DIY Marble Run Track

50 mins Ages 5-12 Indoor

A playful, screen-free adventure designed to spark curiosity, sensory exploration, and fine motor skills for kids aged 5 to 12.

Materials Needed

  • • Cardboard tubes (various sizes) (8–10)
  • • Cardboard or large box (1)
  • • Masking tape (1 roll)
  • • Marbles (5–10)
  • • Child-safe scissors (1)
  • • Stopwatch (1)

Pro Tips

  • → Plan on paper first before building
  • → Try different angles and see which is fastest
  • → Add a funnel at the top!

Safety First

Marbles are a choking hazard. Not for children under 3.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Step 1

Gather toilet paper tubes, kitchen roll tubes, and pieces of cardboard.

2

Step 2

Sketch your design: where will the marble start, turn, drop and finish?

3

Step 3

Cut tubes in half lengthways to make channels for the marble to run along.

4

Step 4

Tape the channels to a piece of cardboard or the side of a box at angles.

5

Step 5

Test by rolling a marble down. Fix any places it gets stuck or falls off.

6

Step 6

Time how fast the marble travels from top to bottom!

What they are learning

Engineering design Gravity concepts Iteration