Magnetic Mazes

Observe the pulling power of magnets by making your own amazing maze! Use magnets to guide figures around turns, into dead ends, and to the finish.

• 1.

  Explore how magnets work. Predict and test which objects and materials are attracted to magnets. Observe how magnets attract and repel. Record your findings on a chart with Crayola® Washable Markers.

• 2.

  Put your knowledge of magnets to work! Draw mazes on recycled file folders or poster board. Mazes could relate to a theme, favorite book, or holiday. For example, you could draw a maze for bats to find their way through a cave. If your classmates are really good at these puzzles, make it challenging! After your mazes are finished, you will try to solve each other's mazes.

• 3.

  To make the figures (such as bats) that will find their way through the maze, fold construction paper in half. Use Crayola Scissors to cut small figures along the fold. Make tabs at their bases so they can stand up. Fold tabs.

• 4.

  Color your figures with markers. Attach a paper clip on the bottom of each one with Crayola School Glue. Dry.

• 5.

  To solve mazes, set one figure at the start. Use a guiding magnet to pull the figure along the maze from start to finish. Try several different mazes made by your classmates.

Benefits

• Students explore how magnets work, experimenting with metal and nonmetal objects.
• Children use problem-solving skills to design maze games.
• Children demonstrate the pulling power of magnets while completing each other's mazes.

Adaptations

• Glue finished mazes on thin cardboard. Enhance mazes by adding walls and folded-paper objects such as trees and lampposts.
• Use Crayola Model Magic to build figures attached to paper clips and other maze elements. Model Magic can be colored with markers.
• Predict how long it will take classmates to solve each other's mazes. Test predictions using a stop watch or other clock with second hand. Graph results using markers.
• Create a floor-size maze on roll paper. Work in small groups.