Small Maze for Ages 4-5 — Set 231287
Four- and five-year-olds love to hear that they did something faster than yesterday, and this small 8×6 maze is short enough to time without any pressure.
1 A4 page · for home and classroom use
Maze: small (ages 4-5)
How to use this worksheet
- A sand timer, or slow counting out loud, works better than a phone stopwatch, because the child can see or hear time passing.
- Write today's result in large numbers on the back, for example 'done before the sand ran out' or 'done at 42'.
- Tomorrow, print a different small maze from this series and try to beat the number; a new layout keeps the challenge honest.
What this worksheet teaches
The 8×6 grid has 48 cells and one way through, ideal for early planning. Timing encourages a child to look ahead instead of drawing blindly, because hitting a dead end costs seconds. They also practice a steady line, since a line through a wall is disqualified.
Play idea
Race the kettle: an adult switches it on as your child starts the maze, and everyone watches whether the pencil reaches the exit before the kettle clicks off. Tomorrow, with a new small maze, the kettle gets another chance to win.
Questions and answers
Questions from parents
Is timing a good idea for such young children?
Yes, if it stays playful; a sand timer is visual and friendly, and the result is only compared with the child's own earlier score, never with others.
Why use a new maze each day instead of the same one?
A child who has already solved this 8×6 maze will remember the route, so a fresh small maze tests the skill rather than memory.
How long does the small maze usually take?
Many children aged 4 to 5 finish within a minute or two, which makes a timed round easy to fit into any day.