For ALuv’s 7th birthday this year, we purchased him this domino set (plus the 24-piece add on set) from HearthSong. He fell in love from the moment he laid eyes on it. He is my builder. Has been since day one. So you can probably imagine the excitement this boy had when HearthSong sent us a wooden marble runaround for him to “test out”.
The day the package arrived, he was quite literally jumping up and down. NJoy and MBug were excited to see what was inside the box as well.
My Engineer and His Marble Runaround
He has had a blast placing the pieces in different configurations to watch the marble roll, race, and even jump.
He’s combined it with his domino set quite a few times for one monster of a marble run! 🙂 It’s so fun to watch his engineering mind in motion.
NJoy (currently 4) and MBug (currently 2.5) have also played with it, building smaller sets and watching the marble roll and jump. (Note: I supervise while my MBug plays, especially with the marbles, as it is recommended for ages 4 and up.)
These are a Few of my Favorite Things
1. It’s wooden. I love wooden toys because for one, they don’t require batteries and two, for their durability.
2. The pieces are very colorful, whimsical and would work for both boys and girls.
3. It can grow with the child. Some of the pieces from the set can be played with by younger children as blocks. For example, NSis (10 months old) likes to play with the largest pieces in the set. As the child grows, certain pieces can be added. And, as you can see, my 7 year old loves to play with the set. Mom and dad have been “caught” on occasion playing with it (but, shhhh…don’t tell).
More Thoughts on the Marble Runaround
When I asked ALuv to tell me what he liked best and what he liked least about the marble runaround, he gave me the same answer: there’s no diagram or specific instructions included on how to use all the pieces to build a marble run. Because there are no instructions, he can build it any way he wants. Open-ended. A builder’s dream, right? Because there are no specific instructions, there are a few pieces he’s still not sure how to set up. {I honestly like that he hasn’t been able to figure it all out, yet. It keeps him coming back to it…a puzzle he has yet to solve completely.}
*I was provided a wooden marble runaround free of charge from HearthSong in exchange for my honest review. To read more, you can view my disclosure policy.
Want a chance to win this wooden marble runaround from HearthSong? Then, enter via the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends Friday, January 11th and the winner will be announced on this same post on Saturday, January 12th. Please be sure to read the terms and conditions before entering. Note that the only mandatory entry is a comment on this blog post. All other entries are optional.
~Becky
Jennifer says
I am relieved it is made of wood and not marble 😉 My 3 year old would love this brightly colored stacking toy! I like that it develops motor and mental skills the best.
Kara Annis says
What a fun toy! I love that it is not plastic! This would make a great present for my little man’s upcoming birthday 😉
Lillian says
I would love to win this as a gift for a special little girl’s birthday surprise!
Camille says
I would love that my 5 year old would have a great way to stay entertained with the marbles we got him last weekend.
Shannon says
Wow! This looks great for my boys!
Holly says
My son LOVES any and all kinds of marble runs and my 7 year old is a little engineer in the making! This would be the perfect toy for our family.
Jessica Lysse says
i like that it can be different every time you pull the toy out! And also that it’s not huge! Nora would love this! The marble run at the toy store is her favorite thing to play with in there, but we don’t have room for something like that at our house. This would be perfect!
Melissa Witte says
I like that it is wood, colorful, and doesn’t require batteries. Looks fun and my 4 year old would love it.
Gina says
I like the fact that it is made of wood. My sons would love it.
Beth says
I love. That it is wood! So much nicer than the hold set made of plastic we got at a garage sale!!!
Alisa says
what a great toy, I have a few builders in my house that would love this!!!
Elizabeth says
I love that it is made of wood. We’ve been using cardboard tubes taped to the wall as a marble run. My son would love this sturdier version.
Allison T says
What a neat mind challenging toy! Hunter loves to build towers, ramps, etc. I love reading your blogs and keeping up with the kiddos.
Tammy says
I love the cool colors and the fact it’s wooden. My son would love this!
Jennifer Freeman says
My son (also 7) loves building things too. I know he would have a blatant with this!
Jennifer Freeman says
That last comment should have said “have a blast”, not blatant. Lol. I also meant to add that I love that the toy is made of wood
Bethany says
The colors are great, I love wooden toys, and anything that inspires my children to create.
Magela Gonzalez says
I love this wooden toy. I know my son would love it too.
Bethany says
My girls would love this! My favorite part is that it is open ended and requires imagination!
Terry says
I have a small set from when my almost 16 year old son was smaller. My 4 year old son now plays with it and has a great time. I’m with you on the no batteries and forces creativity aspect of toys like this! Thank you for the opportunity.
Amber says
My son loves marble tracks and building. He would be in heaven with this! Great giveaway!! Thanks for the chance!
Jennifer H says
I like that it is made from wood and would keep my boys busy!
Stacey says
My son would love this and I love that it is made out of wood instead of plastic!
Amanda H says
This looks so fun…no batteries keeps the mind working in my opinion.
Melissa Mullins says
My son is six and he is also our “builder”. I love that I could see invision him playing with this excitedly on a daily basis.
luvnotsbyandi says
I think that my son will LOVE this! He is 3 and already builds castles and towns and houses with blocks…this will be a great addition! And. … yes.. supervised!! 🙂 Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful gift!
Abby J says
I teach kindergarten and this would be great for my classroom!
lovnitt says
So many things we love about this! Wooden toys, open-ended play, construction–but the colors are so much fun I’m going to say that’s what I think I’ll love the best. :o)
Lindsay DeBlock says
Thank you for the chance to win! This was on my daughter’s Christmas list. I love watching her figure things out as she builds.
Chandra Bronander says
This is sooo cool! Thanks for the chance to win it!
Kim @ The Educators' Spin On It says
This is so neat for so many reasons! I love how coloful it is and that it’s made from wood and open ended!
Mary says
LOOOOOVE wooden toys – Ryan is like ALuv, as you know. Loves to build.
kelly tillotson says
i like that its wooden and long lasting–not to mention good old fashioned fun 🙂
*kelly
kelly-tillotson@hotmail.com
Emily says
I love open ended toys for play. My 3 and 5 year old would love this and for years to come.
Yvette Colon Schreiber says
I have been looking for a “marble chaser” for quite sometime now! I was hoping to get one for my son-in-law for Christmas but was just not happy with the one’s I saw simply for the appearance, s
challenge and cost 🙁 He mentioned a while back how he always wanted a marble-chaser for Christmas but never got one! I would love to enter and hope that I could win him this wooden marble runaway!! It’s been hard to find one made from wood! It would make a great surprise…he’s a fantastic son-in-law 😉
Stephanie says
Looks like so much fun!
Cam Sasser says
My boys would love building and using it, and I’d love watching them! I also love that it’s wood and so brightly colored.
Jessy at Our Side of the Mountain says
I love that you can build and rebuild it into different runs!
Kelly D says
I would enjoy watching my kids put this into different configurations.
Amy M says
Endless play and learning opportunities from this!
Nicole says
I love that it’s wooden and the bright colors,
kelly913 says
I can see myself and hubby on the floor enjoying this right along with our 7 year old son!
Debs says
That really is a great marble run. I love it! Do you know if they are available in Australia?
Peggy Warf says
I love the wood and the colors. Also, my grandson and marble run can grow and change together.
Great giveaway!
Melissa G. says
That looks like a great set. Thanks for all your great ideas and giveaways.
C Moore says
I teach 6 boys who have autism. this would be a great addition to my classroom. I could see it get a lot of play~~ Lots of language activities.
thetravelingclassroom says
Being made of wood it will be around for a long time which is what I love about wooden toys:)
Yolanda says
I love how this encourages creativity and problem solving. My boys would enjoy this for years, ages 7,5,3 and 11 months. Great site and giveaway!
Ally says
I like that it requires no batteries and you can play it anywhere.
Dineen says
My daughter is not a big builder, but she loves to watch marbles in marble runs. I love that the sturdy wood pieces look like they would provide some better successes in creating a decent run. We’ve tried making marble runs with paper tubes and paper plates and the frustration factor is just too high. The brightly colored patterned blocks also look like they would hold her interest for building longer as well.
Stephanie G. says
Looks like a great toy for my boys!
Linda says
My kids love to build with blocks in my classroom and this would be a great addition to my block center.
Sasha Peterson says
This looks so cool! I have been looking at marble run toys but haven’t been able to find the money to get one! I have three boys that would LOVE this!! 🙂
Carlin Lakey says
Very fun and creative looking toy. My boys would love it.
christina says
Love this marble run. I always forget to check out this company thanks for the reminder
Aadel says
I love the creative colors and designs! And long-lasting wood? Yes please!
Misty says
My 4-year-old daughter is quite a builder and would love this!
Marianne says
With a large family, having open-ended toys is a must. They are more suited for sharing and creative play. This marble run looks great!
Whitney at It's Gravy, Baby! says
I like that they can build it however they want. It looks like it’s great quality too!
Rebecca M. Sarine says
what an exciting giveaway! my daughter really wants one of these and i would love to give it to her. so much imaginative play!
Jocelyn says
I love how I can use it with so many different students! They love to build and it allows them to build it how they like it. I also like how I can teach about cause and effect in a fun and colorful way.
Brooke Greenstreet says
I :LOVE that the pieces don’t need to lock together like plastic sets- my boy turns 6 in a couple weeks and this would be PERFECT for his birthday!
Bethany says
I like that it can be interchangeable since they don’t have to fit together like the plastic one. My parents have a plastic one and my daughter LOVES playing with it when we visit them, this would be a perfect addition to our home!
Jessica says
I think I’d love to watch the creation process. I know watching the kids enjoy the results would be awesome!
Amber says
It looks like an awesome toy…my daughter would love it!
Karen says
My boys would love to play with this
Misti says
I love the idea of this. I have never heard of this company so thanks for the heads up!
Rachael says
I love that this is made from wood! My son would love it.
Jennifer says
I love that this is opened ended play. It will keep the kids occupied for hours.
Audra says
My 3 1/2 year old would love these!!!!!
RavenThreads says
I love wooden toys, so that would top my list 🙂
etrieberbeth says
My students could play for hours with this during inquiry time.
Carolyn says
Wow! Wooden marble runs/mazes are so much nicer than plastic! I know my 5 year old would love this! Thanks for hosting!
Kathy says
What a SUPER NICE giveaway! Both my children would love this! They can have fun and learn at the same time = BONUS! Thank you for offering this.
Kristi F says
I like the open ended play it provides, and that my boys could play with it for many years.
Deana says
What a great creative construction toy! My boys would love this.
Judi S. says
My daughter loves to build things and then watching the marbles would add so much
more enjoyment to her play. We would love it.
christine hammer weideman says
that its made of durable wood
Jessica says
I like that it isn’t plastic and it’s open-ended.
Heather says
I love how colorful it is!
Rachel says
I can think of a lot of ways to use this in my Preschool classroom. Love it!
Vicki says
Love this & love Hearth Song! It is one of our favorite online stores for our kids!
Julia says
What a great toy!!
Maria Newell says
My best friend has adopted a little boy and she has been trying to be consistant in using mostly natural, open ended play kinds of toys. She is a single mom, and if I won this I would give it to her for her son as a way to give back to her for all the things she has done with me. I love all of the possilbilities that a child can do with this item and the fact that it can be combined with other building toys to create something wonderful!
Pam Medina says
I love toys that develop creativity and thinking skills such as this one! Both my grandchildren and my preschool class would have hours of fun with it for years to come!
Heidi says
This is exactly the kind of toy my son loves – creative, open-ended, and FUN!
Heather says
This is a great flexible toy! I think that all of the family would have fun with this. Thank you!
Amy Mc says
hours of entertainment!
Lauren King says
My girls would love to predict the path of the marble! So cute!
Katie @ Gift of Curiosity says
I’m not sure who would enjoy this more – my son or me!
Katherine Lockett says
This is gorgeous, we love wooden toys and this looks amazing! Hours of fun.
Sherry says
I love that it is wooden! Lovely sounds!
Jennifer carter says
I love it! I am not a fan of all the plastic toys and all of the noises. We really limit what we get for our two children and this appears to be a high quality product that they would have a lot of fun with and that I would like too!
alizabeth palmer says
I would have to agree with everyone…It is a beautiful whimsical open-ended fun toy to play with ….perfect to encourage young ones to think outside what they “should” do and create their own masterpiece…..
Krissy says
That my 4 and 6 year old could play together with it!
Ticia Adventures in Mommydom says
It can also be used to build with
Lina says
I love how it’s wood and how it encourages creativity!
Sue Urbanec says
I love that these are made out of wood! I ran a preschool and had the plastic ones that were always getting stepped on and broken. I can see these would last a lot longer. I have gone from teaching 16+ at a time to teaching just one, my sweet granddaughter, and I know she would love this!
Sue says
One of the highlights of our day is the marble trail!!
Alison says
Love that it is made of wood
JDaniel4's Mom says
I really love that it is open ended. The ramps can be made in so many ways! Cool!
Erin says
I love that it’s wood! It probably won’t break like our plastic marble run
nlieuopreschool says
We love marble runs and would love to win!!
nlieuopreschool says
We love that you can build it all different ways!
kristydavies says
This toy looks awesome – great strategy thinking .. and makes the mind work to get all the pieces working together. great toy!!
Angela Robbins says
I love how open-ended it is and how it allows for a large age range! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
Michelle says
It is durable. With five kids, we need toys that will last! I love that it is made out of wood and the kids use their imaginations to create. What a great toy!
Vio says
Great toy.
Jenn says
I want to thank you… I enjoy your thoughts and enjoy reading your opinion and ideas…. I am trying to make sure I purchase things that will last… with 3 girls I don’t want to keep replacing toys & having things that are good for all ages works in my best interest. Less clutter!!
mamamissblog says
oooh love this! And {LOVE} wooden toys!!!
Angela Buschle says
I love the open-ended nature of this toy. It allows for different levels of engagement at different ages, and encourages children to be creative!
Sonya says
My kids would LOVE this marble run! And I love that they can get creative with it – I could see it keeping them entertained for a very long time.
Allison says
We have a similar set, and my boys love it! I would love to expand to our collection. With four boys, it would be nice if they could all play at once. 🙂
Kelly says
It’s solid, so wouldn’t fall apart in a few months. My builder child would spend hours on this!
Teri Hamilton says
Love it!