Marble runs come in all shapes and sizes. You get plastic runs and wooden runs, pre-built runs and runs you have to put together yourself. Some are simple and some are incredibly complex, and so you really can find a marble run that’s suitable for every age.
The best marble runs for babies
Babies are often mesmerized by sound and movement and there is something wonderfully therapeutic about listening to the sound a marble makes as it travels along a marble run.
Obviously if you intend on letting your little one has a go themselves then you need to choose a run that uses balls rather than marbles that are big enough not to be swallowed. The Grimms balls are a great size as they are too big to get swallowed, and a spiral egg holder makes a great simple ball run for little ones.
We also love the Grimms ball run assembly set as it’s just so beautiful and makes the most amazing sound as the balls descend the rainbow-coloured spiralling tower. Or the Small Foot melody marble run, which again makes a wonderful sound for babies to listen to.
The best marble run for toddlers and preschoolers
Once your little one is big enough not to try and eat the marbles and risk choking on them the options available increase dramatically. However, it’s worth noting that some of them are quite tricky to build so be prepared to offer plenty of help as little ones can get frustrated otherwise.
On the plus side the more complex marble runs are toys that will last and be played with for a really long time as children will begin to learn how they work and how to put them together themselves.
The Big Jigs Marble run is our top pick for preschoolers as it can be built in so many ways and made as simple as you like so they can learn themselves how to make the marbles run. It’s also great value for money, and you can even buy two sets and combine them if you want to make even bigger creations.
We love the fact that the small foot marble run comes with a scoreboard so you can have competitions once you have built the run. Although this is quite a tricky one to build, it might be more suitable for older children or times when you want to play together.
Marble runs for older children
As children get older marble runs become an excellent teaching resource. They are perfect for developing problem-solving skills and learning about science and engineering concepts.
Plus of course they are still great fun to play with.
Get creative and see what you can make into a marble run. Toys, household items, recycling? And learn along the way.
