Marble Runs
https://www.playingandlearning.co.za/collections/marble-runs
Are you considering a Marble Run for your child?
Marble Runs are an excellent gift for any creative and engaged child. Playing with a toy as versatile and dynamic as a Marble Run nurtures children's soft skills and is one of the most practical ways to acquire STEM skills. Marble runs encourage children to develop the following skill sets:
Engineering or ability to build something from scratch: While there are guides and ideas to start playing with the Marble Run, soon enough, most kids like to create their own run. Slopes, turns, gravity, heights, and more – building a Marble Run from scratch is challenging and teaches the fundamental concepts of engineering in a practical way.
Problem solving and trial and error, “Will it work if I ….?”
Marble Runs teach kids how to solve problems by thinking about how to approach them from various angles. Kids will learn how to use trial and error to find the best possible assembly for the tracks.
Mathematics: Depending on the age of the kid, a lot of maths concepts can naturally be incorporated when building a Marble Run. For example, how fast does the marble go down the Marble Run (count or use a stopwatch)? Predicting which ball will be fastest or estimating how long it will take to complete the marble run are other math concepts that can be incorporated.
Creativity: Playing with the Marble Run is completely open-ended. There are endless ways to build and construct your Marble Runs, so the possibilities and infinite. It’s all within the creative boundaries of the child.
Spatial Thinking: In order to build something, we need to think about what it will look like when it’s done. We also need to adapt and change our plans as needed while we build. When building a Marble Run, kids need to consider the space available, the amount or type of pieces they have, and what the goals are. These are all spatial skills that will help children when they’re older, especially with math and science.
Patience: It can take a LONG time to build a big Marble Run. It can also take time to make something new, work or figure out how to successfully connect different pieces. Persistence pays, watching the ball run down a self-designed course.
Imagination: All the colours, shapes, and different types of pieces, combined with the Marble Run construction gives plenty of opportunities for children to use their imaginations.
Encourages Goal-Setting: Making a Marble Run teaches kids how to set short-term and long-term goals to get what they aim for. This is done through the child first assembling separate parts of the track then finally putting it all together to form one cohesive track for the marbles.
Gives a Sense of Gratification and Reward: Marble Runs gives young kids the validation they need to have confidence in their abilities. By receiving the visual reward of watching the ball go through the track after spending an amount of time building the whole structure, kids appreciate the fact that their hard work led them to something tangible they can see.
Promotes Teamwork and Collaboration: When playing with siblings or friends, Marble Runs teach kids to cooperate and collaborate to achieve common goals - encouraging them to play collaboratively, challenge their friends and share their creations.