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Original poster

Marble Run - a few questions...

26 replies

tassisssss · 02/10/2008 20:26

I keep seeing this mentioned as a top present and was wondering what age it's best for?

Anyone not like it?

Thanks!

OP posts:
mckenzie · 02/10/2008 20:32

we have the one from ELC and i dont like the fatc that the DCs seem unable to set it up so I have to do all the hard work getting it organised and in the right order etc and tehn they spend about 10 seconds getting great enjoyment watching it all fall down. And then they want me to start again!!

Where do you live? You can have our one if you like.

Original poster
tassisssss · 02/10/2008 20:33

thanks!

central scotland, but you're not really selling it to me!!!

(how old are your wee ones?)

OP posts:
FiveGoMadInDorset · 02/10/2008 20:38

Tass I gave it to my nephew a couple fo years ago and he was 6 and really enjoyed it, I guess any age where you can tell them not to put the marble in their mouths

girlandboy · 02/10/2008 20:38

We've got one. Ds has had it since he was about 4 or 5 I think. He's 8 now and still gets it out intermittently, but will then play with it all day. He can also set it up on his own, and devises lots of different routes as opposed to the one on the instructions.
I quite enjoy it myself.

trumpetgirl · 02/10/2008 20:38

I love marble run
But, I did get it for me. DD was 3 at the time andcouldn't put it up, but I played with it for hours

Othersideofthechannel · 02/10/2008 20:39

DS is obsessed with the one our friends have. We borrow it for the week every time they go on holiday. Have been doing it since he was 3.

The first time was a nightmare, he couldn't build it and 18 month old DD was demolishing it just as fast as I could build.

He is 5 now and is able to build it himself and DD is old enough not to want to demolish it for fun so it is growing on me. Once it is set up he plays with it for about 30 mins coming back to it a couple of times so well over an hour in one day, but as it's not ours, it's hard to know when the novelty would wear off.

Because all our floors are hard the marbles bounce all over the place, making lots of noise and then go under the furniture. I don't think this would be a problem if you have carpet.

fryalot · 02/10/2008 20:39

I got one for dd1 when she was about 4 or 5 and I she enjoyed it so much I bought it again for the littlies.

I they love it this time round as well

pointydog · 02/10/2008 20:56

I dunno, 5ish and above? It was a big hit with the dds for quite a while after they got it.

mckenzie · 02/10/2008 20:57

so sorry, I got confused with Marble Run and Domino Run .
Marble run is fantastic!! We all love it. DH and I compete sometimes to see who can make the best tower

Dragonbutter · 02/10/2008 20:59

we have the wooden quadrilla marble run. DS1 loved it from age 3 but still needs help to build it. His 7 year old friend can do it though.

Bowddee · 02/10/2008 21:03

We have Marbutopia for me DS who is 4. We love it!

Original poster
tassisssss · 02/10/2008 21:08

thanks all

sounds great

apart from the fact that I have a 4 month old!!

think i'll put it on my sons wish list...

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 02/10/2008 21:20

Well the 4 month old can't demolish it yet, can (s)he?

hannahsaunt · 02/10/2008 22:12

We have one.

It's on the top shelf out of sight, out of mind.

Great idea. Not great on our floors. Doesn't pack away well - lumpy box. I found it deeply irritating.

hannahsaunt · 02/10/2008 22:14

Maybe ours had it too young though...

Overmydeadbody · 02/10/2008 22:14

DS built his own one this summer, out of cardboard tubes, plastic bottles and tin cans. It is mounted on the wall in the stairwell and is the best thing ever as it never needs building or dismantling, it is just there, and every child and adult who ever visits loves it too.

Overmydeadbody · 02/10/2008 22:15

It goes from the first floor right down to the ground floor.

Dragonbutter · 02/10/2008 22:16

that's cool

Original poster
tassisssss · 03/10/2008 12:49

thanks everyone!

Hello HA! What is it with lumpy boxes?! I find them deeply irritating too.

I think I'm concluding ds would love it and it'd do my head in...

OP posts:
hairycaterpillar · 04/10/2008 19:35

NO NO NO! We have the ELC one...it drives me mad:

  1. lumpy box,
  2. younger siblings ALWAYS knock it over so lots of tears and tantrums.
  3. needs an adult to assemble a decent run and even once done needs reassembled as keeps falling over/breaking/being destroyed!

Ours is hidden away, you can have it if you like...guiltily tried to sell it at recent NCT sale but no takers!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 04/10/2008 19:40

Get a big plastc box and store it in there - no way could I cope with trying to shove it back in original box.

cat64 · 04/10/2008 19:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NotQuiteCockney · 04/10/2008 20:12

The Galt one is pretty good, not that hard to assemble, reasonably sturdy.

Yurtgirl · 04/10/2008 20:15

We have got a fab wooden one - still takes a while to create something truly fab, but the marbles make a gorgeous noise as they go down it - We got ours from tkmaxx ages ago

Original poster
tassisssss · 05/10/2008 20:13

just smurking that 2 of my RL friends have posted and their chief concern is the lumpy box!!

i so love having control freak friends!!

OP posts: