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Marble Runs

21 replies

AlpacaRabbit · 20/09/2023 21:23

I would be very grateful for any advice and suggestions for good marble runs for 5 and 6 year olds. I have looked at lots from the plastic Galt type ones to Hubelino, and the wooden Quadrillo to Cubaro ones.

There seem to be lots of beautiful ones (with significant price tags!) but I am not sure which are best in terms of play value/longevity?

OP posts:
Bubbleandsqueak22 · 21/09/2023 07:31

We’ve got a Marble Genius set and it’s great. Has lasted at least 3 years and the boys love it.

EllaMenopee · 21/09/2023 11:16

We have a few variations of the Galt ones. 11yo still brings it out on wet days and lots of different packs allow for lots of different builds

Squiblet · 21/09/2023 11:37

We had Galt - started with a couple of small sets and progressed to the Mega marble run. It was the DCs' absolute favourite toy for some years. The more pieces you have, the more fun it is, since you can build taller towers.

WaitingRoomBoredom · 21/09/2023 11:38

The Quadrilla ones are brilliant

Doublethecuddles · 21/09/2023 18:52

We had a Quadrillo marble run which was one of most played with toys. We added to it over the years.

BridgetJonesDaiquiri · 22/09/2023 20:04

Look at the Vtech marble runs - they're great and very interactive. Can add on etc

daffodilandtulip · 22/09/2023 20:13

Have you seen the marble musical tree things too? Not a marble run but with wooden marbles ... even my teens will sit playing with it!

WigglesWaggles · 22/09/2023 20:22

Galt all the way. Great quality. Lots of options for extensions too as all the sets fit together. Lots of YouTube videos. My son loves them and we've collected so much over the years that he now builds some crazy looking giant marble runs with them by copying YouTube videos. Well worth it in my opinion.

winewolfhowls · 22/09/2023 20:25

We have had vtech and Galt. Both fab but the vtech ones are great for longevity

sunshineandrain82 · 22/09/2023 20:28

Ours love their connetix ball run. Mostly as there's just so many different ways they can build it. We usually buy the expansion packs as gifts. To allow for extra tubes etc

We use marbles, the wooden balls it comes with and light up hex bugs down it.

dragonmummy17 · 22/09/2023 20:28

Galt. We got ours second hand and it's still going strong

Althenameshavegone · 22/09/2023 20:32

The duplo compatible one, can’t remember the brand, is pretty good and not fiddly to build like some others

AlpacaRabbit · 30/09/2023 20:10

Thank you some fab ideas and lots to consider!

OP posts:
Thisisthedawningoftheageofaquarius · 30/09/2023 20:13

Galt for us - loved it myself and it’s still going 5 yrs later
great quality

CornishTiger · 30/09/2023 20:20

We got a plastic one second hand years ago. 3 children later still loved. Looks like the GALT one

LaundryWoes · 30/09/2023 21:01

We’ve got Galt, Hubelino and Quadrilla.

The Quadrilla is nice, looks lovely but it’s a touch awkward for the kids (3&6) to build by themselves, the older one understands that the blocks have different functions but the younger doesn’t. Also it falls over with the slightest touch or misalignment. The kids love that the switch blocks mean your marbles can take different tracks, but for us its fragility means a parent needs to be involved for the whole time they’re playing with it.

Hubelino is satisfying to look at, but can be tricky to build long or high routes unless you have loads and loads of duplo or Lego to build the base with. As long as you build a decent structure then it’s very sturdy and obviously because it’s Lego easy to alter and improve as you go along, though my 3 year old isn’t always very patient about the building process and just wants to get to the marble bit. I’d say Hubelino is good for kids who’d enjoy the building process as much as the marble run bit of it.

The Galt one is my favourite, it’s pretty robust, easy for the kids to play with themselves, doesn’t require getting another box of toys out alongside like the Hubelino/lego does, and there’s extra compatible kits available if we want to expand our collection. I believe it’s also the cheapest of the 3, to end up with a big setup of the Quadrilla or Hubelino would cost quite a bit more.

Out of the ones we have, I’d buy more of the Galt any time and more of the Hubelino when my youngest is a bit older and able to plan and enjoy the building bit. The Quadrilla has just been too fussy for me to be keen on buying an extension set.

MissDollyMix · 30/09/2023 21:41

Our Galt one was terrible. I had one as a child that I loved so I was really excited to get one for my DC but it was awful. So flimsy. Just kept falling apart. Nothing like the one I had as a child. Ours went to the charity shop as the DC got fed up with it constantly falling apart. They’ve moved on to gravitrax now which is amazing but possibly a touch too old for OP’s DC.

FastandLoose · 30/09/2023 21:43

Hubelino all the way here. It’s great that normal Duplo can be used to build the basic structure, very strong and there are some fun accessories.

drspouse · 01/10/2023 01:10

Happe/Quadrilla is the only possible choice.

drspouse · 01/10/2023 01:11

(But 3 is too young)

Trevforsure · 15/10/2023 08:12

Our galt one has been going strong for over 12 years and is still one of our most played with toys (not so much with the teenagers I’ll admit although they do still have a little play when it’s out!)

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