'Don’t touch the sides or you will be taken back to the beginning.'

Getting lost isn’t something I do by choice – I think the directions bit of my brain is missing.

And it’s not just because I’m a girl – I’m an excellent map reader and I don’t even have to turn it upside down.

I just can’t keep lefts and rights in my head. So this month’s games column is perfect for me – ten games all about getting lost! By Suzanne Elvidge

All games are free downloads or free to view online, and need the minimum of equipment. Some games require your browser to have a 'plug in' for Shockwave, Flash or Java.

To play a game, simply click on its name. If you are a parent, we advise you to try the game and the site it's on first before letting your kids play them, to make sure you're happy. Don't forget, you can also find great games for kids at Christian Aid's Global Gang website

When downloading games from the Internet, don't forget to keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up to date.

Maze Games
Select your maze and click on the image to print out these paper-based maze games (on recycled paper of course, using refilled ink cartridges).

Joe’s Maze Game
Another simple maze game, but this one is interactive – help Joe the Aussie rabbit to find his broccoli. Use the arrow keys to move around.

The Maze
Drag the blue dot round the turquoise maze to the red end point. Don’t touch the sides or you will be taken back to the beginning. The end point of each game is the beginning of the next so don’t move your mouse between games. Easy to begin with but gets very hard quite quickly.

MazeFrenzy
Another steady hand game – but this one starts off hard, as parts of the maze are moving. Click on the red dot to begin. If you get through this one, the second is even more difficult.

Weather Maze
Get through the maze to go home – by clicking on the weather words you hear. There’s also a sports maze.

Mummy Maze
Guide the explorer to the exit using the arrow keys. But be warned – for every step the explorer takes, the mummy takes two. There are solutions if you get stuck. You can download this one if you get fed up of the adverts.

Maze
Find the red exit gate to get out of the maze – use the arrow keys to move around, and pick up hammers to knock down walls and keys to open doors (the ‘enter’ key lets you use them). to open doors with keys and knock down walls with hammers. A clock gives you extra time, and a piece of paper shows you a map – kind of addictive!

Rat Maze 2
Head your pixelated rat round the maze collecting cheese and eating stuff – there are balls to play with on the way round. The ‘shift key’ slows the rat and ‘M’ mutes the awful music.

Maze
Another simple maze game. Use your mouse to drag the blue dot, or use the arrow keys. If you click 'Path Verify', it will tell you when you have gone wrong.

Escape Game
“I forgot how to get out of my office!” How many times have you had that problem? This isn’t really a maze game but a room escape puzzle. If you get stuck, there is a sort of walkthrough, in comment #21 – some of the pointers didn’t work, but I got there in the end!

More maze games

• Mazes Online

• Other games

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