Make a Magnetic Mouse Maze

What You Need:

• Scissors
• Tag board
• Set of magnets
• Gray or black felt
• Yellow felt
• Permanent marker
• Hot glue gun

What You Do:

1. Begin by helping your child cut a mouse out of the felt. The little critter should measure about 2" x 2". If he likes, have your child embellish the mouse with a tail, ears, face, etc.
2. Using the hot glue gun, attach one of the magnets to the bottom of the felt mouse.
3. Ask your child to cut out a wedge of cheese from the yellow felt, reminding him that a wedge looks like a triangle.
4. For this next part, have your child leave the room while you draw a big maze on the tagboard. Keep your child in mind while you draw the maze, making it simpler or more complicated according to what he would enjoy. When you finish mapping out your maze, bring him back into the room.
5. Place the maze on a thin table. Since the magnets have to stick to each other through the table, use a table or other surface that isn't too thick.
6. Place the felt mouse at the beginning of the maze and the cheese wedge at the end.
7. Show your child how to move the mouse by holding the magnet under the table where the mouse is and moving it around. As you move the magnet, the mouse should follow on his own! Let your child give it a try.
8. Once he's gotten the hang of it, challenge him to complete the maze! He'll love watching his mouse scurry around to the cheese on the other side.