Marble Games for Kids

Illustration of a boy playing a marble toss game
How high can you score playing our marble toss game?
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

These marble games for kids are great indoor activities to play on a rainy day. Get your friends and family involved as well. Marble games do require some skill and dexterity in order to be successful.

Former Presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are said to have enjoyed marble games. Here are some marble game ideas that we think you will enjoy, too.

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Funhouse Marble Game

Try this funhouse marble game and enjoy trying to score as many points as you can.

Marble Toss Game

Toss marbles into a cardboard egg carton for points. Try this marble toss game and see if you have the skill it takes to win.

Traveling Marbles Game

Travel to the other side of the room with this fun traveling marbles game.

Marble Menagerie Game

Try this marble menagerie game and see how many interesting marble animals you can make.

Or, you can start on the next page and read about our funhouse marble game.

For more fun games and crafts, try:

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Funhouse Marble Game

Illustration of a boy playing a funhouse marble game
This funhouse marble game will keep you busy for hours!
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Try shooting marbles with this funhouse marble game! The object is to build a marble-shooting path through arches to score points. This marble game is perfect for kids that like easy crafts.

What You'll Need:
  • Two empty shoe boxes
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Pencil
  • Poster paints
  • Paintbrush
  • Marbles
How to Make a Funhouse:

Step 1: Remove the lids from both shoe boxes. Leave one box intact. Cut down the four corners of the second box. Flatten the two short ends into "tongues."

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Step 2: In one short end of the uncut box, cut out two small arches, about two inches wide and two inches tall. Make sure there's an inch between the arches.

Step 3: In the other short end of the box, cut out three smaller arches. Make sure there's space between each arch and between the arches and the sides of the box. Think of a design to paint around each arch, such as a monster mouth or a bunny mouth.

Step 4: Paint the outside of the box on the side with the two arches, and on the inside of the box with the side with the three arches. Let dry.

Step 5: Above the two arches paint "5" points and "10" points. Paint higher point amounts above each of the three arches. Glue one of the "tongues" of the cut-open box underneath the end of the box with two arches.

Step 6: Break down a short end of one of the lids, and glue it under the end with three arches to create a lip that will catch the marbles.

Now, get shooting. Place a marble on the edge of the tongue, and flick it through the arches with thumb and forefinger.

The number of points you earn depends on which holes the marble goes through. Play five rounds of marble-shooting fun!

Continue reading to the next page and learn about our marble toss game.

For more fun games and crafts, try:

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Marble Toss Game

Illustration of a boy playing a marble toss game
How high can you score?
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Playing this marble toss game is easy. Scoring high is not so easy! If you like easy crafts, you'll love this marble toss game.

What You'll Need:
  • Clean, dry egg carton
  • Black crayon
  • Five marbles
  • Large beach towel (optional)

With the black crayon, write "15" in the bottom of one egg section, "10" in two sections, "5" in three sections, and "1" in the remaining six sections. Either play this game on a rug or carpet or spread out a beach towel on the floor.

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Lay the carton on the rug or beach towel, and stand about five feet away. Toss your marbles, one at a time, into the egg carton, and add up your score.

When you think you're getting pretty good, challenge your friend to a game! The highest score wins.

Find out more about our traveling marbles game on the next page.

For more fun games and crafts, try:

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Traveling Marbles Game

Illustration of a boy playing a traveling marbles game
Concentrate and you will be on the other side of the room in a jiffy!
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Can you shoot your marbles straight enough to win this game? Try this traveling marbles game and see how far you can go. This marble game is perfect for kids that enjoy easy crafts.

Shooting marbles -- using one marble's motion to slam another marble into action -- is a game almost as old as time. Now see if you can master this fun new marble twist.

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What You'll Need:
  • About 10 marbles
  • A carpeted room
  • A clock

Move all the furniture aside so you have a nice straight line across your carpeted room. Set one marble in the middle of the room, one near one end and one near the other end. Keep the rest of the marbles with you.

The object of the game is to move from one end of the room to the other. But you can go only as far as your marbles go. Start at one end of the room. Shoot your marbles at the marble you placed close to the end of the room where you are.

Go up to the marble that came closest to your target, and start over. When you hit the first target marble, pick it up and start shooting toward the marble in the center of the room.

Keep track of how long it takes you to make the journey to the far end of the room, or keep track of how many shots it takes to get there. This will work only on smooth, thick carpet.

Textured carpeting will make the "journey" tough. And tile or wood floors will send your marbles rolling out of control.

Continue reading to the next page to find out more about our marble menagerie game. You'll be making animals out of marbles in no time!

For more fun games and crafts, try:

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Marble Menagerie Game

Illustration of a girl making animals with marbles
Make all sorts of animals with your marbles.
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Try this marble menagerie game and round out your animal collection with a little marble magic. If you enjoy easy crafts and marbles, this marble menagerie game is perfect for you!

What You'll Need:
  • Stiff cardboard
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Markers
  • Colored marbles
  • Craft glue
  • Colored paper

Cut a small piece of stiff cardboard about four by six inches long. Decorate it so it looks like an animal habitat or a cuddly pet bed. Now, follow the patterns above to make a marble mate -- or try some creatures of your own!

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Make a turtle (a circle of marbles for the shell, one marble each for the turtle's head, feet, and stubby tail), snake (six marbles laid end to end) or a marble cat (a pyramid of marbles with paper ears and tail added.)

Cut out small pieces of paper for eyes, ears, and other body parts to finish your creatures; add the details to the paper with markers. When the glue is dry, put your animal in its habitat!

For more fun games and crafts, try:

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Marble Games FAQ

What are marbles used for?
Marbles can be used for a variety of simple games.
How do you play the old fashioned marble game?
The old fashioned marble game is played by drawing a circle on the ground. Marbles are placed inside the circle and the goal of each player's turn is to hit one of the marbles and knock it out of the circle. The player with the most marbles at the end of the game wins.
What games can we play with marbles?
There are many simple games you can play with marbles including the Funhouse Marble Game, Marble Toss Game, Traveling Marbles Game and the Marble Menagerie Game.
How do you play shooter marbles?
Shooter marble is the term typically referred to as the largest marble in a pack. It's used in the traditional marble game to try to knock smaller marbles out of the ring.
What are the most valuable marbles?
Agate marbles are known as some of the most valuable marbles on the market.

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