Lovely handmade crafts

Kids and adults alike will be captivated! A collection of DIY marble run ideas

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerAraki Jakkan
I’ve worked in a variety of roles—regardless of pro or amateur settings—including live event PA, cameraman for video and photography, restaurant staff, and logistics center staff. I now spend my days as a part-time writer. I’ve contributed to music and manga websites with feature/review articles, and wrote the liner notes included as a bonus for 1st PLACE Inc.’s “IA SUPER BEST.” As for my music background, I started playing guitar in junior high and focused on band activities during my school years. For over 15 years since then, up to the present, I’ve continued releasing original tracks as a Vocaloid producer. My areas of expertise are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.

How about making a marble run for a summer vacation craft or a handmade activity with your kids? We’ve gathered ideas for easy-to-make marble runs using familiar materials like cardboard, weatherstripping, and paper cups.

From simple tracks to complex courses with conveyor belts and spirals, these tips are packed with ways to double the fun of making and playing.

They’re also perfect for nurturing children’s creativity.

Make one together, enjoy the sound of the marbles rolling, and spend some truly absorbing time!

Kids and adults alike will be hooked! A collection of DIY marble run ideas (1–10)

spiral PET bottle

[Cardboard Craft] Marble Coaster / How to Make a Spiral with a Plastic Bottle – How To Make a Marble Run Machine: Spiral in the Bottle

spiral PET bottle

This is an idea for a spiral plastic bottle where a marble twirls down inside.

First, cut off the bottom of the plastic bottle.

Start 10 cm down from the mouth of the bottle and make marks at 3 cm intervals.

Make the same marks on the opposite side, but start from 11.5 cm.

Use the marks to wrap masking tape around the bottle in a spiral, then make holes just below the tape.

Cut a circle with a radius of 4.5 cm out of cardboard, and cut out an inner circle with a radius of 2.2 cm.

Cut the ring in half and insert it into the bottle, aligning it with the spiral masking tape.

Fix the cardboard in place by inserting toothpicks through the holes, then trim off the excess toothpick.

You’re done!

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Corinth game

How to make a Corinth game: marble run, smart ball, pinball, craft, independent research, DIY, easy, free craft, pachinko

Corinth game

The Korinto game you often see at summer festivals is a classic wooden toy where you compete for points based on where a marble launched from the shooter lands.

Make a wooden box as the base, fix a curved wooden board to the top to form an arch inside the box, and then build a launcher on the right side of the base using a wooden stick, cork, and rubber bands.

Next, hammer nails into the section that will serve as the marble’s pathway.

Finally, attach score stickers and you’re done.

You’ll need to hammer in quite a few nails, but once you make it, you can enjoy it for a long time—so give this craft a try!

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Vertical loop

[Cardboard Craft] How to Make a Marble Coaster with a Vertical Loop (Loop-the-Loop)

Vertical loop

Here’s how to make a vertical loop where a marble does a full 360-degree turn.

It’s a very simple build, but it’s an idea you’ll want to play with over and over.

First, cut circular parts of the same size out of 3 mm cardboard and hollow out the centers.

Make a single slit in each ring-shaped piece and attach single-wall corrugated cardboard so it’s sandwiched by the ring.

Next, connect track sections to the slitted parts, and attach a support pillar to the starting track to create a downhill slope—that’s it.

The marble will pick up speed on the slope and loop all the way around, so adjust the starting height as you build to find what works best.

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Irresistible for Kids and Adults Alike! Handmade Marble Run Ideas (11–20)

belt conveyor

How to Make a Conveyor Belt (Type 2, Manual Type)

belt conveyor

Let’s make a conveyor belt out of cardboard that carries marbles.

This is a manual type: when you turn the handle round and round, the conveyor belt moves.

There’s a blueprint available, so first download it and cut out the parts according to the templates.

Assemble the conveyor’s supports, the handle, the belt, and then the base and the marble tray.

For the belt rollers, thread two plastic bottle caps onto a bamboo skewer and wrap rubber bands around the outside of the caps.

Use 5 mm cardboard for the structure, and use single-face corrugated cardboard for the belt.

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smart ball

[Summer Vacation Craft] A “Smart Ball” you can make with 100-yen shop items—perfect for your child’s summer homework or independent research project!

smart ball

Smart Ball is a playful craft that lets you build your very own game while getting excited about the motion of a rolling marble.

Cut lumber to fit a perforated board to create a frame.

Add an incline beneath the board so the marble rolls more easily.

For the launcher, use nails and rubber bands to make a pull-and-release mechanism that shoots the marble.

Attach a plastic sheet on top of the board to enhance the sound and feel as the marble rolls.

Place small pegs called dowels to add unpredictability to the marble’s path.

With creative targets and decorations, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind original Smart Ball game.

It’s a fun way to nurture creativity and observation skills as you play.

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Disposable Chopstick Marble Coaster

Pythagora Device (Pythagora Switch) Marble Coaster – Summer Vacation Craft

Disposable Chopstick Marble Coaster

A “disposable chopstick marble coaster” made by assembling chopsticks.

Basically, you create the track by fixing two chopsticks facing each other.

You can slope it from top to bottom and make turns to form a spiral, or lay out a zigzag course—feel free to make any shape you like! You can also add a mechanism so that once the first marble has gone a certain distance, the next marble starts automatically.

Another fun idea is to prepare two drop points to add a fortune-drawing element.

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Block marble run

I tried making a PythagoraSwitch with blocks!

Block marble run

Let’s try making a marble run with toy blocks! By combining different parts, blocks can form all kinds of shapes.

With those imagination-nurturing blocks, you can also build a marble run course.

A course with alternating downward slopes is easy to make, and if you want to get a bit more creative, you could add steps.

Making an extra-long course could be fun too! It’s also recommended to include mechanisms along the way and create it in a PythagoraSwitch style.

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