DIY Christmas Cardboard Mazes

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DIY Christmas Cardboard Mazes

Level:

Intermediate

How-To:

Kids

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

• Corrugated craft cardboard in Christmas colors
• Foam core
• Marbles
• Pencil
• X-acto knife
• Cutting mat
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Ruler
• Optional to create the double level maze:
  • 3” diameter wooden ring
  • Small deli cup
  • Silver spray paint
  • Wooden craft spools

1. To make the base, draw out candy cane shape onto a piece of foam core. Cut out with an x-acto knife.
2. Create the outer wall of the maze. Measure to make sure the siding will be taller than the marble when flush to the bottom of the foam core, cut strips of the corrugated cardboard to that height. Glue the pieces of the wall around the edge of the foam core shape, make sure it is flush to the backside so that it can lay flat.
3. Draw in the interior maze walls as you’d like it.
4. For the interior walls, cut strips of corrugated cardboard to size of lines you’ve drawn for the maze and the height of the wall, minus the thickness of the foam core. PRO TIP: for the candy cane, it looks more realistic to use alternating strips of white and red.
5. Adhere the inner walls along each line you’ve drawn. Apply hot glue to the bottom edge of the corrugated and adhere it to the drawn-out maze lines.
6. Place marble in and enjoy!

1. Make the base, draw out a large circle onto a piece of foam core. Cut out with an x-acto knife. Trace the circle onto a second piece of foam core and cut out.
2. Add stand-offs so one circle is lofted over the other. On the bottom circle, evenly space at 4-8 craft spools along the edge of the circle, glue to secure. Add glue to the top of each spool and place the second circle on top. PRO TIP: the larger the maze is the more spools are needed for support.
3. Create the outer wall of the maze. Measure to make sure the siding will be taller than the marble when flush to the bottom of the base, cut strips of the corrugated cardboard to that height. Glue the pieces of the wall around the edge of the foam core, make sure it is flush to the bottom. PRO TIP: leave about a 1” gap in the wall at the bottom of the maze so the marbles can fall out.
4. Draw in the maze as you’d like it.
5. For the inner walls, cut strips of corrugated cardboard to length of lines you’ve drawn for the maze and the height of the wall, minus the thickness of the base.
6. Adhere the inner walls along each line you’ve drawn. Apply hot glue to the bottom edge of the corrugated and adhere it to the drawn-out maze lines.
7. Add the drop holes, cut a few holes into certain parts of the top piece of foam core that are slightly larger than the marbles. Place these in areas that will make the maze harder.
8. Create the ornament cap, cut parallel notches in the edge of the deli cup to the thickness of the wall of your maze and a rectangle in the center that the wooden ring can fit into.
9. Spray paint both the deli cup and wooden ring silver. Allow to dry.
10. Glue the ring into the cut out, glue the cap to the top of the maze.
11. Place marble in and enjoy!

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