The human mind is an infinitely complex mechanism, drawing on a thousand different potential thoughts and scenarios a second, at any point at risk of spinning dangerously out of control when unravelling the complexities of life and the enormity of the universe.
It’s almost like – ***CLICHED SEGUE ALERT*** – stumbling through a maze, feeling lost and out of control. Hey, let’s just make this analogy even more laboured, and say that labyrinth is one to navigate in the infinite void of space.
So, what better way to distract myself from such thoughts of nihilism and confusion – and focus on the lost art of parenting – than with the splendid Super Mazes in Space by Loïc Méhée. It’s a set of puzzles and obstacles that might be a bit too complex for my daughter to enjoy on her own, but Dear Old Dad’s here to turn this set of 10 increasingly tricky mazes into a collaborative game with her.
This book is not a simple, finish-in-one-sitting picture puzzle. The mazes are fiendish little brutes that’ll divert your attention away from the meaning of life, the universe and everything.
Moving parts, 3D creations and fold-our sections means each puzzle has its own character and new problems to solve.
In fact it’s one that grown-ups are going to have trouble completing. Depending on your kids’ concentration span, this will either absorb them for hours or will see them give in, frustrated, in a matter of minutes.
For us, playing with a young child, we get up to the fifth maze over the course of a couple of sittings before we decide to close up and give it another go when we’re both a bit more older and wiser.
E’s review
What do you like best about the book?
“It’s so good because we keep on getting stuck on some mazes and that’s so funny.”
Is it difficult?
“Yeah, it’s tricky when we go in the holes that we don’t want to go in.”
Marks out of 10
“50/10”
My review
Set-up time
None. It’s a book. A second to open.
Price
£13.99
Practicality
Again, it’s a book. You’ve got a shelf? Well it’ll fit on that.
Fun for parents
Good, both for helping the kids round the labyrinth, and as a fiendish brain teaser in your own time.