Two Medium Mazes for Ages 6-8 — Set 980083
The rule for these two 12×9 mazes is simple: the finger explores first and the pencil only follows once the route is known, which helps 6- to 8-year-olds think before they draw.
1 A4 page · for home and classroom use
Maze: medium (ages 6-7)
How to use this worksheet
- On the first maze, the finger travels from the entrance, reversing out of every dead end, until it arrives at the exit.
- Only then does the pencil come out, drawing the route the finger found in one clean line.
- On the second maze, try to reach the exit with the finger in one go, without backing out, before drawing.
- Compare the two sheets: which pencil line is neater, and why?
What this worksheet teaches
Separating exploring from drawing trains a child to plan before acting, a habit that carries over into math problems and writing. Medium grids have enough branches to make finger exploration worthwhile, and because the pencil draws a route already found, lines tend to be cleaner and more confident.
Play idea
Play 'invisible ink': the finger path is a secret message and the pencil line reveals it. If the pencil line matches the finger's route exactly, the message was decoded correctly.
Questions and answers
Questions from parents
Isn't the finger step just a way of cheating?
No, it is the solving step; the pencil step then practices neat line control without the mess of crossed-out attempts.
Why does the second medium maze ask for a finger run without backing out?
It encourages scanning ahead with the eyes, so the finger moves only along corridors the child has already checked.
Is there more than one way through each 12×9 maze?
No, every 12×9 grid here has exactly one route, so the finger and the pencil end up on the same line.