Every year our church, The River Church Community in San Jose CA does a big Maker Camp ( http://www.rivermakercamp.org -- if you're around San Jose sign up your kids!!). I wanted a huge interactive display when kids walked in. So we made "Mt. Make" into a massive 12 foot high, 40 foot long marble run. The GraviTrax encourages kids to start simple and build, allowing this set to grow with your kid developmentally with more challenging elements. It doesn’t require batteries. The Quadrilla Vertigo features a mix of spins, drops, seesaws, straightaway rails, and three spiral funnels to keep kids (and curious parents) entertained. Some of the pieces have toggles, which keep the marbles going in unpredictable directions. You now should have a conveyor belt that will deliver your marble to a height of 10-12 feet. Now comes the fun part! Make a marble run out of whatever you can find!

Next you need to install the pullies. It's a pain to get them in there and get the shaft through, but if you mess with it you'll get it. If you’ve got the space for it, go big with this peg board marble ramp which is easily constructed out paper tubes. Note that if you don't have access to acrylic, you can also do this with plywood, but then it's obviously not clear. Case in point: The marble run. This whimsical toy is one of the best STEM activities around for younger kids, and it’s powered by nothing more than gravity. Your youngster will learn a lot about that fundamental force of nature by playing with a marble run, and they’ll get to see friction and some basic engineering principles in action as well.

Our Picks For The Top Marble Runs

Note that the plastic is BPA-free and non-toxic, but because of the price point, the material isn’t the highest quality. Hot tip: some users recommend constructing your run on a rubber mat—the dining table can make it less sturdy and tip over. What to consider when buying the best marble runs

Every year, kids’ toys seem to get more complex. Go to any department store or online outlet today and you can find toys that incorporate everything from lasers to virtual reality. Chances are your own kids have already asked you for many of them. But while these toys aren’t necessarily detrimental to young minds, sometimes the most entertaining and educational toys don’t need you to plug them in.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Pack & Store Marble Run, 80-Piece

If your kids are younger you won’t want loads of pieces which may be too complex for them to put together, on the other hand, you don’t want something too simple which won’t challenge the older kids, so always opt for a marble run which is suitable for your child’s age range. Is It Translucent? Marble runs are the perfect educational toy that not only entertains and excites your little ones but also helps build valuable skills! Get off the screen and into twists, turns, slides, flips, loops, and spirals with the fun of the best marble runs. Why trust us

This budget-friendly set comes with 105 marble run pieces to create elaborate, continuous setups. The bright, colorful nature of the pieces will likely do well to keep a little one’s attention. Once your child reaches the age of 4 or 5, you can start introducing them to more complex marble runs. There are some elaborate sets out there, made from brightly-colored plastic or even glow-in-the-dark materials that incorporate ramps, launchers and swings. These can provide a real “wow” factor, and as your kids build bigger and bigger sets they’ll be learning engineering concepts in a sneaky way. If you go with a wooden set, they might also learn a thing or two about traction — although those marble runs are typically geared more toward toddlers. Note that you could also use a 120RPM version if you want to go steeper or slower, available here .

Marbles are a choking hazard for young children so they aren’t suitable for kids under the age of 3. This STEM set will help to teach kids about gravity, magnetism and kinetic energy as well as being fun.

Why it made the cut: Kids 8 and up can enjoy the Speed Set, the deluxe version of the Starter Set, plus extra features and accessories like flips, loops, spirals, and cannons. Some marbles are made of glass, while others are made of plastic. You can find magnetic sets, wooden options, and more. Some sets can expand if you buy more pieces to go with them, so if you think it may be a big hit, opt for something you can build on later. Durability

It doesn’t get any easier than this. Recycle an old cereal box and you’ve got yourself a playful toy that will keep the kids entertained for quite a while.