The National Geographic Marble Run is a Blast of fun for kids and adults

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There is not better way to have fun with your kids and learn at the same time that with a marble run. Both parents and experts agree that the National Geographic Marble run is not just affordable but also educational and fun to play with.

If you’ve been looking for that special, different, and educational gift for your kids, this is the page you want to read.

National Geographic Marble Run
National Geographic Glow in the dark Marble Run

Contents

Technical Specifications

Size14.02 x 4.02 x 10 inches
BrandNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
MaterialMarble
Age Range (Description)8 years & up
Item Weight15.5 ounces
Batteries1 CR2 batteries required. (included)
Sale
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
  • STURDY TIGHT-FIT PIECES – This construction kit is designed to fit together snuggly so your marble maze won’t fall apart while you play. With 5 sturdy bases, 15 exciting action pieces, and 45...
  • GLOW IN THE DARK MARBLES – The marble run kit includes 6 different colors of glow in the dark glass marbles that shine bright as they zig-zag down the marble run. Also Includes UV light to quickly...

This marble run comes with sturdy tight-fit pieces

Nat Geo marble run box contents
Contents of the package

This National Geographic marble run has that mesmerizing effect of making people stare at marbles while they move through the track. This toy is both educational and relaxing.

You will have a pleasant and relaxing time looking at how marbles run through the track and make it to the end. Yet this is not all, because there is also joy in the assembly process of the track.

The National Geographic glowing marble run ensures you have a great time with sturdy and strong plastic pieces that fit together tightly to give birth to any marble run you can imagine.

These pieces will fit into place so well that you won’t have to worry about the structure to fall apart while your kids are playing.

There are kits with more pieces available and these are compatible with each other in case you decide you need more pieces. This is the small set and it comes with 80 pieces.

Marble run National Geographic with glow in the dark marbles

national geographic glowing marble run
National Geographic glowing marble run

If having a marble run was not cool enough, how about enjoying a bright glow show in the dark?

This marble run by National Geographic set comes with a UV light to make your marbles glow in the dark. Just light up the marbles with the UV lamp and these will shine bright as they zig zag down the track.

Your National Geographic marble run set includes 6 different colors of glow in the dark marbles, so if you decide to turn off the lights while having fun with this set you’ll also enjoy a shining-light show as the marbles move through the marble run.

This glow effect puts that “wow effect” in your kids’ face when they see the marbles shining and racing through the whole set.

Convenient storage for the Nat Geo marble run

nat geo marble run
Nat Geo marble run

The Nat Geo marble run set comes with a convenient and useful mesh bag that you can use to store all the pieces of your set when it is not in use.

This comes very handy because this marble run set is intended to have many different configurations, so pretty often you’ll assemble and disassemble it.

When this happens, more than likely you’ll have some pieces apart that won’t be used, and so it is very helpful to have some sort of storage to keep all your pieces together.

This mesh bag makes all the difference when the fun is over, and this is a key piece you will want to have handy when is needed.

A great STEM toy

national geographic marble run ideas
National Geographic marble run ideas

This glowing marble run construction set is perfect to explain and experiment with physics concepts such as position, speed, velocity and acceleration.

When you grow up and get in touch with Physics assignments involving these topics it can be pretty hard to understand them, but if you have a previous reference of how these concepts work, the task is much less intimidating and challenging.

Kids with previous experience with these marble sets are pretty well versed when they have to explain or understand Physics concepts.

Just so you can seize how big this impact is, we are talking about concepts that students get in touch with until they are 15 and older. But the National Geographic glow in the dark marble run is suited for 8 years old and up.

That is a 7 years difference. And while your kid won’t be dealing with the equations and advanced mathematics these calculations require, the important part here is the conceptualization and understanding of things like speed and acceleration.

The National Geographic marble run is such a great tool to explain your kid in simple and fun ways complex concepts like these.

And… just in case you think this is not such a big deal, here is an infographic where I tried to explain these concepts in simple terms and with animations included.

Give it a read and you’ll see it is not as simple as you think. So I definitely vote for a marble run when thinking about explaining and having fun with concepts like speed and velocity.

The National Geographic glowing marble run is a high quality set

national geographic marble maze
Marble maze by National Geographic

There are many marble runs like the National Geographic one out there, and while some of those products are great quality as well, this is not the case for all of them.

Marble runs are so fantastic because they allow marbles to run smoothly through a track over and over.

Some other marble runs don’t fit together that tight and the structure is not strong enough to hold itself together.

In some cases you’ll see seams in the plastic pieces that will interfere with the marble movement. These seems could be between fitting pieces or individual parts as well.

Any high quality marble run maker knows this, and the National Geographic one is not the exception. Besides, remember Nat Geo is a very well-known brand and they have a reputation to maintain.

National Geographic marble run review and best offer

This is a review of the National Geographic marble run and a showcase as well.

Sale
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
  • STURDY TIGHT-FIT PIECES – This construction kit is designed to fit together snuggly so your marble maze won’t fall apart while you play. With 5 sturdy bases, 15 exciting action pieces, and 45...
  • GLOW IN THE DARK MARBLES – The marble run kit includes 6 different colors of glow in the dark glass marbles that shine bright as they zig-zag down the marble run. Also Includes UV light to quickly...

Advantages of the marble run by National Geographic versus others

It is a Nat Geo product: This marble run set is backed by the name and signature of a company that delivers great quality content and products for the public. That is not all, but National Geographic has always strived to release educational and useful products people can also enjoy.

More than 10,000 positive reviews online: Only at Amazon, this National Geographic marble run has over 10,000 reviews and comments from people who say they love the product.

Glow in the dark: If a marble run was not cool enough, how about having the marbles glow in the dark? The National Geographic glowing marble run can do this and you’ll love how it looks in the dark.

Sturdy and resistant plastic parts: Any high quality marble run needs to have strong pieces to hold itself together. This marble run set achieves this with ease thanks to its strong plastic parts that also fit together tightly for a more secure assembly.

Unbeatable price: This small set is less than 30 USD at the moment of this writing. Other marble run sets are sold for the double of this price, and while some of those justify the price, the Nat Geo marble run delivers a great experience at a great price.

Fun and educational: This Nat Geo marble run is fun to assemble and play with, an once you build it, watching the marbles run is pretty exciting. Yet during the building and racing, kids get in touch with complex Physics concepts that will shape their understanding of the world.

Compatible with other marble run sets: This Nat Geo marble run set is not only compatible with the larger kits available, but also it is compatible with the Marble Genius marble run sets. You can also select different versions of this toy like the National Geographic marble run 50 piece set, which is cheaper as well.

Relaxing toy: Marble runs have the power to relax anybody by just staring at the movement of the marbles through the track. It has to do with both the sound the marble produces while going down the track and watching the actual marble running through the set.

Other Nat Geo marble run kits

Image
Starter set
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 150 Piece Construction Set with 30 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative STEM Toy for Girls and Boys
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 250 Piece Construction Set with 50 Glow In The Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative Stem Toy For Girls & Boys
Item
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 150 Piece Construction Set with 30 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative STEM Toy for Girls and Boys
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 250 Piece Construction Set with 50 Glow In The Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative Stem Toy For Girls & Boys
Number of parts
80
150
250
-
-
-
-
-
-
$29.79
$64.99
$84.99
Starter set
Image
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
Item
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
Number of parts
80
-
-
$29.79
Image
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 150 Piece Construction Set with 30 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative STEM Toy for Girls and Boys
Item
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 150 Piece Construction Set with 30 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative STEM Toy for Girls and Boys
Number of parts
150
-
-
$64.99
Image
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 250 Piece Construction Set with 50 Glow In The Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative Stem Toy For Girls & Boys
Item
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 250 Piece Construction Set with 50 Glow In The Dark Glass Marbles, Mesh Storage Bag, Great Creative Stem Toy For Girls & Boys
Number of parts
250
-
-
$84.99

Other interesting releases from National Geographic

National Geographic marble run ideas to have fun with

This is a review of the National Geographic marble run and a showcase as well. You can get crazy with these sets and put them together in so many ways.

Take a look at the Nat Geo glowing marble run in action and see how fun and entertaining it is.

National Geographic Glow-in-the Dark Marble Run review

What you need to know before buying the Nat Geo glowing marble run

marble run national geographic
Marble run National Geographic

This is the 80 pieces set. There are other marble runs sets from National Geographic that you’ll see online. The one you can see on this page is the 80 piece set, the smallest one.

When you open the box, you will find an instructions booklet that will give you a general idea of how to assemble each piece and the purpose of each part, but it won’t have any instructions to build a specific set.

This can be an inconvenience for some people as they expect the set to have some instructions, but this is not the case.

On the other hand, this also gives plenty of freedom to your kid to play around with the different parts available and build the National Geographic marble run with as many designs as she or he can imagine.

I wanted to state this clearly so you have a better idea of what to expect. A quick fix to this is in YouTube. There are many great videos with proposed configurations that you can experiment with.

Bear in mind that some of those videos may use a larger set, so they have more parts available to assemble.

Here are the different Natural Geographic marble run designs sets in case you want to consider getting a larger kit.

FAQs about the National Geographic Marble Run

1. What age is the National Geographic marble run for?

This Nat Geo marble run is for kids 8+ years old.

2. How much does the Nat Geo glowing marble run cost?

It depends on which model you decide to get. Here are the different models for you to consider.

3. Is Marble genius compatible with National Geographic?

Yes, both sets can share parts as these fit together well. This means the possibilities are endless in terms of how many different configurations there are.

4. What do kids learn from marble runs?

Marble runs involve several STEM topics and assignments, especially those involved with engineering.

The assembly of the marble run will help your kid understand how structures should be built to be solid and stable.

Once the marbles run through the track, Physics concepts such as position, speed, velocity, and acceleration are easier to explain.

5. Are marble runs safe?

Yes. Yet it is always recommended to have adults present when kids play with marble runs since marbles should not be swallowed.

This is why marble runs are intended to be used by kids of 8 years and older.

6. How do you make a National Geographic glow-in-the-dark marble run?

Using the UV light lamp included you can light the marbles and “charge” them. Then when you turn off the lights, the marbles will use that charge and glow in the dark.

Final thoughts: The National Geographic glowing marble run is lots of fun for kids

National Geographic is a very well established and known brand around the globe. They create products and content that people enjoy and learn from.

The same is true for this Marble run glowing set. They have put a lot of effort in releasing a product that is both fun and educational.

The National Geographic marble run set is the answer for parents looking for entertaining, educational and fun toys that their kids can learn from while they play.

Look no further and get your National Geographic glowing marble run set and let the learning and play time with your family begin.

Sale
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Glowing Marble Run – 80 Piece Construction Set with 15 Glow in the Dark Glass Marbles & Mesh Storage Bag, Educational STEM Toy, an AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Science Kit
  • STURDY TIGHT-FIT PIECES – This construction kit is designed to fit together snuggly so your marble maze won’t fall apart while you play. With 5 sturdy bases, 15 exciting action pieces, and 45...
  • GLOW IN THE DARK MARBLES – The marble run kit includes 6 different colors of glow in the dark glass marbles that shine bright as they zig-zag down the marble run. Also Includes UV light to quickly...