Game

• Marbles—about five per child, plus extras
• Large, unbreakable bowl to hold marbles
  
• Empty paper towel tube
  
• Small box to create a tunnel—no more than 11 inches deep. (A shoebox is ideal, but to use a deeper box, substitute a wrapping paper tube for the paper towel tube.)
  
• Medium-size box to catch marbles as they fall
• 4–6-foot table
  
• Scissors
  
• Utility or craft knife
  
• Pencil
  
• Books—about six to hold the box in place and to block marbles from rolling past the box if the table is wider.
  
• Tape
• Refer to Nicodemus Marble Game Setup

Optional: Add a second box, tube, and table to play with two teams instead of the Large Group version as described.
Save the game box for the Teaching in Lesson 2. 

 Tunnel box construction instructions—see images. If you do not make a tunnel box, create a way for children to roll marbles across an obstacle course or maze on a table, making sure there is only one way the marbles can go to finish the course.
• Remove the lid of the box. If it is attached, carefully cut it off with the scissors.
• Flip the box upside down—open top down.
• Use a tube end and trace a circle in the middle of the front (long side) of the box.
• Carefully cut the circle out using the knife or scissors.
• On each side of the circle, and a few inches away from it, carefully cut other openings. Make them different shapes like a square or triangle. Make them larger than the diameter of the circle, but not so large that you can see the sides of the tube.
• Turn the box right side up—open top up. Place the tube from the front to the back. Mark the correct length on the tube. Mark it to fit snugly.
• Cut the tube at the marked length.
• On the back of the box (opposite the front hole), use the tube end to trace a circle, directly opposite and in-line with the front circle.
• Carefully cut out the circle.
• Insert the tube into the box and line it up with both holes, front to back.
• Place strips of tape about 2 inches inside of the top and sides of the tube. Stick the loose tape ends to the box to hold the tube in place.
• Repeat this on the back of the box. The tube should now be solidly in place.

Place the box with the tube a few inches from the end of a table, open top down. If the table is wider than the box, place books on each side of the box to block the marbles.
Place a few books on top of the tube box to keep it in place.
Place the bowl of marbles on the opposite end of the table.
Place the medium-size box on the floor at the end of the table where the tube box is.