Our Marble Mazes workshop is always a popular choice, providing children with a simple but engaging science investigation activity they’ll want to try over and over again! It could be used to complement a topic on materials or forces and as an opportunity to develop problem-solving skills.

Children will be challenged to create a route for a marble to travel through as slowly as possible without stopping, using limited materials. Throughout the workshop we will facilitate discussions to encourage children to consider scientific principles such as the effect of gravity causing the marble to roll and the effect of friction on its movement.

We’re always amazed at the inventive and imaginative ways with which children use their own ideas to construct their mazes! They will be working scientifically, developing careful observation, questioning, recording and investigative skills. Children will record the time each marble takes to travel through the maze, then refine their designs, re-testing and improving their maze each time.

Whose marble will take the longest? (Beware – this activity is quite addictive for adults too!)

After the workshop, why not take advantage of our kit loan service and run the activity as part of a school fair, after-school club or science week?

Curriculum links:

• Key Stage 1 Programme of Study: Working scientifically
• Year 3 Programme of Study: Forces and magnets
• Upper Key Stage 2 Programme of Study: Working scientifically
• Year 5 Programme of Study: Forces
• PRIMARY National Curriculum – Design and technology

Documents:

• Risk Assessment for Marble Mazes

Contact our schools team with any questions on [email protected].