Amazing Maze/Creating a Maze in Microsoft Word Using Tables

Amazing Mazes
Creating a Themed Maze in Microsoft Word Using The Tables and Borders Toolbar

Your job in this activity is to design a maze in Microsoft Word using the Tables and Borders toolbar. Choose a theme for your maze. I have selected "Under the Sea" as my theme for this example.

Open Microsoft Word (Start>Programs>Microsoft Word)
At the New document dialog box if prompted, selected blank document.
Click File on the Menu Toolbar, select Save As, and navigate to your folder in the Save In text box.
Click in the File Name text box, and name your document XXMaze (where XX are your initials.
Click on the Table and Borders button on the standard toolbar to bring up the Tables and Borders toolbar.

Click the Insert Table button to bring up the Insert Table dialog box.
At the Insert Table dialog box, assign the number of columns to 14 and rows to 14. You should now have a table with 14 rows and 14 columns.

Double-space the cells following the directions below.
Highlight the entire grid while holding down the left mouse button.
Click Format>Paragraph to open the Paragraph dialog box.
At the Paragraph dialog box, select double spacing at the Line Spacing drop down option.

Type the words Start and End in the Grid. An example would be to type Start in the upper left hand corner and the word End in the bottom right hand corner. You can put your starting and ending position anywhere you want in the grid.
Create a path between Start and End by using the Border icon to remove cell walls.

Example of Maze

You may use diagonal lines and line thickness to enhance the looks of your table. These features are located on the Drawing Toolbar.
Develop a theme for your maze (sports, butterflies, etc). I chose a crab them for this lesson. Find a clipart that fits the theme of your maze. Insert the clipart in your maze following the directions below:
- Highlight the area in which you want your clipart to appear by holding down the left mouse button while dragging across the grid area.
- Merge these cells by clicking the merge cells button located on the Tables and Borders toolbar.
- With your cursor in the merged space, click Insert>Picture>ClipArt (or Picture from File).
- Use the Picture toolbar to format the picture and align it so that it fits well in your maze. Adjusting the picture size will return the rows and columns to their original width and height. Continue to carefully add paths and pictures, adjusting the details as you go to create a challenging maze for your friends.
- Add other pieces of clip art that fit your theme, and add additional paths to form dead ends to add a greater level of difficulty.
- Once you have your paths and clip art images in place, add a title for your maze using WordArt. The title should appear above the maze on your page. To open the WordArt dialog box, click the WordArt button on the Drawing Toolbar:
- Add your name and then print out your puzzle and have a friend try it out. See how much of a challenge it was for them. If it was too easy, you may want to return to your maze and add more dead ends in order to provide a better challenge for them.

Lesson Created and Maintained by Patricia Janann Nicholson