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This Reading Mama

HearthSong Marble Runaround {Review and Giveaway}

By thisreadingmama 118 Comments

HearthSong Marble RunaroundFor 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”.

opening up the marble runaroundThe 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

HearthSong Marble RunaroundHe has had a blast placing the pieces in different configurations to watch the marble roll, race, and even jump.

marble run set and domino setHe’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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Becky

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Filed Under: Parenting

« Sight Words You Can See Giveaway Winner
The ABCs of Learning Toys and Manipulatives: Learning the Alphabet Through Play »

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    January 5, 2013 at 7:48 am

    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.

    Reply
  2. Kara Annis says

    January 5, 2013 at 7:49 am

    What a fun toy! I love that it is not plastic! This would make a great present for my little man’s upcoming birthday 😉

    Reply
  3. Lillian says

    January 5, 2013 at 7:58 am

    I would love to win this as a gift for a special little girl’s birthday surprise!

    Reply
  4. Camille says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:00 am

    I would love that my 5 year old would have a great way to stay entertained with the marbles we got him last weekend.

    Reply
  5. Shannon says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:10 am

    Wow! This looks great for my boys!

    Reply
  6. Holly says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:11 am

    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.

    Reply
  7. Jessica Lysse says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:12 am

    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!

    Reply
  8. Melissa Witte says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:16 am

    I like that it is wood, colorful, and doesn’t require batteries. Looks fun and my 4 year old would love it.

    Reply
  9. Gina says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:19 am

    I like the fact that it is made of wood. My sons would love it.

    Reply
  10. Beth says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:24 am

    I love. That it is wood! So much nicer than the hold set made of plastic we got at a garage sale!!!

    Reply
  11. Alisa says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:26 am

    what a great toy, I have a few builders in my house that would love this!!!

    Reply
  12. Elizabeth says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:29 am

    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.

    Reply
  13. Allison T says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:30 am

    What a neat mind challenging toy! Hunter loves to build towers, ramps, etc. I love reading your blogs and keeping up with the kiddos.

    Reply
  14. Tammy says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:43 am

    I love the cool colors and the fact it’s wooden. My son would love this!

    Reply
  15. Jennifer Freeman says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:06 am

    My son (also 7) loves building things too. I know he would have a blatant with this!

    Reply
  16. Jennifer Freeman says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:09 am

    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

    Reply
  17. Bethany says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:10 am

    The colors are great, I love wooden toys, and anything that inspires my children to create.

    Reply
  18. Magela Gonzalez says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:23 am

    I love this wooden toy. I know my son would love it too.

    Reply
  19. Bethany says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:25 am

    My girls would love this! My favorite part is that it is open ended and requires imagination!

    Reply
  20. Terry says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:30 am

    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.

    Reply
  21. Amber says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:33 am

    My son loves marble tracks and building. He would be in heaven with this! Great giveaway!! Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
  22. Jennifer H says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:40 am

    I like that it is made from wood and would keep my boys busy!

    Reply
  23. Stacey says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:43 am

    My son would love this and I love that it is made out of wood instead of plastic!

    Reply
  24. Amanda H says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:52 am

    This looks so fun…no batteries keeps the mind working in my opinion.

    Reply
  25. Melissa Mullins says

    January 5, 2013 at 9:58 am

    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.

    Reply
  26. luvnotsbyandi says

    January 5, 2013 at 10:38 am

    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!

    Reply
  27. Abby J says

    January 5, 2013 at 10:44 am

    I teach kindergarten and this would be great for my classroom!

    Reply
  28. lovnitt says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:15 am

    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)

    Reply
  29. Lindsay DeBlock says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:16 am

    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.

    Reply
  30. Chandra Bronander says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:41 am

    This is sooo cool! Thanks for the chance to win it!

    Reply
  31. Kim @ The Educators' Spin On It says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:45 am

    This is so neat for so many reasons! I love how coloful it is and that it’s made from wood and open ended!

    Reply
  32. Mary says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:47 am

    LOOOOOVE wooden toys – Ryan is like ALuv, as you know. Loves to build.

    Reply
  33. kelly tillotson says

    January 5, 2013 at 11:48 am

    i like that its wooden and long lasting–not to mention good old fashioned fun 🙂
    *kelly
    kelly-tillotson@hotmail.com

    Reply
  34. Emily says

    January 5, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    I love open ended toys for play. My 3 and 5 year old would love this and for years to come.

    Reply
  35. Yvette Colon Schreiber says

    January 5, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    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 😉

    Reply
  36. Stephanie says

    January 5, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    Looks like so much fun!

    Reply
  37. Cam Sasser says

    January 5, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    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.

    Reply
  38. Jessy at Our Side of the Mountain says

    January 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    I love that you can build and rebuild it into different runs!

    Reply
  39. Kelly D says

    January 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    I would enjoy watching my kids put this into different configurations.

    Reply
  40. Amy M says

    January 5, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    Endless play and learning opportunities from this!

    Reply
  41. Nicole says

    January 5, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    I love that it’s wooden and the bright colors,

    Reply
  42. kelly913 says

    January 5, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    I can see myself and hubby on the floor enjoying this right along with our 7 year old son!

    Reply
  43. Debs says

    January 5, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    That really is a great marble run. I love it! Do you know if they are available in Australia?

    Reply
  44. Peggy Warf says

    January 5, 2013 at 5:14 pm

    I love the wood and the colors. Also, my grandson and marble run can grow and change together.
    Great giveaway!

    Reply
  45. Melissa G. says

    January 5, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    That looks like a great set. Thanks for all your great ideas and giveaways.

    Reply
  46. C Moore says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    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.

    Reply
  47. thetravelingclassroom says

    January 6, 2013 at 7:44 am

    Being made of wood it will be around for a long time which is what I love about wooden toys:)

    Reply
  48. Yolanda says

    January 6, 2013 at 8:09 am

    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!

    Reply
  49. Ally says

    January 6, 2013 at 8:57 am

    I like that it requires no batteries and you can play it anywhere.

    Reply
  50. Dineen says

    January 6, 2013 at 11:13 am

    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.

    Reply
  51. Stephanie G. says

    January 6, 2013 at 11:13 am

    Looks like a great toy for my boys!

    Reply
  52. Linda says

    January 6, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    My kids love to build with blocks in my classroom and this would be a great addition to my block center.

    Reply
  53. Sasha Peterson says

    January 6, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    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!! 🙂

    Reply
  54. Carlin Lakey says

    January 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    Very fun and creative looking toy. My boys would love it.

    Reply
  55. christina says

    January 6, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    Love this marble run. I always forget to check out this company thanks for the reminder

    Reply
  56. Aadel says

    January 6, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    I love the creative colors and designs! And long-lasting wood? Yes please!

    Reply
  57. Misty says

    January 6, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    My 4-year-old daughter is quite a builder and would love this!

    Reply
  58. Marianne says

    January 6, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    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!

    Reply
  59. Whitney at It's Gravy, Baby! says

    January 6, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    I like that they can build it however they want. It looks like it’s great quality too!

    Reply
  60. Rebecca M. Sarine says

    January 6, 2013 at 9:46 pm

    what an exciting giveaway! my daughter really wants one of these and i would love to give it to her. so much imaginative play!

    Reply
  61. Jocelyn says

    January 7, 2013 at 7:12 am

    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.

    Reply
  62. Brooke Greenstreet says

    January 7, 2013 at 8:32 am

    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!

    Reply
  63. Bethany says

    January 7, 2013 at 10:48 am

    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!

    Reply
  64. Jessica says

    January 7, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I think I’d love to watch the creation process. I know watching the kids enjoy the results would be awesome!

    Reply
  65. Amber says

    January 7, 2013 at 11:31 am

    It looks like an awesome toy…my daughter would love it!

    Reply
  66. Karen says

    January 7, 2013 at 11:55 am

    My boys would love to play with this

    Reply
  67. Misti says

    January 7, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    I love the idea of this. I have never heard of this company so thanks for the heads up!

    Reply
  68. Rachael says

    January 7, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    I love that this is made from wood! My son would love it.

    Reply
  69. Jennifer says

    January 7, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    I love that this is opened ended play. It will keep the kids occupied for hours.

    Reply
  70. Audra says

    January 7, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    My 3 1/2 year old would love these!!!!!

    Reply
  71. RavenThreads says

    January 7, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    I love wooden toys, so that would top my list 🙂

    Reply
  72. etrieberbeth says

    January 7, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    My students could play for hours with this during inquiry time.

    Reply
  73. Carolyn says

    January 7, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    Wow! Wooden marble runs/mazes are so much nicer than plastic! I know my 5 year old would love this! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  74. Kathy says

    January 8, 2013 at 7:37 am

    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.

    Reply
  75. Kristi F says

    January 8, 2013 at 8:15 am

    I like the open ended play it provides, and that my boys could play with it for many years.

    Reply
  76. Deana says

    January 8, 2013 at 10:29 am

    What a great creative construction toy! My boys would love this.

    Reply
  77. Judi S. says

    January 8, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    My daughter loves to build things and then watching the marbles would add so much
    more enjoyment to her play. We would love it.

    Reply
  78. christine hammer weideman says

    January 8, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    that its made of durable wood

    Reply
  79. Jessica says

    January 8, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    I like that it isn’t plastic and it’s open-ended.

    Reply
  80. Heather says

    January 9, 2013 at 6:34 am

    I love how colorful it is!

    Reply
  81. Rachel says

    January 9, 2013 at 6:42 am

    I can think of a lot of ways to use this in my Preschool classroom. Love it!

    Reply
  82. Vicki says

    January 9, 2013 at 8:55 am

    Love this & love Hearth Song! It is one of our favorite online stores for our kids!

    Reply
  83. Julia says

    January 9, 2013 at 10:02 am

    What a great toy!!

    Reply
  84. Maria Newell says

    January 9, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    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!

    Reply
  85. Pam Medina says

    January 9, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    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!

    Reply
  86. Heidi says

    January 9, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    This is exactly the kind of toy my son loves – creative, open-ended, and FUN!

    Reply
  87. Heather says

    January 9, 2013 at 6:57 pm

    This is a great flexible toy! I think that all of the family would have fun with this. Thank you!

    Reply
  88. Amy Mc says

    January 9, 2013 at 9:47 pm

    hours of entertainment!

    Reply
  89. Lauren King says

    January 9, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    My girls would love to predict the path of the marble! So cute!

    Reply
  90. Katie @ Gift of Curiosity says

    January 10, 2013 at 1:17 am

    I’m not sure who would enjoy this more – my son or me!

    Reply
  91. Katherine Lockett says

    January 10, 2013 at 4:06 am

    This is gorgeous, we love wooden toys and this looks amazing! Hours of fun.

    Reply
  92. Sherry says

    January 10, 2013 at 7:06 am

    I love that it is wooden! Lovely sounds!

    Reply
  93. Jennifer carter says

    January 10, 2013 at 7:45 am

    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!

    Reply
  94. alizabeth palmer says

    January 10, 2013 at 8:13 am

    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…..

    Reply
  95. Krissy says

    January 10, 2013 at 8:38 am

    That my 4 and 6 year old could play together with it!

    Reply
  96. Ticia Adventures in Mommydom says

    January 10, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    It can also be used to build with

    Reply
  97. Lina says

    January 10, 2013 at 4:41 pm

    I love how it’s wood and how it encourages creativity!

    Reply
  98. Sue Urbanec says

    January 10, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    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!

    Reply
  99. Sue says

    January 11, 2013 at 7:11 am

    One of the highlights of our day is the marble trail!!

    Reply
  100. Alison says

    January 11, 2013 at 7:16 am

    Love that it is made of wood

    Reply
  101. JDaniel4's Mom says

    January 11, 2013 at 8:08 am

    I really love that it is open ended. The ramps can be made in so many ways! Cool!

    Reply
  102. Erin says

    January 11, 2013 at 8:31 am

    I love that it’s wood! It probably won’t break like our plastic marble run

    Reply
  103. nlieuopreschool says

    January 11, 2013 at 10:07 am

    We love marble runs and would love to win!!

    Reply
    • nlieuopreschool says

      January 11, 2013 at 10:08 am

      We love that you can build it all different ways!

      Reply
  104. kristydavies says

    January 11, 2013 at 11:36 am

    This toy looks awesome – great strategy thinking .. and makes the mind work to get all the pieces working together. great toy!!

    Reply
  105. Angela Robbins says

    January 11, 2013 at 11:50 am

    I love how open-ended it is and how it allows for a large age range! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂

    Reply
  106. Michelle says

    January 11, 2013 at 11:51 am

    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!

    Reply
  107. Vio says

    January 11, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    Great toy.

    Reply
  108. Jenn says

    January 11, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    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!!

    Reply
  109. mamamissblog says

    January 11, 2013 at 3:03 pm

    oooh love this! And {LOVE} wooden toys!!!

    Reply
  110. Angela Buschle says

    January 11, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    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!

    Reply
  111. Sonya says

    January 11, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    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.

    Reply
  112. Allison says

    January 11, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    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. 🙂

    Reply
  113. Kelly says

    January 11, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    It’s solid, so wouldn’t fall apart in a few months. My builder child would spend hours on this!

    Reply
  114. Teri Hamilton says

    January 11, 2013 at 11:22 pm

    Love it!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The ABC's of Learning Toys and Manipulatives: F-J | says:
    January 8, 2013 at 6:00 am

    […] the amazing giveaway for HearthSong’s wooden marble runaround (ends January 11th)!  Click HERE to […]

    Reply
  2. April and May Affiliates and Sponsors - This Reading Mama says:
    April 24, 2013 at 7:47 am

    […] of their products and will continue to buy from them.  So far, I have reviewed two of their toys: Wooden Marble Run Around and the Color Me […]

    Reply
  3. The ABCs of Learning Toys and Manipulatives: A-E says:
    November 18, 2013 at 5:32 am

    […] forget to enter the giveaway for the Wooden Marble Runaround from HearthSong this week only (click HERE to enter the […]

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Becky, a homeschooling mama with 4 blessings who keep me on my toes {and knees}. Before homeschooling, I was a classroom teacher (M.Ed.) and reading tutor. Read more about me here.

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