How to Play Marbles

Although most of us think of marbles as an old-fashioned pastime, the game is still fun for kids of all ages and is played around the globe.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chalks
• 6 - 10 Feet Of String

1. Draw a circle 2 to 3 feet wide. Use chalk on asphalt or concrete, a stick in dirt, or a string on carpet or tile.

2. Select your shooter and place any marbles you wish to play with as targets inside the circle; the other players do the same. Shooters are designated marbles used to knock targets out of the ring. Your shooter should be larger than the other marbles so it's powerful enough to do its job. It should also look different from other marbles so you can distinguish it from them easily.

3. Take your turn when the time comes by shooting your marble from outside the ring at any marble or marbles inside the ring. Shoot by kneeling on the ground and flicking your marble out of your fist with your thumb.

4. Gather any marbles you've knocked out of the ring.

5. Shoot again if you knocked any marbles out of the ring. Let the next player shoot if you haven't knocked any marbles out and/or your shooter remains in the ring.

6. Continue shooting in turn until the ring is empty.

7. Count your marbles at the end of the game. The winner is the player with the most marbles.

8. Return the marbles to their original owners unless you're playing 'keepsies.' In that case, each player keeps the marbles he or she won during the game.

Tips & Warnings

• These are the rules for a version of 'ring taw' marbles, an older, more common variant. There are many other ways to play.
• One way to decide playing order is called 'lagging.' The players line up opposite a line 10 feet away (the 'lag line') and shoot their marbles at it. The player whose marble ends up closest to the line goes first, the next closest goes second, and so on.

[zookies]

on 3/26/2009 PLEASE make sure the kids are over 3 to avoid choking hazards!! I play with my 3.5 yr old and he loves it. Always make sure to keep small balls and objects away from younger siblings and babies.

[zookies]

on 3/26/2009 When playing with little kids, you can let them roll their shooter or flick from the ground with the backs of their 4 fingers. If you use chalk put their marble outside the circle, if you use string, you need to put in inside the circle. Also, playing inside on a smooth surface can make it less rough on little fingers and easier for the marbles to roll.

on 8/8/2006 If your thumb is getting sore from hitting marbles too much try putting a band-aid on when hitting.

on 2/8/2006 If you squat down over the circle and shoot from that position you can complete some pretty amazing tricks.

on 11/22/2005 You do not have to hold the marble with just your thumb, you can also flick it with your index finger and your thumb. You can also bomb, this is where you hold the marble above another marble and let go of it. There are lots of different ways you can hold the marble, it all depends on how you feel comfortable.