Amazing Mazes

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)

  • Click File on the Menu Toolbar, select Save As, and save your maze to your My Documents folder.

  • Click on View -> Header and Footer. In the Header box, type your name and hour.

  • Click on View -> Toolbars and make sure the Tables and Borders toolbar has a check nect to it.

  • Click on Table -> Insert-> Table.

  • Insert a table that has 14 columns and 14 rows. You should now have a table with 14 rows and 14 columns.

  • SelectView-> Toolbars and make sure yourTables & Borders toolbar has a check mark next to it.

Double-space the cells following the directions below.

  • Highlight the entire grid (Edit-> Select All)

  • Click Format->Paragraph to open the Paragraph dialog box.

  • In the Line Spacing drop down box, select double.

  • Type the words Start and End somewhere in yourGrid. 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 your grid.

  • Create a path between Start and End by using the Borders 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 (View-> Tooldbars-> Drawing)

Develop a theme for your maze (sports, butterflies, etc). I chose a crab them for this lesson. Locate an image/picture online that fits the theme of your maze. Insert the image/picture in your maze following the directions below:

    • Highlight the area in which you want your picture/image 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->From File (or a Picture from online).

    • 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 pictures/images 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:

    • Print and Hand your maze in when you are finished.