Ice Mazes
How it works
Above is an example of an ice maze. The goal is to slide the pebble (the blue circle) to the star.
When sliding the pebble, there are some rules we have to follow:
- The pebble can only slide left, right, up, or down — not diagonally.
- The floor of the maze is ice, so it's super slippery! So whenever the pebble slides, it can't stop until it hits a wall (a thick black line).
Can you solve this maze?
In this activity, students explore a variety of different mazes like the one shown above. Some of these mazes are possible to solve, and some are impossible! In addition, students explore mazes with more than one star — in these mazes, the goal is to slide the pebble so it visits all the stars without picking it up.
Why we like this activity
It’s fun! Students enjoy trying to solve the mazes.
It helps students develop algorithmic reasoning.
It helps students develop spatial reasoning.
It requires students to engage in mathematical habits of mind:
Using logic and finding and using strategies when trying to solve the mazes
Using logic and understanding and explaining when trying to determine which mazes are impossible
It has a low floor and a high ceiling: Students can get started solving mazes by trial and error, but as the mazes get more challenging, more careful strategizing is required!
This activity was inspired by and partially adapted from Andrea Gilbert's tilt mazes.