Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Jungle Animal Moves Maze: Free Printable Game for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Jungle Animal Moves Maze is a free printable game for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children trace the path through the maze with a finger, then with a pencil. At each corner they stop and do an animal move on the floor. It needs only paper and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children follow a path through a jungle maze. They trace it with a finger first, which helps them feel the shape and the turns. Then they trace it again with a pencil, keeping inside the path. At each corner they do an animal move on the floor, such as a hop, a stomp or a slither. Reading the rule aloud together keeps everyone playing the same game.
Animal moves to try at the corners
Hop like a frog
Bend your knees, then hop on the spot or forward. Hops are small and bouncy. This is a good one for building strong legs.
Stomp like an elephant
Take big, heavy steps and swing your arms like a trunk. Stomping is loud, so it suits a game with a lot of energy.
Slither like a snake
Lie on the floor and wriggle along on your tummy. Slithering is slow and low, so it makes a calm change after a stomp.
Make up your own
Ask your child which jungle animal they would like to be. Let them show the move and the whole group copy it.
Why mix pencil work and big movement?
Young children build the small muscles in their hands and fingers best when they also use their whole bodies. Big movements such as hopping, stomping and wriggling help with balance, strength and coordination. Careful pencil work then gives the hands a quieter job to practise. Putting the two together in one game lets children switch between them without it feeling like a chore.
Tracing a path teaches children to slow down and look. They follow a line, notice where it turns and keep the pencil in control. Stopping at each corner gives a clear reason to pause and move. Following a simple rule, like changing animal at a turn, also helps children listen, remember and wait for their moment.
Fun jungle animal facts
- Snakes have no legs. They move by sliding their bodies along the ground.
- Elephants are the largest land animals alive today.
- Frogs have long back legs that help them jump.
- Monkeys use their hands and arms to climb through trees.
- Jungles are warm, wet places full of plants and animals.
Skills and curriculum link
- Pencil control
- Tracing a path
- Moving like animals
- Following a rule
- Listening and turn taking
Helping your child get the most from it
- Finger firstTracing with a finger lets a child feel the path before they hold a pencil. It makes the pencil go more smoothly.
- Pencil gripLet children hold the pencil in the way that feels comfortable and controlled. Short, relaxed sessions help hands stay fresh.
- Clear floor spaceMove chairs and toys aside before the animal moves. Children can then move freely and safely.
- Talk as you goName the move at each corner and ask what the animal might be doing. Talking builds vocabulary as well as movement.
Key words
- MazeA set of paths with turns that you follow from start to finish.
- PathThe way you travel along in the maze.
- TraceTo follow a line with your finger or a pencil.
- CornerA place where the path turns.
- StompTo walk with heavy, loud steps.
- SlitherTo glide along low to the ground, like a snake.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Read the rule aloud. Make sure your child knows what to do at each corner.
- Trace the path with a finger first, then with a pencil. Do the animal move on the floor at each corner.
- Work through it together the first time and talk about each choice. Check against the notes on page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Trace the path together with a finger. Do the animal move only at every second corner, or use one animal for the whole path. Keep it playful and praise careful tracing as well as good animal moves.
To stretch confident children
Ask children to invent a new jungle animal move and lead the others. Count how many hops, stomps and slithers they did. Older or more confident children can say which move they would pick for each corner before they start.
Make it a game
Lay paper arrows on the floor as a giant maze. Children walk the path and change animal move at each turn. Take turns to be the leader who calls out the next animal at every corner.
Talk about it
- Which animal move was your favourite, and why?
- How does a snake move differently from an elephant?
- Where did the path turn? How do you know?
- What did your hand have to do to stay inside the path?
- Which animal would you add to the jungle? What move would it do?
- Which move made your body feel the strongest?
Take it off the page
Jungle obstacle course
Use cushions, a rolled towel and a line of tape on the floor. Children hop, stomp and slither along the course in a set order.
Trail in the sand or flour
Draw a winding path with a finger in a tray of sand or flour. Children trace along it with one finger, then try a stick or a spoon handle.
Animal move freeze
Play some music and let children move like jungle animals. When it stops, they freeze. Call out a new animal each round.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Join in with the animal moves, because children love it. Keep it short and stop while it is still fun. Try again another day.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a table activity, an early finisher task or a calm change between carpet sessions. Children can trace at their tables and move in the space you have. It needs no preparation beyond printing.
Home educators
Pair it with a jungle story or a trip to the park or zoo. Children can show the animal moves outdoors. The sheet prints again easily for brothers and sisters, so everyone can take a turn.
Where this skill fits
Before this sheet, children explore mark making, drawing lines and shapes, and moving in big ways such as running, climbing and jumping. This maze builds on that by asking them to control a pencil along a set path and to move in a chosen way at set points.
Physical Development is an area of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, which ends with Reception. In Year 1, pencil control carries on through handwriting in English, and movement skills carry on through PE in the National Curriculum. Tracing and animal moves are good early practice for both.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Jungle Animal Moves Maze for?
It is written for Reception, which is ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children can join in with a grown up, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.
- What will children practise?
Children practise pencil control and moving their bodies in different ways. This links to the Fine Motor Skills and Gross Motor Skills strands of Physical Development. They also practise listening and following a simple rule.
- How do I use it?
Read the rule aloud. Children trace the path with a finger first, then with a pencil. At each corner, they do an animal move on the floor. Work through it together the first time and talk about each choice.
- What if it feels too hard?
Trace the path together with a finger. Do the animal move only at every second corner, or use one animal for the whole path. You can also come back to it another day, when it may feel easier.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group, and come back to it whenever you like.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, plus a little clear floor space for the animal moves. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gives eyes a rest from screens.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add colour with crayons or pencils if they want to, but it is not needed for the game.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.