Two Small Mazes for Ages 4-5 — Set 302558
Which way now? These two small mazes turn that question into a conversation, with a 4- or 5-year-old explaining each choice before the crayon moves on.
1 A4 page · for home and classroom use
Maze: small (ages 4-5)
How to use this worksheet
- Point to a junction first and explain that it is where the path offers a choice of ways.
- At each junction on the first 8×6 maze, your child stops and says which way they choose and why, for example 'down, because up looks closed'.
- On the second maze, you think aloud instead, sometimes choosing badly on purpose so your child can correct you.
What this worksheet teaches
These 8×6 grids have 48 cells each and a manageable number of junctions, so the decisions stay simple. Saying a reason aloud slows the child down and helps them connect looking with choosing. It also builds the vocabulary of explaining, with words such as because, so and maybe.
Play idea
Give the pencil a voice: at each junction it 'asks' your child a question in a funny squeaky voice, such as 'shall I go left?', and the child answers as the boss. The playful dialogue keeps the thinking aloud going without feeling like a lesson.
Questions and answers
Questions from parents
Why should my child talk while solving a maze?
Putting a choice into words makes the thinking slower and clearer, and it lets you hear how your child is reasoning.
What if my child picks the wrong way at a junction?
That is part of the game: the line meets a wall, and you can talk together about what they might notice next time.
Are the two mazes on the page the same?
No, they share the 8×6 size, but the layouts differ, and each has a separate entrance, exit and one correct path.