Marble Run
Ranked #2,450 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #27,213 overall
What can children learn from Marble Run?
The process involved in experimenting with the Marble Run may be the most valuable experience children get from playing with marble works. Each time they try another configuration the kids are honing their skills in patience, experimentation, and inquisitiveness. Can a child of 5 or 6 begin to learn the principles of physics? Yes, they can!
Come roll construct runs and drops to create a marble run. Try it out and keep on experimenting. Come play with the marbles...
Photo Credit: Haba Ball Track Construction Set
Available from Amazon
Language Arts
What can we learn from Marbles?
The Physics of Marble Runs!
Photo Credit: Marble Run
Used under creative commons
A marble run can teach the physics of the way that water flows downhill.
Tell the kids they are going to experiment with the way that water flows. Tell them that the marbles will represent water and the marble run will represent the rivers and streams flowing across the landscape. Ask them to construct a place for water to flow. Can they make the water flow in any direction they choose? Will they be able to make the water go up? Ask for predictions and then be sure to take lots of pictures.
Once the children are ready for demonstrations, ask the children what they have learned from their marble runs. Did they discover that water flows downhill?
Marbles,Roller Skates,Doorknob (Gateway)
Amazon Price: $0.02 (as of 06/02/2012)
Product Description
Explains how simple machines that are actually wheels work, including the pizza cutter, bicycle, and water faucet.
Classic Marble Run
High Quality Marble Run
Build the marble run high. Build the marble run long. Add as many marbles as you like. This is by far the best marble works available.
Galt Toys Galt Toys Marble Run
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 06/02/2012)
Marble Run Math
Marble Run Math
Math and the Marble Run
Photo Credit: Marble Run Challenge
on Flickr, Creative Commons
Use your imagination to create your own Marble Run. Try using cardboard, masking tape and toilet paper tubes. Can you make a marble run for golf balls? What about a Marble Run for a soccer ball?
Look at the various angles used in your marble run. Using a protractor
determine the angles used. In the following marble challenge, points are given for the number of 90 degree angles.In the following Marble Run Engineering Challenge you are limited to just a few items provided by the teacher. Can you construct a free-standing marble run that beats the competition? Using only drinking straws, Q-tips, index cards, modeling clay, masking tape and paper cups, create a marble run structure. Compete against other children in this engineering feat. Does this sound easy? Here are the rules for the challenge:
Don't Lose Your Marbles Engineering Challenge
Apply what you have learned in math class to design and build a freestanding marble run structure that has a track on which a marble can travel. Points will be awarded for the number of 90 degree angles the marbles can negotiate. Only materials supplied by the teacher are allowed for creating the marble run.1 point
Magnetic marble tubes for the preschool classroom | Teach Preschool
Collaborating and communicating with each other as the children explored a home made marble run! Using wrapping paper tubes, tempera paint, clear plastic tape, magnets and rubber marbles, children create marble runs on a vertical metal surface.1 point
Marble Run Science
Inespensive Marble Run
Flimsy Marble Run
wor
The children in the summer program range from 5 to 12 years old and all of them are very interested in the marble works. The children experiment with different configurations to see which interesting ways the marbles can follow the tracks, slopes, drops and water wheels to descend down to the bottom of the run.
The first next thing we noticed was that the Galt Marble Run was big enough for any marbles to work, but the Quercetti Marble Run only worked with very small marbles.
Quercetti Super Marble Run Vortis, 224 Pieces
Amazon Price: $47.50 (as of 06/02/2012)
The Quercetti Marble Run has lots of interesting and unique pieces.This marble run is inexpensive and might work well with children who are very, very careful of their toys. The Quercetti Marble Run, however, is delicate, small and flimsy.
Learn Science with Marbles
The Science of Marbles
A hands-on way to experiment with the physics of marbles:
Marbles: 101 Ways to Play
Amazon Price: $202.32 (as of 06/02/2012)
An amazing number of games can be played with marbles. This book explains a bit of history about marbles and then quickly begins to explain how to play over one hundred different games that can be played with marbles.
Marble Run Social Studies
Marble Run teaches Socialization Skills
Social Skills and Marble Run
Photo Credit: Shooting Marbles
on WPClipart
Learn to cooperate to make complex constructions with a Marble Run. Use Marble Run to improve spatial relations, work on teamwork and improve communication while constructing creative systems of ramps.
Constructing Social Skills with Marble Run
Marble Run is a complex construction activity that requires skills in spatial relations, mechanical assembly, teamwork, communication, individual contribution, and creativity. The game offers a fun and effective way to achieve a variety of teaching goals:0 points
Build You Own Marble Run
Homemade Marble Run
Once your child has outgrown blocks and is ready for more fun, excitement, tricks and expansion, it's time to start creating marble runs. Here are a couple of suggestions of ways that you can create your own homemade marble run. The first one is for the child interested in learning how to use drills, hammers, wire cutters and other tools to make a unique marble run from wood and wire. It will become an heirloom, a unique work of art to be passed down for generations.
The second option is a marble run made from cereal boxes, paper tubes and masking tape. Keep adding to your marble run. The only limit to the size and style is your own imagination.
How to Build a Marble Machine
Learn how to build your own marble run or marble works from wire and wood.1 point
Cereal Box Marble Run | Made by Joel
Build a marble run out of cereal boxes.1 point
Marble Run Art
Wood Marble Run
Wooden Marble Run
Photo Credit: Marble Run
on Flickr, Creative Commons
Make a medieval village from blocks and then add Roman Aqueducts using Haba Marble Run blocks and marbles. How could the aqueducts bring drinking water to the village? How could the flow of the water help to carry the waste away from the village? Use the marbles to represent the water. Use black marbles to represent waste.
Where would be the best place to build a Medieval village, on top of a mountain or near a stream? If the village was built on a hill, how could they obtain water? How could a marble run be used to show water flow?
Haba Ball Track Construction Set
Amazon Price: $82.98 (as of 06/02/2012)
Extend your child's block building activities by adding a Haba marble run. Build a castle out of blocks and then add the aqueducts that bring water to the castle. Use the marble works to see how water could be transported over hills and down into the lower hills where the castle is built. The marbles represent the water traveling downhill.
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD
Marble Run Guestbook Comments
Rave about your Marble Run!
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vallain May 29, 2012 @ 12:55 pm | delete
- Now this looks like a fun way to play with marbles and learn at the same time.
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OhMe May 19, 2012 @ 7:33 am | delete
- I always loved marbles so I think a Marble Run is a great idea and love your ideas for incorporating marbles into a learning tool.
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cffutah
Jan 13, 2012 @ 11:24 pm | delete
- these are all great! enjoyed reading and seeing the creative mind at work!
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ArtByLinda Sep 5, 2011 @ 1:21 am | delete
- These are great, I have some steel marbles that would work great for this is anyone is needing some! Blessed!
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ftuley
Aug 6, 2011 @ 2:50 pm | delete
- Enjoyed reading it! My son would love this.
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tandemonimom Aug 6, 2011 @ 1:39 pm | delete
- We have a marble run! Great fun and hands-on learning too!
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About the Marble Run Teacher
Marbles are Fun and Educational
Come write about your experiences learning and teaching with marbles on Wizzley and Zujava, a fun and easy place to express your opinion:
by Evelyn_Saenz
My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning... more »
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