Thinking about buying this for my son who is turning 8. He he too old for this toy?

I think 8 is a great age for this toy. My 4 and a half year old just made his first working combination on his own after having the toy for 6 months. I find the toy very entertaining and potentially challenging as an adult. Its a quality toy with many possibilities. I would think a 10 year old would still be pretty engaged with this toys. All ages that have used it at our house really enjoy it.

does it come with marbles?

Yes, came with a bag of marbles!

Does this have to be put together in one of the suggested configurations, or can a child just randomly create different patterns?

All the Quadrilla sets come with instructions for functional tracks. Instructions for more configurations are available on the Hape site. But it is certainly ABSOLUTELY possible to make up your own tracks and combine sets or parts of the expansion packs. And that's when the real fun starts!Little kids will do well with simple linear tracks but this set is capable of much more sophistication when you learn what each specialized block does. They are packed with function on their top and bottom halves and from every side to direct marbles through the runs. Little kids will also enjoy the set or extension pack with the musical tone bars.* The ORANGE blocks have a simple vertical chute* The NATURAL wood color blocks combine a vertical chute from the top with tunnels that open from either side and let a marble drop vertically* The YELLOW blocks direct a marble from the top opening to a chute that exits at one side* The GREEN block has the top opening that directs a marble out one side and also a bottom tunnel that opens from either side and lets marbles drop * The TEAL blocks have a chute that exits one side and also a simple through tunnel that will not let a marble drop* The BLUE blocks have a chute that lets a marble drop from the top and directs it out one side; they also have a tunnel opening on another side that allows a marble to dropThere are two different RED blocks. * The one with the big dot on the side takes marbles in from the top and has a toggle inside that alternately directs the marble out one side or the other* The other red one also has a toggle but the openings that alternate are on 90˚ sides.So you see, this is well engineered to create all kinds of possibilities. This means it's engaging and fun for adults as well as kids. And it will present appropriate challenges for kids of all ages. Just put the more complicated parts away until the little ones are ready for them. Also, the parts build like blocks but note that the connector blocks and tracks interlock with little sockets and studs (somewhat like Legos but less tight fitting). That means your construction doesn't move and need constant adjustment when marbles are rolling but they can be knocked over. It's actually a really good system because part of the fun is adding on and re-designing so it doesn't get old. My family has 3 sets and we've added a few expansion sets. It's an investment but it's a toy with great learning potential, adaptability and enormous amounts of fun. We recommend Quadrilla enthusiastically! Start with a simple set to see how it works for your family but I bet you'll be back buying more too. This is an investment toy for generations to come.

How many spiral funnels come with this set? It's not clear from the description if it's one or three.

It comes with 3 spirals (we purchased it August 2013)

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Reviews

T**E

Beautifully made

Beautifully made but it needs to be built on a completely flat and level surface. Also quite unsteady and younger kids can easily topple it if they accidentally bump the table or hold onto it. It does look fantastic though and one of the few toys I don't mind being set up in the living room! If only it was a bit cheaper I might be tempted to buy additional pieces.

21.07.2014

D**K

Marble Run - fantastic!

This is a fantastic toy. It was bought for our six year old boy and he loves it. You do ideally need a flat surface to build it on but it is sturdy and obviously wooden so will not break when knocked over. It's a toy for generations so well worth spending the money!

3.03.2014

S**.

as described. High quality product!

Good quality. As described. A very boy for Christmas!!

25.12.2019

G**S

Fairly complicated to put together so although my 2 and 4 year old enjoy playing with it

Lovely quality product. Fairly complicated to put together so although my 2 and 4 year old enjoy playing with it, it requires a large degree of adult supervision and it gets knocked over frequently. I am sure it will become more of a sure hit when they are older.

24.01.2017

S**E

Hours of fun!

I purchased this marble run for my son's 4th birthday. He loves it and is happy to play with it for hours. Our six year old daughter also enjoys playing with it. It comes with a manual with ideas on what to build, but you are also free to build as you wish. My son need some help putting it together, but over time I think he'll be able to construct a run independently.

24.02.2017

S**T

Five Stars

Brilliant. My 21/2 year old grandaughter said " oh, my own marble run!"7

5.01.2015

A**M

The most frustrating £100 you’ll spend!

We got this for our 4 year old daughters birthday. It’s too complicated for her to do, so we have been doing it for her. They need to as much as brush past it with their clothes and the whole thing comes tumbling down which is really frustrating if you’ve built it right up high. It needs to be attached to a firm base or something to make this more enjoyable for all ages as I imagine they’ll give up quickly if the same happens to them when they start trying to build it. Looks nice, but is not great for young children who really would enjoy it the most!

1.03.2020

S**.

Five Stars

Great product. my daughter and all the family just loved it. Delivery was prompt.

2.05.2018

Product Dimensions	54.2 x 34.01 x 13.79 cm; 4 kg
Manufacturer recommended age	4 years and up
Item model number	E6009
Educational Objective(s)	Spatial Awareness
Language:	English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Number of Game Players	Multiple Players
Number of pieces	134
Assembly Required	No
Batteries Required?	No
Batteries included?	No
Material Type(s)	Wood
Remote Control Included?	No
Colour	Multicolor
ASIN	B00BJEYLOC

Hape Quadrilla Wooden Marble Run Builder-Vertigo Wooden Safe Play-Smart play for Smart Family-Quality Time Playing Together

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