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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: 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 captivated! A collection of DIY marble run ideas (21–30)

A marble coaster with interchangeable tracks!

Interchangeable Tracks! Marble Coaster, Marble Run No. 9 – Marble Run Machine #9

A marble coaster with interchangeable tracks!

When you keep playing with the same toy, you can get bored, right? At times like that, try making a marble run with interchangeable courses so you can keep it fresh! First, build the base track out of cardboard.

Using bamboo skewers or similar materials, create features like an escalator-like lift that carries the marbles upward, or a spiral where the marbles twirl down.

For the swap-in courses, prepare pieces of cardboard shaped to fit into the base track, and on each one attach small cut pieces of cardboard, straws, or short wooden sticks to make a variety of course types.

By swapping these in and out, you can enjoy your marble run for a long time without getting bored!

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Marble run made from cardboard

Cardboard Craft: Marble Run — Childcare Tips Useful for Practicum and Training

Marble run made from cardboard

Let’s try making a cool marble run using cardboard.

Prepare a rectangular piece of cardboard that isn’t too thick, and cut off one section on the large face and one section on the narrowest side.

Then, using the pieces you removed and other bits of cardboard, build the pathways for the marble to roll along and attach them to the base cardboard.

Instead of connecting every path all the way through, it’s also fun to leave gaps here and there so the marble drops down to the next level and continues.

Be sure to set up the goal area so the marble stops securely and doesn’t roll out after reaching the finish.

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Ideas for DIY marble runs that fascinate both kids and adults (31–40)

Marble roll with a toilet paper core

Play with a marble run made from toilet paper rolls—upcycling fun!

Marble roll with a toilet paper core

This is a simple marble run you can make using toilet paper rolls.

Prepare eight toilet paper rolls.

Cut two of them in half to make two shorter pieces each.

For the remaining six rolls, make a single slit in each so they can be opened up.

Assemble these six into two vertical towers by stacking three each.

Attach the halved rolls diagonally across the openings of the towers to form slide-like chutes, and you’re done! To ensure the marble drops down properly, be careful not to glue one end of each chute completely to the tower—leave a slight gap at the end.

Decorate the toilet paper rolls by drawing on them or adding washi tape or patterned origami paper!

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Marble coaster made from drawing paper and milk cartons

[Elementary School Craft] Marble Coaster: A Handmade Toy Made with Construction Paper and Milk Cartons

Marble coaster made from drawing paper and milk cartons

Let’s try making a complex marble run using a milk carton and construction paper! First, close the opening of the milk carton to make a complete cube, then wrap it with construction paper in any color you like.

Next, use construction paper to craft detailed tracks in various shapes.

Make different kinds of paths—curves, sharp angles, and zigzags.

Once the tracks are ready, attach them to the milk-carton cube however you like, and you’re done.

There are no rules for how to build the tracks, so create an original and fun course full of personality!

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Marble run

Handmade marble run

Marble run

This is a fun craft where a marble spirals around and drops down along the core of a plastic wrap roll.

All you do is stick skewers into the roll while keeping step-like levels in mind—simple, but the skewers’ angles and spacing are key.

If you place the skewers poorly, the marble won’t make it to the bottom, so it’s best to experiment as you go.

The light, pleasant sound as it rolls is part of the fun, too, so aim for a satisfying sound by fine-tuning the number of skewers and the angles of the steps.

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Marble Rolling Tower

[WakuWaku-san] Marble Rolling Tower! <An easy marble coaster you can make with toilet paper rolls and construction paper>

Marble Rolling Tower

How about a stylish marble run, a Marble Rolling Tower, made from toilet paper cores and colored construction paper? First, stack three toilet paper cores vertically to make one long tube.

Next, let’s create the tracks where the marbles will roll using colored construction paper.

Prepare a rectangular sheet of colored paper, cut it lengthwise in half, then fold the half sheet in half two times.

Unfold the second fold, and along the crease you just made, cut a series of deep, fine slits from one edge to the other.

Once that’s done, fold it into a long, thin triangle to form the track.

Finally, attach the track diagonally to the tube like a slide, and glue a piece of cardboard to the very bottom of the tube as a base—done! Try making it with different colors of paper.

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In conclusion

A handmade marble run using everyday materials is perfect as a summer vacation craft that both children and adults can enjoy. You can easily give it a try with items you already have at home, such as cardboard and paper cups. Both the process of making it and the time spent playing will become cherished memories. Enjoy the pleasant sound of the marbles rolling and feel the warmth of something made by hand.