Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Pyramid Escape Maze: Free Printable Game for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Pyramid Escape Maze is a free printable maze game for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children guide the explorer out of the tomb by tracing a route with a pencil. They plan ahead, spot dead ends and try again. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help for children who find it hard, 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 guide an explorer out of a tomb by tracing a route through a maze with a pencil. At each choice they pick a way and follow it. If they reach a dead end, they go back to the last choice and try a different path. The game rewards patience and planning. Along the way, children meet the idea that the Ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for pharaohs.
Getting the most from a maze
Look before you draw
Ask your child to scan the whole maze with a finger first. Spotting where the exit is helps them make better choices at the start.
Mark the choices
At each point where the path splits, a small dot or tick shows where to return to. Going back to the last choice is quicker than starting again.
Say it out loud
Talking through a route, such as 'this way looks blocked, so I will try the other turn', turns guessing into reasoning.
Try, check, try again
A dead end is useful information. It rules out one path and moves the child closer to the way out.
Why mazes and Ancient Egypt go together
Ancient Egypt is one of the best known early civilisations, and children often meet it in Key Stage 2 history. Pyramids, pharaohs and tombs catch their imagination because they are big, mysterious and very old. An escape maze gives that interest a job to do. The child becomes the explorer and has to think carefully to get out.
A maze is a simple way to practise planning. Children must look ahead, remember which turns they have tried and change their mind when a path fails. Those habits matter in history too, where pupils weigh up clues and change their ideas when they find something new. The game is play, but the thinking is real.
Quick facts about Ancient Egypt
- The River Nile flows through Egypt and was very important to people's lives there.
- A pharaoh was the ruler of Ancient Egypt.
- The Ancient Egyptians wrote using hieroglyphs, which are pictures and symbols.
- Papyrus, a paper made from a reed plant, was used for writing.
- Some of the most famous pyramids stand at Giza, in Egypt.
Skills and curriculum link
- Problem solving
- Careful planning
- Ancient Egypt facts
- Looking ahead
- Persistence
Ways to help your child think it through
- Plan the routeAsk your child to find the exit first and then trace back with their eyes. Which paths seem to lead towards it?
- Name the choice pointsPoint to each place where the path splits. Ask, 'Which way will you try, and why?'
- Learn from dead endsWhen a path fails, ask what that tells them. A blocked route means one choice can be crossed off.
- Link to historyAsk what your child already knows about Ancient Egypt. Let them tell you before you add anything.
Key words
- PharaohA ruler of Ancient Egypt.
- PyramidA large stone building with a square base and sloping sides that meet at a point.
- TombA place where a person is buried.
- CivilisationA large group of people living together with their own government, buildings, writing and way of life.
- RouteThe path you take to get from one place to another.
- Dead endA path that stops, so you must turn back.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown-up.
- Look at the maze together first. Ask your child to find the explorer and the way out before they pick up a pencil.
- Trace the route with a pencil. If you hit a dead end, go back to the last choice and try again.
- Work through it together the first time and talk about each choice. Then 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
Use a coloured pencil to mark dead ends so they are easy to see and not tried twice. Try a smaller part of the maze first. Sit beside your child and ask which way they want to turn, and why.
To stretch confident children
Time yourself on the maze, then try to beat your own time. Next, make your own maze for a friend on squared paper. Draw the walls carefully, make sure there is one way out, and ask your friend to solve it.
Make it a game
Take turns. One person plays the explorer and the other calls out which way to turn. The explorer follows the directions with a pencil. Swap roles and see whether the caller can steer the explorer out with clear instructions.
Talk about it
- What do you already know about Ancient Egypt?
- How did you decide which way to go at the first choice?
- What did you do when you hit a dead end?
- Why do you think the Ancient Egyptians built such large pyramids?
- What would you want to find out about the pharaohs?
- Would you plan differently if you did the maze again?
Take it off the page
Build a pyramid
Use building blocks, cardboard or sugar free play dough to make a pyramid with a square base. Talk about the shape and how the sides slope to a point.
Draw a hieroglyph name
Invent symbols for the letters in your name and write a short coded message on paper. Ask a family member to crack the code.
Map a familiar route
Draw a simple map of a walk, such as from your front door to the park. Mark the choice points where you turn, as you would in a maze.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep the mood light. If they get stuck, suggest marking dead ends with a coloured pencil and trying a smaller part first.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity alongside a study of early civilisations. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 offers support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair the maze with library books about Ancient Egypt, a model pyramid or a trip to a museum. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit a few weeks later.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children often meet Ancient Egypt through stories, pictures and class topics. They also practise simple maze skills such as following a path with a finger and spotting where a route ends.
After this sheet, children can go on to read more about early civilisations, compare life in different times and places, and ask their own questions about the past. Planning skills carry over into maths, science and design work.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Pyramid Escape Maze for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with help from an adult, and confident children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to make it harder.
- What will children practise?
They practise problem solving and careful planning, and they learn that the Ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for pharaohs. This links to the Key Stage 2 study of early civilisations. The maze keeps the history light and the thinking active.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Trace the route with a pencil. If you hit a dead end, go back to the last choice and try again. Use page 2 for notes and ideas.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use a coloured pencil to mark dead ends, so they are not tried twice. Try a smaller part of the maze first. Sit with your child for the first go and talk about each choice.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. Some children finish quickly and others like to take longer, especially if they talk about each choice. Keep sessions short, and come back another day if interest fades.
- Is it screen free, and can teachers use it?
Yes to both. It needs only paper and a pencil. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity, and it needs no preparation beyond printing.
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.