Grades K–1
Four Little Mazes
Four small mazes on one page that get a little harder each time. A first maze page for little hands.
Classroom activity · Mazes and problem-solving puzzles
Number Path Puzzles
Three number grids. Move only right or down and find the one path that adds up to the target. Adding plus planning.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 25 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Problem solving, Planning ahead, Visual tracking, Fine motor control
What kids do
“Go from the top left square to the bottom right square, moving only right or down. Find the one path that adds up to the target.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Puzzle 1 · 4 by 4 · Target: 29
- Start at the top left and end at the bottom right. Only move → or ↓.
- Puzzle 2 · 5 by 5 · Target: 29
- Puzzle 3 · 6 by 6 · Target: 58
Teacher tip
Have kids add as they go and write the running total in the margin.
How to use it
- Show kids how to work backward from the end when they get stuck.
- Use mazes as a calm, quiet activity after a busy part of the day.
- Let kids work with a partner so they talk through their thinking.
Watch for
Frustration with big mazes. Offer a smaller maze first.
Talk about it
- Was it easier to start at the beginning or the end?
- What was the trickiest part? How did you get past it?
Take it further
Time a second try to see if kids get faster.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More mazes and problem-solving puzzles
Grades 1–2
Count by 2s Dot-to-Dot: Rocket
Join the dots counting 2, 4, 6 all the way to 48 and a rocket appears. Then color it in.
Grades 1–2
Odd Number Path
Every odd number is part of the path; every even number is a wall. Number sense that works like a maze.
Grades 2–3
Count by 3s Path
Skip count by 3s from 3 to 60 through a grid of numbers. Only one path works.
Free for teachers
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