how to make an obstacle course for marbles with toothpicks and straws

by Ashtyn Lueilwitz 5 min read

How do you get the Marbles to stop touching each other?

You could try adding another marble to the maze. This marble must be avoided as you navigate your own marble through the maze. If the marbles touch, you have to start over.

What can you do with marbles?

In our most recent science club, I challenged my students to create a pinball-like marble maze game using a paper plate, some basic craft supplies, and marbles. Kids created all kinds of cool structures on their paper plates for their marbles to go through as they tilted the plate different directions using their hands.

How do you make a marble run?

Here are 15 fantastic ideas for making your own marble run. From simple ones using paper tubes, milk cartons and craft sticks, to more elaborate creations fashioned into roller coasters or large runs using peg boards – these are great ideas to get your kids involved in tinkering and play!

What can I use to make an obstacle course?

1 Hula hoops can make great markers for jumping or agility obstacles. 2 A simple board can make a quick balancing beam. 3 Hay bales or couch cushions can make a fun jumping obstacle. 4 Small sport cones can outline the obstacle course or be obstacles themselves.

How do you make a marble run with straws?

0:574:12Build a Marble Run With Straws (2nd - 5th Grade) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow to get started building you're going to need four straws to make your first round of track. AndMoreNow to get started building you're going to need four straws to make your first round of track. And you'll um may find that you want to just use hot glue or just use tape I used both I used hot glue.

How do you make a marble maze with straws?

2:066:23STEAM Activity - Marble Straw Maze - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt you tape the cl um the tape is close to the straw. And not extending outward because it'll get inMoreIt you tape the cl um the tape is close to the straw. And not extending outward because it'll get in the way of the marble trying to get through and you want a clear path for that.

How do you make a marble obstacle course?

0:050:35How to Make a DIY Marble Track (Easy Fun for Kids!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you want an extra challenge and cut some of your tubes in half for an open track make a funnel orMoreIf you want an extra challenge and cut some of your tubes in half for an open track make a funnel or a goal at the end. Don't forget to test early and often as you find the path but your marble.

How do you make a homemade marble maze?

DIY Marble Maze InstructionsMake some “snakes” Take a small chunk of playdough and roll it into a “snake” shape. ... Start designing your maze. Place one snake into a corner area of the box lid. ... Keep adding elements. Continue adding sections of playdough to make a complete maze. ... Make adjustments. ... Play!

How do you make a straw maze?

0:255:10DIY Easy Ball Maze | Making a Sphere Labyrinth with Straws and CardboardYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd a felt tip pen. So we can kind of mark it at first we'd like to paste the straws. Right let'sMoreAnd a felt tip pen. So we can kind of mark it at first we'd like to paste the straws. Right let's start yeah i think we're gonna make it like. This. You can create your own mace.

How do you make a paper marble run?

0:0218:25Discovery at Home - explore gravity and *how-to* make a marble runYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSee what you can come up. With. So the first thing we need to do is measure out our basic track you'MoreSee what you can come up. With. So the first thing we need to do is measure out our basic track you're going to need quite a lot of track pieces.

How do you make a simple marble track?

0:001:25Make an Easy DIY Marble Race Track: Crafts for Kids at Home | OsmoYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLet's create this track from paper plates and tubes and watch the marbles roll down right into the.MoreLet's create this track from paper plates and tubes and watch the marbles roll down right into the. Tray discover more learning and fun with osmo.

How do you do a slow marble run?

0:184:37STEM CHALLENGE - Slowest Marble Run Activity | Lesson Plan - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBoard slows things down so having little obstacles like that that won't stop the marble. But willMoreBoard slows things down so having little obstacles like that that won't stop the marble. But will force it to slow down and change its path are going to help as well and the length of your marble.

What can you use for a marble run?

It's easiest to build your marble run inside a big cardboard box with no lid. You can use tape or tac to hold different parts in place. Cut cardboard tubes in half lengthways and tape them together end to end, forming a long chute.

How do you make marble fidgets?

0:358:04DIY FIDGET TOYS! Pop It Fidgets, Marble Mesh Fidget, Stress BallYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd just make sure there aren't any like cuts or big holes in it. And then right here i have myMoreAnd just make sure there aren't any like cuts or big holes in it. And then right here i have my marble. So first i'm going to do is i'm going to cut out a pretty big sized rectangle.

What can kids make with marbles?

8 Marble Activities for Kids in PreschoolHomemade Marble Run – Buggy and Buddy. ... Rainbow Painting | Kids Craft Room. ... Paper Plate Maze | Raising Lifelong Learners. ... Simple Marble Game | All For The Boys. ... Recycled Marble Run | Lemon Lime Adventures. ... Cereal Box Marble Run | Made By Joel. ... DIY Marble Maze | Coffee Cups And Crayons.More items...

How do you make a cardboard marble maze?

0:2711:07DIY Homemade Marble Labyrinth Maze Board Game from cardboardYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we cut out this cardboard box piece and you see that we drew a little maize. Line yeah so that'sMoreSo we cut out this cardboard box piece and you see that we drew a little maize. Line yeah so that's where we're going to put these small cardboard pieces to create the maze.

Tips

Having a good plan in mind will help you find the best obstacles for your available space.

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Justin Conway. Justin Conway is an American Ninja Warrior competitor and the owner of World Ninja Sport, a ninja obstacle course company that provides obstacle design, construction, ninja coach certifications, and ninja curricula.

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Materials for Paper Plate Pinball Challenge

Paper plates (The ones with high edges work best. I’d also love trying the project with these larger oval plates in the future!)

Directions for Paper Plate Pinball Challenge

If your students are not familiar with pinball machines (yes, we’re that old!), watch some pinball machine YouTube videos together. Notice the different ramps, bumpers, and other pinball machine parts.

Kee Klamp Fittings and Obstacle Courses

Before you design and construct your obstacle course, take some time to think about what you want out of this equipment.

DIY Obstacle Course Ideas

This project was created for the Miami Freerunning and Parkour Academy. It could easily be incorporated into an intense obstacle course. To create a similar project, gather Kee Klamp fittings, pipe, and 30 to 60 Degree Single Socket Tee fittings for added stability. We recommend using a rigid and thick pipe for the longer sections of the course.

How to Build Your Own Obstacle Course

Did you find some inspiration? Great, now let’s get started on the project.

Build Your Own Obstacle Course Today!

We know that it can seem overwhelming to create your own obstacle course. Hopefully, this post helped you see that, with the right tools, creating an obstacle course is possible. Soon you could be achieving your own American Ninja Warrior dreams!

1. The Starting Line

Every obstacle course has a starting point, and we made ours easy with a recycled cardboard platform with an arrow on top to kick things off. Next to the starting mark, we had a pile of empty plastic bottles that were ready to be recycled. Students had to have one foot on the cardboard platform before the timer could start.

2. The Leap Pad Challenge

Create platforms with reclaimed or scrap wood. The goal of this section is to have students leap from one platform to the next, balancing with their plastic bottle in hand the entire time. Decorate the platforms with recycling images or your school colors!

3. The Over-Under Race

Recycled materials make up the entire over-under challenge. The cans are the posts, and the bar across the top is made from plastic bottles. We just glued them all together to make them secure. To help hold it into place, we used two-liter bottles filled with sand.

4. The Balance Beam

Here’s another one you can make with reclaimed materials. Keep it safe and secure, but you can use a fallen log or pallets to create this for your obstacle course.

5. The Roundabout

The roundabout can be done in so many ways. It’s basically a way to bring in a challenge where students have to weave from one section to the next.

6. The Cardboard Tunnel

Every school can find extra cardboard to use. This cardboard tunnel is made of several different boxes to give students a section to crawl through. Remember, students still have to be holding their plastic bottle. Attaching all the boxes together really makes it challenging (and fun) for students.

7. The Finish Line

Every good race has a good finish. Since we wanted to spread the message of how important it is to recycle, we put a recycling bin at the end of the course. After they made their way through the tunnel, students dunked their bottles into the bin.

Backyard Obstacle Course Ideas for Grade Schoolers

Grade school kids, ages 6 and older, are up for a challenge, so you can raise the difficulty level of the backyard obstacle course. This doesn't mean you have to go out and buy expensive props or build your own climbing wall. Here are some simple but fun obstacle ideas designed around common household objects.

Building a Permanent Backyard Obstacle Course

If the real estate gods have blessed you with a backyard the size of Central Park, and you're such an experienced do-it-yourselfer that the folks at Home Depot not only call you by your first name, but they think you work there, then you might as well build your kids their very own permanent backyard obstacle course.

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When you marry someone, you don't spend a lot of time wondering what kind of parent they are going to be. Or at least guys don't worry about that sort of thing. Maybe we assume that all women are born to be great mothers. Or maybe we intuitively know that any woman who can put up with our whining can easily handle the worst toddler tantrum.

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