Maze vs Labyrinth: What's the difference? Blocked paths vs continuous paths. Yup that's all. The other big difference is how they are used. Labyrinths have been used for centuries. They were frequently seen in garden landscapes, monasteries, and Cathedrals. Today they can be found in parks, hospitals, church or court yards. Anywhere a contemplative atmosphere is desired. True labyrinths only have one route and contain no wrong turns. They aren't meant to be puzzles; they are meditations and paths. Labyrinths on paper are frequently used to develop pencil control and focus. Any path with curves and without a dead end could be considered a Labyrinth. Simple forms of these are frequently used with younger children. Mazes, on the other hand, are completely different; they may have only one correct path, and are designed to make the user think, remember and plan by hitting a dead end or getting lost and needing to backtrack. Paper mazes with many twists, turns and blocked paths may be a challenge for the older student. They need to be able to focus for longer lengths of time, recognize a dead end and understand the concept of back tracking and trying a different route. |