Why I’m tempted to steal my son’s Gravitrax Junior marble run

Let me start off by saying that I’ve been enthralled by the Gravitrax marble run and its variety of extensions and special features for some time now. I regularly take it off the shelf and design, build and tinker away until the big moment comes for me to test my architectural masterpiece. My seven-year-old son’s full of enthusiasm for it too – until frustration kicks in. His little hands have a tough time putting the fiddly bits together to make a functioning track. There’s a good reason the Gravitrax is recommended for kids aged 8 and up.

Marble runs

EUR47,63

Ravensburger GraviTrax Starter Set

25

Marble runs

EUR47,63

Ravensburger GraviTrax Starter Set

25

With this in mind, the junior edition of Gravitrax, developed by Ravensburger for marble run enthusiasts aged 3-7, is exactly right for us. The manufacturer provided me with one to be put through its paces.

Marble runs

EUR90,78

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Starter Set XXL Planet

23

Marble runs

EUR90,78

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Starter Set XXL Planet

23

First impressions

It may come with a hefty price tag, but the Gravitrax Junior Starter Set XXL Planet is a worthwhile investment for true marble run aficionados. The individual parts are high-quality and very sturdy. This large set contains enough pieces for a seemingly infinite number of possible combinations, allowing you to construct ever more impressive tracks. We found it easy and fun to put together – even very young children would manage it. Some unusual components also inject a little variety into the building process.

Here’s what’s included in the Gravitrax Junior Starter Set XXL Planet

• 10 bases
• 33 track tiles
• 96 height tiles
• 10 marbles
• 16 area tiles (desert, water, meadow)
• 16 plastic and 8 cardboard decorative elements
• Instructions containing three construction templates

Unexpected injury risk

Although the marble run is high-quality, I injured my finger as soon as I took it out of the box. The culprit? The edges of the box, which gave me a nasty paper cut. Perhaps the marble run’s cardboard packaging is just a tad too robust – the edges of the box are razor-sharp. As are the edges of the stand-up cardboard figures in the set.

Marble runs

EUR23,76

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Extension Trax

1

Marble runs

EUR13,75

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Element Trap

4

Marble runs

EUR23,76

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Starter-Set S Start and Run

2

Marble runs

EUR23,76

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Extension Trax

1

Marble runs

EUR13,75

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Element Trap

4

Marble runs

EUR23,76

Ravensburger GraviTrax Junior Starter-Set S Start and Run

2

I can’t figure out why the set comes with this avoidable source of danger. Especially since the adult version comes in a harmless, resealable box. This could easily be improved upon. Having said that, you’d need to be really pernickety to notice it. Besides this one point of criticism, the marble run well and truly wins me over.

Space for young creative whizzes to unleash their potential

I can’t wait to get cracking. And since my seven-year-old assistant product tester is still off doing something else, I make a start on the set solo. But my undisturbed creative freedom doesn’t last long. Apparently, the mere sight of me makes my son so desperate not to miss out on the fun that he turns off the TV and joins in. The ultimate compliment in the world of a primary school kid.

Unfortunately for me, it’s not long before I’m banished from the construction site. Having suddenly developed a very precise vision of how the track should look, my son takes the reins. He casually ignores the three design suggestions outlined in the instructions, declaring that following the template would be boring.

The material is robust and has a nice feel to it. Base plates in the set can be freely combined, so you can choose whether to build an elongated track or a compact one. Assembling it is super easy – it comes together without issue. The track and height tiles are easy to stack, so even young children can have a go without getting frustrated.

Beautiful, colourful, varied

Once we’ve worked out the first track, we start discovering the other components. «Woah, that’s so cool!» my son exclaims, full of enthusiasm as we transform the marble run into a vibrant, colourful world in no time. The XXL version combines the starter set with the Ocean, Desert, Ice and Jungle extensions. We’re free to position the many design elements – from sand snakes to oysters – wherever we want.

We really enjoy all this experimenting. It stirs up our eagerness to get the marble run functional. The cycle of constructing, testing, rebuilding, testing again, decorating, rebuilding again and experimenting never gets old, and we’re constantly creating new marble runs.

The XXL version is always a joy. There’s a perfectly balanced number of components, with enough for any construction plan. Fortunately, the developers thought to include more than one marble. This way, it won’t be an issue if one disappears (more than likely).

Verdict: Gravitrax Junior – a hit with young and old alike

I can’t quite decide who gets more enjoyment out of the marble run – my son or me. Either way, it’s won both of us over. Working out new tracks, then rolling the marbles down the finished run have quite the appeal. The components are sturdy, beautifully designed and easy to combine. And if you ever get bored, you can bring in new elements using the various extension sets.