According to the internet, no one knows when or where marbles originated. They’ve been found in the ashes of Pompeii and in ancient Egyptian tombs. Formerly handmade from clay, glass, or stone, they’ve been mass-produced since 1884. So, like sticks, stones, and water, they’re a loose part that’s stood the test of time.

Aesthetically pleasing, aren’t they? So many colors and interesting designs.

That makes them ideal for sorting–by color, pattern, or even size. While the common marble is about 1/2 an inch in diameter, they traditionally range in size up to 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) and beyond.

Marbles can also be used for enclosing space and making designs. These activities one hand-eye coordination, visual tracking skills, small muscle control, creativity, and more.

Marbles also allow kids to play with light. This can be done with the help of flashlights, overhead projectors, light tables, and the good old sun.

Wrapping Up Marbles

In addition to the above, marbles pair nicely with water play, ramp play, sensory play, and more. There are also many games that can be played with them. These long-lived little play orbs will also provide opportunities to practice social skills and bump up against STEM concepts like Gravity, Motion, one-to-one correspondence, and more.

Hey, kids might also literally wrap up marbles–maybe in small pieces of aluminum foil–if they’re interested in enclosing play schema. Or they could shake and rattle the rolling little guys after putting them in bags to play with sound. Such a delightfully loose loose part.

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