34 Fun and Clever Marble Games for Kids

We’re losing our marbles over them!

Examples of marble games including marble painting and pool noodle marble run.
We Are Teachers / Jay Lee Painting via YouTube / Kidspot via YouTube

The world of marbles goes far beyond just pretty glass balls. There’s even specific terminology like shooter, aggie, and knuckle down. While there are plenty of games you can play with just a simple tin or bag of marbles, there are also many specialized marble games you can buy. Whether it’s playing classic marbles, creating a homemade marble run, or playing a game like KerPlunk, there are many benefits for players of all ages. Young kids can improve their fine motor skills while older kids can hone their logic and reasoning skills, all while having fun! Grab some friends and check out our favorite marble games.

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Best Marble Sets

Best DIY Marble Games

Best Marble Games to Buy

Best Marble Sets

Before you get started playing these marble games, you’ll need a set of marbles. Here are some to consider:

Best DIY Marble Games and Activities

1. Shooting Marbles

Before playing marble games, it is important to learn some basic techniques like how to shoot a marble. The child in this video does a good job explaining how!

2. Classic Marbles

This is a classic marbles game that requires only a bag of marbles and some string or painter’s tape to designate the playing area. Players attempt to use shooters (a designated marble) to try to knock marbles outside the circle while keeping their shooter inside the playing area.

3. Mini Marble Golf

This game combines the competitiveness of mini golf with the fun of marbles. Simply dig a marble-sized hole outside and then take turns trying to roll your marble into the hole. If you miss, you hit the marble on your second try from wherever it landed after the first roll. See how many holes in one you can get while having a blast with your friends!

4. Off the Wall

All you need to play this fun game is an empty cup, a marble, and a wall. Try different ways of getting your marble to bounce off the wall and then into the cup. But be careful that there’s nothing breakable nearby!

5. The Conqueror

A hand is seen flicking a marble toward other marbles.
tacojim/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Before playing, each of the three players is assigned 10 marbles. Create a line on the floor and have players shoot a marble toward the line—the closest gets to go first. Player one throws a marble anywhere they like, and then player two must try to throw their marble and hit the first one. If the marbles collide, the original marble is captured, but if they miss, that marble stays in play. Player three has the option to hit either of the marbles if both remain in play. If a player hits multiple marbles with one throw, they get to keep them all. Play continues until there are no more marbles left in the middle. The player with the most marbles is then declared the winner.

6. Pool Noodle Marble Race

We love that a couple of recycled items and some marbles can serve up so much fun. Grab some pool noodles, masking tape, and an old shoebox, and then get to work creating a racetrack for your marbles. Finally, grab your favorite marble and race your bestie!

7. Guess the Number of Marbles

Marble games include guess how many marbles like this glass jar that is filled with colorful marbles
Philip Cacka/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Fill a jar with marbles and then have players guess how many marbles are in the jar. The player to come the closest is declared the winner.

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8. Marble Painting

While this isn’t a game, it is a really fun activity that can be done with marbles, a plastic tray, paper, and some paint. Simply pick your paint colors, dip the marbles in them, and then roll the marbles around the paper. Once dry, you have some really neat art to display.

9. Clothespin Marble Run

This marble run is both easy and fun. It can be made from things you probably already have lying around the house.

10. Bullseye Marbles

This one is so easy: Just draw a ring on the ground with chalk and create sections that are worth different amounts of points (similar to a dartboard). Be sure to make the bullseye in the center worth the most points. Finally, roll your marbles and see who earns the most points.

11. Marble Toss

Simply set up some plastic cups or containers and then assign points for each container. (Tip: Make the closer cups worth fewer points and the farthest cup or cups worth the most.) Each player gets a set number of marbles and must try to toss them into the cups. The player with the most points at the end is the winner.

12. Pop-Its

What’s more calming than a good fidget toy? Grab those Pop-Its and some marbles and play around for the ultimate sensory experience.

13. Cherry Pit

We love marble games that require little more than marbles! Before playing this fun game, dig a 1-foot hole in the ground. Players take turns flicking their marbles toward the hole, being careful not to let it actually fall into the “cherry pit”! The player who comes the closest to the hole without getting it in wins!

14. Thin Ice

A thin sheet is held up with a small container underneath. Marbles are balancing on top of the sheet in this example of marble games.
Barley & Birch/DIY Thin Ice Game via barleyandbirch.com

If you were a fan of the game Don’t Break the Ice growing up, you will love this DIY version using marbles. Some cardboard, an embroidery hoop, and paper towels are all you need to play.

Learn more: Thin Ice Game at Barley & Birch

15. DIY Newton’s Cradle

A marble game that also doubles as a science lesson? Yes, please! Popsicle sticks, string, hot glue, and marbles are all it takes to make your very own Newton’s cradle!

16. Ultimate Marble Run/Dominoes

While we love a marble game that requires minimal supplies, we also love the idea of using a ton of supplies! This marble run utilizes store-bought runs in addition to dominoes, Jenga pieces, train tracks, and other supplies.

17. Booby Trap

To start, gather a bunch of pens or pencils on a flat surface and then arrange them as a maze for a few marbles to pass through. Once done, test your maze with a marble and then begin introducing booby traps into the equation. These can include bottle caps, double-sided tape, etc. See how many booby traps your marbles can pass through without getting caught!

18 & 19. Marble Scoop (0:00 – 1:46) and Speedy Marble Catch (1:47 – 2:56)

Marble games are fun, but they can also be really useful as a teaching tool. All you need for Marble Scoop is a shallow container of water, a scoop of some sort, and a whole lot of marbles. Toddlers and preschoolers can improve their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills while they have fun fishing the marbles out of the water.

For Speedy Marble Catch, all you need are some marbles and a plastic cup and then you are ready to play. One player sits across from the “catcher” and simply rolls marbles across a flat surface while their friend traps them with the cup. Depending on the age of the catcher, you can roll more than one marble at a time and at varying speeds.

Marble Games To Buy

20. Trestle Tracks

Clear plastic squares that fit together come together with a few brightly colored oddly shaped pieces to form a marble run.
Amazon

If you have kids who love to build, this is the perfect marble game for them! You can follow the supplied directions and create one of the pre-established marble runs or create your own. We especially love that it includes a piece that makes the marbles alternate direction.

Buy it: Trestle Tracks at Amazon

21. KerPlunk

A game box is shown and a contraption that is a clear tube with sticks through the middle.
Amazon

Many parents and teachers probably remember playing this game growing up since it has been around since the 1960s. Regardless of whether you are 6 or 60, you will love trying to pull a stick without making all those beautiful marbles go “kerplunk!”

Buy it: KerPlunk at Amazon

22. Gravity Maze

A box says Gravity Maze. Clear cubes with hints of blue, orange, red, and purple, are configured together to form a maze.
Amazon

This game is challenging for anyone from upper elementary school to adult since it features different difficulty levels. Players select a challenge card and then attempt to build a maze that will allow the marble to travel to its end destination.

Buy it: Gravity Maze at Amazon

23. Chinese Checkers

A wooden circle has holes carved in it in the shape of a star. The tips of each point of the star are made from red, black, blue, green, white, and yellow marbles.
Amazon

We love the idea of unplugging with a simple and classic game like Chinese checkers. This set is both attractive and affordable.

Buy it: Chinese Checkers at Amazon

24. Flying Marbles

A blue and green scale is seen holding marbles. A box says Flying Marbles
Amazon

Marble games that combine skill, strategy, and fun are tops in our book. Players aim their jump and then launch their marble. Points are scored when a marble lands in one of the 10 different scoring holes in the stadium.

Buy it: Flying Marbles at Amazon

25. Magnetic Marble Run

A white box shows thin differently shaped magnetic pieces. Text reads Magnetic Marble Run. Blue marbles are also shown.
Amazon

Another marble run except this time it’s magnetic! While there are a lot of marble runs on the market, this one is unique thanks to its thin, magnetic pieces. The junior engineer in your life will surely love this set.

Buy it: Magnetic Marble Run at Amazon

26. Shoot the Moon

A thin wooden board has different marble size holes that are labeled with the planet names. Two metal poles are extended horizontally above the board. A small metal marble is included.
Amazon

This is a classic game that is equally attractive and fun to play! It looks so nice, it would even make for nice decor for a living room or office. The metal marble is balanced on the metal tracks and then dropped into one of the planet holes to try to score points.

Buy it: Shoot the Moon at Amazon

27. Rock Me Archimedes

Marble games include this wooden balance board that has slots for blue and white marbles on both sides.
Amazon

Although simple, this game forces players to make the most of their critical thinking skills. Players race against one another while trying to be the first to get four of their marbles to the end of the board.

Buy it: Rock Me Archimedes at Amazon

28. Marble Maze

A wooden circle is carved into a maze in this example of marble games.
Amazon

Marble games like this one that help little ones develop their fine motor and decision-making skills are some of the best!

Buy it: Marble Maze at Amazon

29. Jokers & Marbles

Wooden puzzle pieces and marbles are shown in this example of marble games.
Amazon

The well-made game board and pretty glass marbles will certainly be a hit at family game night.

Buy it: Jokers & Marbles at Amazon

30. Klask

This game is similar to foosball in that players control their peg and try to score by getting their marble into the other player’s goal. And it’s portable so you can bring the fun with you!

Buy it: Klask at Amazon

31. Marble Tree

A toddler boy is sitting in front of a tall wooden tree with brightly colored leaves. The base is holding marbles in this example of marble games.
Amazon

This is an adorable marble run in the shape of a tree. It will have your toddler or preschooler mesmerized as they watch the marbles travel down the branches.

Buy it: Marble Tree at Amazon

32. 3D Gravity Maze Ball

A blue 3D maze ball is shown in this example of marble games.
Amazon

The 3D shape of this maze ball gives it that little something extra that sets it apart from other marble mazes. Adults and kids alike will find it entertaining.

Buy it: 3D Gravity Maze Ball at Amazon

33. Giggle Wiggle

A little girl sits in front of a game box and a caterpillar tower that has many arms that are holding marbles in this example of marble games.
Amazon

This game is perfect for working on little ones’ fine motor skills since they will have to balance their marbles on the caterpillar’s arms while it wiggles all around.

Buy it: Giggle Wiggle at Amazon

34. Glow-in-the-Dark Marble Run

Many multi-colored pieces come together to form an obstacle course for marbles. A game box is also shown and a box of marbles.
Amazon

National Geographic makes some of the most unique marble runs on the market, and we especially love that this one features marbles that glow in the dark!

Buy it: National Geographic Marble Run at Amazon

If you like these marble games and are looking for more play-based learning, try these Educational Board Games for your little learners.

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Whether it's playing classic marbles, creating a homemade marble run, or playing a game like KerPlunk, marble games have many benefits.