Make a Marble Track Out of Paper Plates

June 5, 2018 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

This paper plate spiral marble run is a cool craft for summer that isn’t that hard to make but might require a little help from grownups to get the spacing of the plates just right.

The full tutorial is at Frugal Fun 4 Boys, and it covers how they put the marble run together and the adjustments that were needed.

You could probably make this as large or small as you like, though it might lose stability if it got really tall. But it’s a great way to use what you have to make a fun (and recyclable) toy for kids and adults alike.

[Photo: Frugal Fun 4 Boys.]

Paper plates are one of the most versatile craft materials for kids, as they are affordable, easy to find and can be used to create an endless array of projects. Whether you’re looking for a rainy day activity or a fun way to keep the kids busy, these paper plate crafts are sure to delight. From adorable Easter bunnies to spooky Halloween bats, these crafts are perfect for children of all ages.

Spring is the perfect time to get creative with paper plates. These 20 springtime paper plate crafts for kids are a great way to celebrate the season and let your little ones’ imaginations run wild. From cheerful flowers to buzzing bees, these crafts are sure to bring a smile to your child’s face.

Snowflakes are a classic winter decoration, and with this paper plate snowflake art project, you and your kids can create your own beautiful and unique designs. With just a few simple materials and some imagination, you can turn plain old paper plates into stunning works of art.

Easter is just around the corner, and what better way to get into the spirit than by making a cute and crafty paper plate Easter bunny? This easy and fun kids craft is perfect for children of all ages, and is a great way to spend some quality time together.

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Celebrate Inventor’s Day by Learning about Inventors

Several countries have a day set aside to honor and recognize their inventors, but Nov. 9 is a special one that’s known as Tag der Erfinder in German. It’s celebrated in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and it falls on Nov. 9 because that’s the birthday of Hedy Lamarr.

Hedy Lamarr is widely known as an actress but there’s a lot more to her story. You can get a little of it geared to little kids in the Little People, Big Dreams book Hedy Lamarr (32 pages, hardcover, published 2023 by Frances Lincoln Childrens Books, suggested retail price $15.99).

The book explores her birth in Austria and how she spent time when she was young coming up with inventions. She became an actress, married an arms dealer, made her escape to America and became an actress again.

But she also helped develop a frequency-hopping signal device for airplanes that was used by the Americans and their allies during World War II. That technology became the basis for wireless technology such as wifi and GPS.

While Inventor’s Day is a great time to learn about Hedy Lamarr, you can take this opportunity to check out books and do little studies on lots of different inventors. If there’s an inventor or an invention your child is particularly interested in, that’s a great place to start. It’s fun to think about all the things we use every day that didn’t always exist; someone had to invent them!

For a start here at Craft Gossip you can learn more about Garrett Morgan, who invented traffic lights; Maria Oroso, who developed a clay oven that could cook food without electricity; and more female inventors and scientists.

And for more general inventors’ fun, check out this inventors word search from Fun Findery (and another from Let’s Do Puzzles) or take a quiz on inventors and their inventions from Flanders Family Home Life.

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