Forest Maze Trails for Ages 3 to 12
Forest maze grids that double as trail maps, with trails of 102, 195 and 291 cells for ages 3 to 12 and an orange answer page for each one.
Choose a level
Trails through a forest grid
Nothing is drawn between the walls of the forest maze, so it is easy to turn into a trail map. It is a rectangle of narrow black walls with a Start arrow, a Finish arrow and an answer page that marks the solution in orange. A fox, an owl, a deer and a toadstool mushroom sit in the corners as small pictures to color. Children can sketch small trees in the dead ends. A fox den at Finish or a cabin at Start gives the trail somewhere to lead, and they can follow it from one to the other.
Three trail lengths
The easy grid is 12 by 15 cells with 12 mm paths, and the trail through it runs 102 cells, a comfortable length for ages 3 to 5. The medium trail is 195 cells long. Its grid is 18 by 23 with 8 mm paths, and it is aimed at ages 6 to 8. On the hard grid, 27 by 34 cells with paths just 5.5 mm wide, the trail covers 291 cells, for ages 9 to 12. Keep the scaling at 100 percent. Then the paths stay the width given here, whichever file you print, A4 or US Letter.
Map skills and nature days
Older children can mark north at the top of the page. Then they describe the route in compass words: go east, then south, then east again. After a nature walk the maze is a quiet way to settle back indoors, and it sits well beside the tree and pine tree color by number sheets for a woodland wall display.
Skills practiced & tips
- Draw little trees in a few dead ends so the grid feels like woodland.
- Add a fox den at Finish and let the child guide the fox home.
- Write N at the top edge and describe the route with compass words.
- Use a green pencil for the trail so it stands out from the black walls.
Fun facts
- Forests cover roughly 31 percent of the world's land.
- Counting the growth rings on a tree stump gives a good estimate of the tree's age.
- Some pine cones stay shut until the heat of a wildfire opens them and releases their seeds.
Classroom ideas
- Kindergarten: after an outdoor walk, solve the easy maze and draw one thing seen on the walk beside Finish.
- Grade 3: label north on the medium grid and write the route as a list of compass directions.
- Grade 4 (Year 5 UK): build a map key for symbols added to the hard maze, such as trees, a stream and a bridge.
More mazes
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the forest maze to teach compass directions?
Yes. Write N at the top edge, then ask children to describe each turn as north, south, east or west. The medium grid, with its 195-cell route, gives plenty of turns without becoming too long.
What age is each forest trail for?
The 12 mm easy trail is tagged for ages 3 to 5, the 8 mm medium trail for ages 6 to 8 and the 5.5 mm hard trail for ages 9 to 12.
How long is each forest trail?
The easy trail runs 102 cells, the medium trail 195 cells and the hard trail 291 cells.
About this printable
- Made with AI assistance (vector drawing authored by a language model) and checked by automated tests and an AI reviewer.
- Checked by automated tests and an AI reviewer on 22 Oct 2026.
- Free for personal and single-classroom use. See the license. Read the license · How these are made · Report a problem.
- Vector PDF, 2 pages, 186×254 mm art box — prints edge-safe on A4 and US Letter.
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