Marbles seem to be a toy of the past, with today's youth being stuck to apps or their PlayStation. They might, however, want to reconsider, as inventor Adam Hocherman is offering a DIY marble kit called Marbleocity.

The kit is made entirely out of wood and allows kids to build a clockwork-like machine that runs marbles up and down with cogs. The first kit is called the Dragon Coaster, and it is currently on offer through Kickstarter for $50, to ship in February.

"I ... wanted to do something that had more of an emotional connection for me personally. Education has always been very important in my family — the idea of doing an educational product like this really appealed to me," said Hocherman in an interview with TechCrunch.

Hocherman hopes to add more kits to the lineup, including things like "Skate Park," "Amazing Race" and "Maltese Cross."

Perhaps the most striking thing about the kit is how beautifully-made it looks. It has an aged wooden look, with the wooden parts being laser cut. The wood itself is Baltic Birch plywood, and the end design can be achieved by anyone in the beginner to intermediate level.

Of course, the kit goes beyond simply looking good. It is also aimed at introducing kids to engineering principles and physics concepts.

Currently, users can only pledge for the Dragon Coaster, which, as mentioned, costs $50. There are cheaper pledges for mini kits and other products, as well as more expensive pledges for multiple kits. So far, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $42,241, meaning that it has surpassed its stretch goal of $35,000. Because of this, the team will develop the Skate Park kit as well.

Via: TechCrunch