How to build a safe maze

You should mostly use big bale on flat and on edge, it is a manageble hight. If you want to build higher, always try to build a pyramid, so kids cannot fall from top bale down – they have another straw step/plateau between top and floor.

Here is a photo of a safe maze, but it is a bit boring. At the back you can see a trail for parkour workshop. Also, if you need people to notice and read some signs, you need to create a “gate” – limit the entrance to one or two places, where you place important signs about safety.

If you place one bale to another, instruct the Manitou or forclif driver to place them very tight, without a gap. So that the children foot/leg could not slip inside the gap. When planning the maze, think that children will be jumping and running on the top, so think do not put rows of bales too far, but leave a “jampable” 🙂 gap.

If you think to use some loose straw in the small street of a maze, not to have a concrete floor to fall to, It has drawbacks – loose straw is slippery and burns easier.

Plan to build some structure kids can recognize: snake or some other animals (in a lying position), or huge sofa/chair, maybe a huge car?, train… 

What else you can think about:

You can plan with a parkour trainer to make a part of structure, they could use and have a facilitated workshop for kids.

Beware:

If the maze is a part of a festival, it is very likely that it will attract also grown ups, (drunk grown ups) and they will want to show off by climbing and jumping. If the maze will not be guarded at night, they will smoke sitting on a straw, they will sleep in a maze.

It is also good to be prepared for rain and have enough tarps to cover the maze in case of rain.

The maze, if intensely used, it will not hold more than few days.

This photo gallery is from a musical festival, the maze was a lot of fun, but dangerous and unfortunately there were several accidents, so please beware your design.

The maze attracts grownups too. If you create a tower, you can be sure that everybody will want to climg it. You can see on the photo that the bales are worn out.