Published Nov 3, 2026
Start at the top left. Finish at the bottom right.
Made with the help of AI from public curriculum standards, then checked. Mistakes can slip through, so please look it over before use. Found one? Tell us and we will fix it.
Mazes are planning puzzles. To get the penguin home to its igloo, your child has to look ahead, notice dead ends, and back up and try again, all while keeping the pencil inside the paths. That combination builds attention, patience, and the fine motor control used in handwriting. This maze is sized for kindergarten: big enough to need real thinking, with paths wide enough for a crayon or pencil. The answer key shows the one correct path.
Head Start ELOF P-PMP 3: Building hand strength and control for holding pencils, cutting, and tracing
Head Start ELOF P-ATL 7: Sticking with a task even when it gets hard
Short descriptions in our own words. About our standards.
Let your child trace the route with a finger before using a pencil; that first try is where the planning happens. Many children rush ahead and draw through walls, so set one simple rule: the line may not touch a wall. If your child gets stuck in a dead end, encourage them to back up to the last turn instead of starting over. Working backward from the igloo is a clever trick worth showing.
Easier: Trace the first part of the path together, or let your child use a finger and a small toy penguin to walk through the maze.
Harder: Ask your child to solve the maze without lifting the pencil and without touching a wall, or to time two tries and compare.
It is made for Kindergarten (ages 5-6). The level is ★★ medium, so it suits children who already know the basics.
About 10 minutes. Young children can do it in two short sittings with a break in between.
On the second page of the PDF and on this page under Show the answer key. To print for a whole class, print only the first page of the PDF.
Head Start ELOF P-PMP 3 (building hand strength and control for holding pencils, cutting, and tracing); Head Start ELOF P-ATL 7 (sticking with a task even when it gets hard).
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your own children or students. Please do not resell it or upload it to other websites.
