Children love mazes. Whenever I undertook consultations with children about what they like to do, the idea of having a maze in the school grounds really appealed to them. One school I worked with ran a competition for a maze mural, and the children created this picture as a result:
However I’ve always had conundrums about mazes in school grounds. Chalk mazes are great for individuals to experiment, but after a little bit of use or rain, they quickly disappear. I’m not keen on permanent mazes painted on playgrounds as they offer little continuous challenge. Hay bale mazes are fun for a PTA fund raiser and have great play value on a temporary basis. I’d love to live in a warmer country where growing a sunflower maze would be interesting and fun. A simple maze can be designed in long grass by mowing a path or pattern.
Many years ago, one of my classes demonstrated flair and creativity when it came to some maze work. We began with a group challenge which involved everyone trying to collectively work their way through a maze of hoops. The children took this very seriously. And the adults got roped in too.
After this, the class were invited to create their own mazes. I had gathered only a couple more props – some cones and chalk. They all showed each other their work and tried out each other’s mazes.
One pair of children opted for a variation of the original hoop challenge…
The maze below may appear deceptively easy. It wasn’t. We had to do various twists, turns, twirls and jumps to get through this maze…
This maze was more of a labyrinth in that it was about following a chalk trail. This proved popular with other children who used the idea to create their own…
This maze changed frequently. Every time I looked the cones had been moved, adding to the complexity of negotiating a path…
The child who made this maze likes sitting down. This maze has been created entirely around where she sat…
The maze below is a real puzzle. The children had to jump from number to number. It includes a trick hidden number (between the 12 and 5) and a couple of blanks which could be used to help jump between numbers.
These children are in an additional support needs class. However, I’m sure you’ll agree, there’s some very innovative approaches taken. As Einstein says:
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Perhaps we need to remember not to discount children who perceive the world and interpret it in different ways. They may well have ideas and provide solutions, most people have never dreamed of. Thank goodness for diversity!
This blog post was originally published in February 2012.
