Foam Marble Tracks

One of my very favorite activities for kids of all ages (adults included) are marble tracks. Recently I discovered a new and less costly material that is perfect for this activity: insulated foam for pipes! You can purchase this in the plumbing section of any home-improvement store. It comes in all sizes but I typically use the 1/2" to 3/4" diameter tubing. (Hint: Bring a marble along with you to make sure it is the right size). While you're there, make sure you grab a roll of Gorilla Tape, as well (usually in the paint section). This tape is great for attaching the track to concrete or other foundation materials.

Materials:

Insulated foam for pipes (as many as you wish to use)

1 roll of Gorilla Tape

Razor blade (with adult supervision)


Procedure:

You'll notice that one side of the foam tubing has a pre-cut slit in it. Go ahead and open up that slit along the full length of the insulation. Use a razor blade to cut open the other side directly opposite of the slit. Now you should have two length-wise, matching pieces.

Lay them end to end and tape them together using the Gorilla Tape. Repeat this with all sections of pipe until you have a nice, long length for your marble track. You can add in a loop or two, ramps, and all kinds of fun tricks. How steep and how long should the slope be to make the marble loop the loop?