Mini Christmas Maze Toy

A tiny maze to solve while waiting for Christmas

It is the twentieth of December, tea is twenty minutes away and "how many sleeps?" has been asked four times already. This is the moment the little maze earns its keep. It sits in the palm of a child's hand, the route winds through a Christmas-themed shape, and reaching the end takes a second try, sometimes a tenth.

The mini Christmas maze toy comes in four shapes: a heart and a star, each 5 x 6 cm, and a circle and a square, each 6 x 6 cm. One maze weighs about 5 g, roughly the weight of a sheet of printer paper, so it travels in a coat pocket to the carol service, the restaurant or the long drive to the grandparents.

Among stocking fillers for 4 year olds, one that rewards patience

At four, a child can follow a path with their eyes, think one move ahead and accept starting again, which is exactly what a maze demands. Younger than that, the challenge tends to end in frustration, and the size of the toy rules it out for under-threes in any case.

What it exercises is modest but real:

• Patience: the route rarely gives way on the first go.
• Precise movement: on a shape this small, tiny corrections of the hand count for more than big ones.
• Concentration: a few quiet minutes with one clear goal and a clear finish.

Five and six year olds enjoy it just as much. They simply turn it into a contest, timing each other or swapping shapes to see whose is harder.

A tip from experience with pocket puzzles: hand it over at a moment when your child has to wait anyway, in the car, at the table before the meal, in a queue. Given in the middle of a pile of presents it gets overlooked; given during a wait it is played with until it is solved.

Sold singly, design sent at random: how many to order

Each maze is sold individually and the design is picked for you, so you cannot choose between heart, star, circle and square. For most families that is part of the surprise, but it is worth knowing before you order.

For several children, order one each. Because the design is random, two mazes in the same parcel may turn out to be the same shape or different ones, and four mazes will not necessarily make a full set. If siblings are likely to compare, it helps to say beforehand that Father Christmas did the choosing.

Stocking, advent calendar or Christmas table

In a stocking. It takes up almost no room, leaving space for the satsuma and the chocolate coins, and it is the kind of present a child can start playing with straight away, in bed, before anyone else is up.

In a homemade advent calendar. At 5 to 6 cm across it fits most fabric pockets, envelopes and little boxes. If your calendar has small drawers, measure the narrowest side first.

On the Christmas table. One beside each child's plate keeps things calm between courses.

To make up a small bundle, the mini Christmas maze toy goes well with the Wooden Christmas Spinning Tops Set or the Christmas Wakouwa Dancing Wooden Puppet, two other festive picks from our Montessori educational toys. For a brother or sister under 3, look at a bead maze instead: this one is strictly for the over-fours.

Mini Christmas maze: your questions

Can I choose the design of the mini Christmas maze?

No. It is sold individually and the design is sent at random from the four shapes: heart, star, circle or square.

Will it fit in an advent calendar?

Yes, in most of them. As you will not know which shape arrives, allow for the largest, 6 x 6 cm, when checking your pockets or boxes.

What age is the mini maze toy for?

It is for ages 4 and up. It contains small parts and is not suitable for children under 36 months.

How big is the mini Christmas maze?

The heart and the star measure 5 x 6 cm; the circle and the square measure 6 x 6 cm. Each weighs about 5 g.

Key facts

• Shapes: heart, star, circle, square
• Size: 5 x 6 cm (heart, star) or 6 x 6 cm (circle, square)
• Weight: 5 g
• Age: 4+
• Sold individually, design sent at random
• Guarantee: 2 years

Warning: Not suitable for children under 36 months. Small parts. Choking hazard. Retain this information.