Magnetic Maze Runner

What You’ll Create

It’s like magic — but it’s SCIENCE! 🧲 Your little scientists will draw a maze on paper, place a paper clip “character” on top, and then move a magnet underneath the paper to guide the clip through the maze without touching it. The paper clip slides and spins as if moved by an invisible hand — absolutely mesmerising to watch!

How to Set It Up

Step 1: Draw Your Maze

Take a sheet of paper and use markers to draw a maze. Start simple — draw a winding path about 2 cm wide from a “START” circle to a “FINISH” circle. Add walls by colouring in the areas the paper clip shouldn’t go. Make sure the path is wide enough for a paper clip to slide through without bumping the walls! 🗺️

Step 2: Create Your Character

Bend a paper clip slightly so it stands up like a little person or car. You can attach a tiny paper flag or cape to it with tape for extra fun. This is your maze runner! Place it at the START position on top of the maze.

Step 3: Set Up the Magnetic Guide

Place your maze paper on top of a flat piece of thin cardboard (a cereal box flap works perfectly) or just hold it flat in the air. Hold a magnet underneath. Move the magnet slowly — the paper clip on top follows! Guide your character from START to FINISH without crossing any walls. 🧲

Step 4: Challenge Mode!

Make harder mazes with narrower paths, dead ends, and obstacles. Draw themed mazes — a castle rescue, a space mission, an underwater adventure! Time yourself and race against siblings. Can you complete the maze in under 30 seconds? The strongest magnets work through thicker card — experiment with different distances! ⏱️

Have fun!

• 🏁 Race two paper clips on two mazes at the same time!
• 🎨 Draw themed mazes — guide a spaceship through asteroids or a fish through coral!
• 📚 Tell a story as you guide the clip — “first we pass the dragon’s cave, then the enchanted bridge…”
• 🔬 Test which magnets are strongest — which can work through the thickest cardboard?

Why It’s Amazing

• Magnetism: Children experience magnetic force through materials — an invisible force they can control and explore. 🧲

• Planning & Strategy: Navigating a maze requires looking ahead, planning turns, and backtracking from dead ends. 🧠

• Fine Motor Control: Moving the magnet smoothly and precisely underneath requires careful hand movements. ✋

• Creative Design: Drawing mazes combines art with logical thinking — the maze must be solvable but challenging! 🎨

Pro Tips

For ages 3–5: Draw a very simple path (no dead ends, just curves). Use a strong magnet for easy movement. Let them feel the “magic” of the paper clip moving — pure wonder!

For ages 5–8: Introduce dead ends and multiple paths. Have them draw their own mazes for someone else to solve. Experiment with different paper thicknesses.

For ages 8–12: Challenge them to design multi-level mazes on stacked card layers. Introduce the science — magnetic fields, poles, and which materials magnetism works through. Can they make a maze that requires collecting “keys” (other clips) along the way?

Secret Pro Move: Stack two or three paper clips together for a taller “character” that’s easier to see from above, and use a neodymium magnet underneath — the stronger pull makes the movement smoother and more responsive! 🧲