Do you save cardboard tubes from paper towels, toilet paper, and whatever else comes on a roll? I do! I have quite a collection saved just for the purpose of making a cool cardboard tube marble run on our wall. What a great rainy day or anytime kind of activity! Simple to set up, easy to do, and full of learning possibilities! Next time you find yourself holding an empty cardboard tube roll heading to the trash, save it instead! Our cardboard tube marble run is a great recycling STEM project!
Cardboard Tube Marble Run STEM Activity For Kids!
MAKE A MARBLE RUN
We have been on a roll lately with wall activities! We recently did a pool noodle marble run and a super fun homemade water wall. I love finding creative and inexpensive ways to make fun activities that encourage playful learning.
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To set up for our cardboard tube marble run, I chose a blank wall. You can also use the refrigerator or door! I set out a box of tubes and painters tape. I love using painters tape for activities since it doesn’t stick to the wall. The tissue boxes were used to collect the marbles at the end of the cardboard marble run.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
How will you start your cardboard tube marble run? You have to think about the angles and plan ahead! Where do you want the marble run to finish?
BUILDING A MARBLE RUN
Now it’s time to make your cardboard tube marble run! We cut pieces of tape so that we had plenty waiting once we got going. The cardboard tubes were easy to stick to the wall, and we had fun designing our cardboard tube marble run.
My son also decided to make a second DIY marble that dropped into the first one.
TESTING THE MARBLE RUN
This leads us to my favorite point in this STEM project! Testing out the cardboard tube marble run!
THE VALUE OF STEM PROJECTS
This may look like a simple play activity that even the youngest child can help with and enjoy, but it’s so much more. My son is learning about angles, gravity, slopes, engineering and problem solving. He is creating, testing, problem solving, creating and testing again. A young child may enjoy dropping pom poms down a single tube. You might think they are just playing, but even the youngest child is learning about how the world works!
Our cardboard tube marble run is the perfect reusable STEM project made new each time it’s put together. Keep adding tube to your supply and you could make a floor to ceiling marble run! That would be pretty cool. This keeps everyone occupied even the adults on an indoor day
MAKE A CARDBOARD TUBE DIY MARBLE RUN TODAY!
Click on the image below or on the link for more fun STEM projects for kids.
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April
We have a box with all this stuff at home. I’m going to add this to our stash of ideas. It looks like lots of fun.
✿April✿
✿Grade School Giggles✿
Daniel
i love marble runs that i have a million at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Martha
THIS IS AWESOME