The 10 Best Maze-Making Design Templates to get you Started

So you want to design your own maze, but you want a little extra help. Well you have come to the right place. I have set-up 10 different maze making templates to get you started, some with variations depending on who it is intended for. There is also a section below of 10 Holiday themed maze making templates for kids, so 20 templates in total ! If you want to learn how to make over 40 different types of mazes - you can find each step by step maze instructions here. My Goal - Maze making made easy !

If you do not read the above How-To’s you can use these 2 simple rules to create a maze:

1. Choose and create a Start and Goal if they are not already shown on the template. They may be arrows or simply writing Start and Goal in the maze

2. Create maze walls (by connecting dots, drawing lines as shown) and make sure you have a solution by not closing off all pathways to the goal.

• Standard Maze Template

No instructions on this one but it is very simple - Connect the dots to create the walls of the maze. Make sure you have a possible solution when you are done ! This can also be used for: Avoid Items Maze, Find Items Maze

Standard Maze Template

• Connected Dots Maze template
  A variation of a standard maze with a bit more flexibility. You will need to add start and goal arrows, or write start and goal within the walls of the maze. A second version is larger at 15x19. This can also be used for: Avoid Items Maze, Find Items Maze

gridded dots maze making template

maze making template dots with a border

• Escape Maze Template
  Two versions, one with and one without instructions. You just need to draw a few walls to create the pathways (and choose a goal).

Escape Maze making template

Escape Maze making template 2

• Axonometric Maze Template

If you are wondering what Axonometric is, well this set-up will allow you to make a 3-d looking box or other object when you create your maze. Get creative !

Axonometric Maze Template

• Letter Maze/ Number Maze Template

  This could be used for a variety of maze types. I pre added the Start and Goal for you. Fill the grid blocks with letters/numbers/shapes/math and give the solver directions on how to solve. This can also be used for: Arrow Maze, Color Grid Maze, Puzzle Maze

Grid Maze Template

• Horizontal / Vertical Maze Template

  Shown as a horizontal maze template, but if you put it on it’s side it would be a vertical maze template. You just need to add some vertical lines in each row to create the pathways.

Vertical / Horizontal Maze Template

• Trail Maze Template
  A great and fun type of maze. 2 versions, with and without instructions. This is a great way to make a hidden message maze.

  This can also be used for: Arrow Maze, Color Grid Maze, Puzzle Maze, Avoid Items Maze, Find Items Maze

Trail Maze making template with directions

Trail Maze making template blank

Holiday Maze Templates for Kids

And now a special section of templates for the Holidays for Kids. A set of 10 Kids Maze Templates ! The below are all included in the download. Not shown, but downloadable are the same mazes, but in Spanish !

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Ugly Sweater maze template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Christmas Maze Making template

Happy maze making !

You can invent your own maze types with some help from this 3 part guide:

Part 1 - Options for Starting and Ending a Maze

Part 2 - Maze Pathway options

Part 3 - Conditional Pathway options

And some case studies:

Using Color for Maze Pathways - A Case Study

Maze Design Case Study - Designing a Grid Maze in Different Difficulty levels

12 Maze Art Ideas : Unlocking Creative Possibilities

I love to make maze art. I have found my niche with maze art of buildings and signs. I have experimented with a few other ideas that I will list below, but they are not my go-to. I think about what subjects to make mazes of a lot and below is a list of some of my ideas. Some of these are things you have most likely thought of and others might be considered ‘out there’. I’m just here to spark an idea in you that may not even be on the page. Maybe it inspires some new maze art techniques that advance the possibilities of what can be done.

12 Maze Art ideas

1 - Landscape Mazes

I have experimented with this a few times. I think my takes on landscape mazes have been average. For me I have trouble ‘locating’ the maze in the landscape if that makes sense. A landscape of nature - a lake, mountain, a forest all seem interesting. A natural start and goal could be a cabin, a boat, or a mountain peak. Here is one of my attempts of a cliff dwelling:

Cliff Dwelling Mesa Verde National Park Maze

2 - Scene Maze

I have just started experimenting with scene mazes. For me it has been inspired by my time living in Mexico. I have done a street scene (shown below) that highlights the beautiful color buildings you find in Mexico. I am working on a scene of a Mexican door/house front. I have started making a scene of steps that lead to a church. What about a mercado ? A street festival ? So many interesting possibilities. An amusement park…

QRO Walking Street Maze

3 - Map Maze

The best map mazes are done the maze artist Ben Uelk. I think the structure of maps and the way cities are constructed make for natural maze possibilities. My own experiment led me to make a maze from the NYC Subway map. You can use the grid-like map of a cities road as pathways. One way streets could be used as conditional pathways. Maze maps can creatively include items or landmarks from the mapped area, used as the start and goal or as conditional points that need to be visited while solving the maze.

4 - Skyline Maze

My return to making mazes as an adult was led by a maze I made in Microsoft Excel of a skyline of buildings. I called it “Lost in the City”. While this did not represent a specific city (though it was inspired by NYC) the idea has always stayed with me. I remember a time when long skyline posters were popular of cities (maybe they still are?). Buildings make a great subject matter for mazes - so why not a large amount of buildings that are connected by maze pathways (like a cities worth) !

City skyline Maze

5 - Insect Mazes

Insects are small but complex beings. When you zoom in on them, you get a surprising number of legs, antennae, interesting eyes (think about the yes of flies), sometimes some wings, and a range of colors not normally seen by the naked eye. The detail that can be brought to something that isn;t seen with detail can be interesting (and terrifying!). Check out these excellent mazes from maze artist K Lars Lohn : a Spider maze and Bee maze.

6 - Portrait Mazes

I have mentioned it before - it is really difficult to draw the human face. If you have the ability to do it, and can make mazes of famous people, I want to see it ! I know how hard it is ! The closest I have come is with my Abe Lincoln statue maze which isn’t even that close, but hey it includes a recognizable face !

Abraham Lincoln Statue Maze

7 - Famous Art Mazes

I have 2 ideas here. 1 - In the style of - A maze in the style of Picasso, or Monet, or you pick your favorite artist. I like the number of directions this can take - abstract, surrealism, impressionism, realism, pop art, and more. 2 - Remake a specific piece - there are copyright issues here so de careful, but a maze of a famous piece of art would be epic. Mona Lisa Maze. The Starry Night Maze. The Scream Maze. American Gothic Maze. and so many more possibilities ! Here is my very basic tribute to Piet Mondrian:

Piet Mondran Tribute Maze

8 - Rube Goldberg Machine Maze

I love a good Rube Goldberg set-up. And I have been thinking about making this maze for awhile. I thought about keeping this for myself, but I included it because I want to see it and I think it would be so cool that there is room multiple mazes of this ! If you are reading this…uh ? try it ? Like this maze would be epic ! I imagine start at the top of the page in a marble and a maze that roughly follows its path down thru obstacles ending at the bottom with a _____? Epic.

9 - Experimental Mazes

When I used to do monthly maze themes, I liked to experiment with maze constructions. THese included 3D Mazes, connected mazes, warp zone mazes, multiple versions of mazes within a maze. All of the mazes I made were ‘regular looking’ mazes, and none were attempted as recognizable items/artwork but more at the level of an everyday puzzle you would find in a book. But pushing these experiments to maze art levels would definitely be possible (but difficult) ! Here is my 3D Arrow Maze.

3D cube shaped Arrow Maze

10 - Comic Book Maze

Another experimental set of mazes that is on my to-do list but I have not attempted for years. Create a comic book story. A mystery. Each comic book page has a maze that starts on the cover. The maze continues through the entire book. In the last section of the book, the maze leads to the story conclusion - possibly with multiple endings and the maze pathway you take gives you a different ending.

11 - Collaboration Mazes

I have done a few of these with my friends based off of their artwork. Some day I hope to share a few mazes with others. I did an Abraham Lincoln maze based off of some artwork I found online. When I saw Lincoln I knew he would make an interesting template for a maze. I went with a vertical maze construction. In this case the clipart was in the public domain, but you can be more intentional ! Thank you to Karen Arnold for the great face of Abe !

Abraham Lincoln face maze

12 - Weaving Pathway Mazes

When it comes to maze construction one of the things that tends to be static is the type of pathways. Some of my favorite maze artists (like Frankie C and theLadyLabyrinthe) use pathways that weave over and under one another. This makes for a more fun, but difficult maze to solve. It is clearly not right for most mazes, but when you find things in nature - trees, bushes, flowers, etc. they make great canvases to try using a weaving maze pathway on.

I had considered adding 3D mazes to the list, but you would need a manner to solve them - digitally with a special program, or with physical mazes. Sounds like a difficult challenge but one worth exploring for the bold.

If you want to get a little help there are some great AI text to image generators that can inspire you also !

Happy maze-ing !

You can invent your own maze types with some help from this 3 part guide:

Part 1 - Options for Starting and Ending a Maze

Part 2 - Maze Pathway options

Part 3 - Conditional Pathway options

And some case studies:

Using Color for Maze Pathways - A Case Study

Maze Design Case Study - Designing a Grid Maze in Different Difficulty levels

Twisty Little Paths: Creating New Types of Experimental Mazes

I spent an entire month making Experimental Mazes were I came up with 11 different types of mazes. Each type had at least one daily maze posted on the site and some of these experiments had up to 5 different versions. Today I want to pull each of these new maze creations together and review them, see how I did, what worked and get some feedback from you.

Part 1 - Perspective Arrow Maze

This idea is pretty simple: Arrow Maze + a change in perspective. I did 5 different versions and below is my favorite example. A typical Arrow Maze is flat and I thought adding some perspective would be interesting. I enjoyed making this and getting the maze aligned as I made it in sections.

Perspective Arrow Maze

Part 2 - Multi Arrow Maze

This idea is connected Arrow Mazes. Day 1 is Arrow Maze 1 you solve normally. Day 2 adds Maze 2 (the upper left corner). The solver starts in the same place, but tries to reach the Day 2 Goal in Maze 2. This continues each day. Day 3 adds Maze 3 and a new GOAL. By day 5 you have 5 Arrow Mazes combined into one. Can you solve each maze in order ? Good Luck. To clarify, landing on a corner of the center arrow maze opens up the new maze section to you.

Multi Arrow Maze

Part 3 - Color Grid and Grid Maze Combo

Another combination maze, this one featuring a color grid maze and a grid maze. Since the Color Grid is already “gridded” this made it easy to create a 2-in-1 maze. Solve the 2 mazes in any order. In this case the start and goal is the same for each maze type.

Color Grid and Grid Maze Combo

Part 4 - Folded Grid Maze

A Grid Maze that has the appearance of being a folded piece of paper based on changing the perspectives on a few sections. I did 2 versions. Easy to make. Looks more interesting than a regular grid maze, but is nothing earth shattering.

Folded Grid Maze

Part 5 - Layered Grid Maze

A Grid Maze that uses multiple layers to give the maze a more interesting look. Honestly, this is not very experimental in hindsight. It looks marginally more interesting, but at the end of the day is still just a grid maze.

Layered Grid Maze

Part 6 - Arrow and Grid Maze Combo

Another 2-in-1 maze experiment. This one combines the Arrow and Grid Mazes. I made it to be solved Arrow Maze first, then Grid Maze after, returning to the original start, but you can technically solve in either order. I like the idea of the start of one is the goal of the other. I did 4 different mazes of this type.

Arrow Maze Grid Maze Combo

Part 7 - The Sectional Maze

A Sectional Maze uses lightly connected sections and weaving pathways to travel throughout the maze. Nothing too crazy, but a new type of maze for me. Maybe the newest portion is the one way pathways between sections. I feel like this is a small version of something much larger and more interesting.

Sectional Maze

Part 8 - Standard Perspective Maze

A standard maze where I have played with the perspective. I think this is the least appealing maze I made playing with perspective. Boring in this example and possibly boring in most examples. When I originally thought of it I was thinking it would look like a folded piece of paper. This particular example is also a Kids maze.

Standard Perspective Maze

Part 9 - Stacked Grid Maze

A Grid Maze (blue) inside a grid maze (black). Day 1 included only the black walls, while Day 2 uses both black and blue to create the walls. I stopped after 2 days as the solution stays generally the same on day 2 in this version.

Stacked Grid Maze

Part 10 - Pipes and Arrow Maze Combo

Another 2-in-1 maze that combines Pipe Mazes and Arrow Mazes. These can be solved in any order. I looks a bit odd but these are 2 of my favorite maze types. I will say as a designer this maze type takes a long time to make. If I could make this faster I would make more.

Pipes and Arrow Maze Combo

Part 11 - Stacked Standard Maze

5 Mazes in 1. Each Day for 5 days I added a new layer to solve. Each smaller arrow adds a new layer of walls to impede you. So the maze starts with black walls only. The next maze on day 2 uses black and grey walls. Then + Blue, + Red, and finally + Green. I thought this was a fun idea. But the actual execution is tough on the eyes and not as enjoyable to solve as I thought. I wonder if wider spacing for all maze pathways would improve it.

Stacked standard maze

The odd sizes mean I did not make these mazes into a traditional free downloadable book, but I did gather them into a 31 page booklet. It is not recommended for printing. The download is 392Kb and is best used on screen.

Are there some mazes you like that should be continued and explored ? Send me a request.

Making mazes with AI: Photosonic

Welcome to the 12th in a series of posts where I will test AI image generators and see how they handle making maze art. I will be asking 10 prompts and seeing what gets generated. My goal is to evaluate different AI image sites against each other to see how they perform. If you need to catch-up here is the series so far:

An exploration into Al Image Maze Generation

Making mazes with AI: DallE2 (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: Stable Diffusion (Updated to compare 2023 and 2024 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: Craiyon (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: Dream by Wombo (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: Nightcafe (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: StarryAI (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: DeepAI (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: Canva (Updated to compare 2023 and 2024 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: AI Image Generator (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making mazes with AI: ToolBaz (Updated to compare 2023 to 2026)

Making Maze Art with Photosonic

2023: Today I test out Photosonic. You must sign-in to use the site and you are given 10 free credits to create with. Each prompt, or generation will generate 2 images. You may choose between 10 different styles and 3 different sizes. All prompts I use are the same for each site !

2026: I signed in to Writesonic and used the tools to help with the SEO for this website. The tools are excellent for writing. However, the free version does not include Photosonic anymore as far as I can tell. The help menu shows how to navigate to it, but that spot where it should be is empty on my screen. I am not a paying member to the site, so if you are please confirm it is still available !

Prompt 1 - Make a medium difficulty maze of the Eiffel Tower in black and white with arrows at the start and finish

I like how the apparent maze around the Eiffel Tower is made by buildings and enormous hedges (possibly trees).

Prompt 2 - Draw a medium difficulty large maze of the Empire State Building with the start and goal embedded in the structure

Looks like the ESB in NYC. Why do they often generate without the needle ?

Prompt 3 - Draw a difficult maze of the White House pixel art style

I am a big fan of this White House, and if the grid was a maze instead this would be great !

Prompt 4 - Draw a difficult maze that looks like a drawing of a famous building in sketch style

Have a child draw a maze of a Christmas tree in black and white.

Prompt 5 - Draw a maze in the style of doyoumaze.com of a skyscraper in NYC

Weird building.

Prompt 6 - Draw a maze in the style of Sean C Jackson of a scene from a large outdoor market

I like the colors. Is this taking place on a roof of a brick building ?

Prompt 7 - Make a maze of a slice of an orange in color

This person uses a knife creatively.

Prompt 8 - Make a maze integrated on top of a photograph of a king sitting on his throne looking cantankerous beside his beautiful queen

I think I saw that queen in a horror movie before.

Prompt 9 - Make a solvable maze that is very large and very difficult to solve because it is so complex

I should mention I selected “fantasy” instead of the normal “illustration”. It was like swinging for the fences in baseball, I was going for a home run…but I think I struck out.

Prompt 10 - Make a 3d render of a red and blue glossy cube maze

This has potential. I could see an experimental maze made in this style.

Summary & Conclusion:

2023: How did Photosonic do ? Just like ToolBaz I liked the prompts shown below the generations more than the things I created. I think this will help me create better prompts in the future. I like the wide variety of styles used.

2026: Unable to use so I cannot recommend. In fact, I do not believe it exists anymore.

Coming next: Bing AI Image Generator, our last site before reviewing everything we did