter, and nobody argues.
• Keep a folder with a few sheets of each game in the car or the diaper bag for waiting rooms and restaurants.
• Slide a sheet into a clear page protector and use a dry-erase marker to play the same board again and again.
• Let the younger child go first; in dots and boxes and tic tac toe the first move is a small advantage.

Printing tips

Download the PDF and print at 100% (or “fit to page” on A4). It is a vector file, so the lines stay sharp on any printer. This page is free for personal, family and classroom use.