Day umptybillion of lockdown and although my 11-year-old Year 6 child is getting time in school plus doing home school work too, a certain amount of boredom is setting in and being able to offer him a new toy, the Geomag Mechanics Magnetic Race Track Set, which is both fun and educational made us both happy.
Having said that, when the Geomag Mechanics Magnetic Race Track Set arrived (gifted) my youngest was rather barged out of the way, such was the excitement of my other children, including my 19-year-old daughter currently studying science at university. The set actually meets the criteria for being a great STEM toy incorporating elements of science, technology, engineering and maths.
The system is made up of magnetic rods, steel spheres and elements of different shapes such as cylinders and modular parts. When assembled correctly, you can use the force of gravity to create chain reactions for never-ending fun.
The interactive marble run has 115 pieces and aims to harness the invisible forces of magnetism and gravity through original and surprising means.
The spheres inside the circuit are set in motion by an innovative magnetic cannon that uses the force of attraction of the accelerating magnet. The motion is provided by the invisible forces of Gravity and Magnetism, without using electricity or batteries. The play experience is based on these fundamental principles of physics.
The set is aimed at children aged 7 upwards but I will say it would be a nimble fingered and tenacious 7 year old who managed to assemble it alone. There are wheels to clip parts into and the run works a little like a jigsaw puzzle.
It is fiddly but building it is part of the fun and between them mine managed it and I very much enjoyed hearing them talk though potential problem-solving solutions together.
There are a number of options for building-basic, model one and model two. We reckon once you have the hang of it you could have some fun creating your own runs.
The magnetic cannon thing is probably the best bit of this kit, elevating it beyond a bog standard marble run. It's the perfect play-thing for a rainy day and can be played with by just one or a group of children from age 7 upwards.
I don't know if it's because in their keenness to play my children built it on my potentially uneven carpeted floor but the run is not always successful. When it is however it is worth the effort! I made a little slo mo video of model one in action.
You can download the Geomagworld app on iOS and Android stores or check out the web version, with interactive instructions for all product lines and many alternative ideas to create and share your construction projects!