This toy is based upon the principles of projection and gravity.
The child(ren) will launch marbles from the launcher, into the funnel and watch the marbles go through a series of interestingly shaped tracks to fall to a small collection tray. Two or more children could compete in a race to see who can get all of their marbles in the collection tray first. Children will be able to rearrange the tracks to create a new and interesting version of the game each time they play. By controlling the power they put into the launcher and how far the launcher is from the top funnel, children can learn much about projectile motion.
The launcher will be made of an inexpensive plastic and have a spring inside so that it will remain durable. The tracks will also be made of an inexpensive plastic that will be strong enough so that it won't break. Marbles are also extremely cheap to manufacture. Some safety issues with this toy are the marbles and the launcher. Marbles are small enough that children can swallow them, so this toy is not intended for use by small children. The launcher will be projecting the marbles into the air which could perhaps cause eye injury if a child were to somehow launch a marble into the eyes of another child.
This toy is designed for children age 7 and up. Children under the age of 7 would be likely to try and swallow the marbles. Also by age 7, children should be able to begin to grasp the concept of trajectory and enjoy the ability to design their own course for the marbles to follow.
Chris Wulff
cwulff@andrew.cmu.edu