I think marble play has lost it’s appeal with today’s kids.

The question came up on how to “market” marbles today. I think putting them on a self with a price tag does nothing. Learn how to shoot them and how to play. Then show others and challenge them to a game. Kids will see this and will become interested.

I think marbles should loose the stigma that it’s only a game for kids. I’m an adult and I still find them fun to play with. Like any sport, there’s definitely a challenge.

Like any sport, know your equipment. The three main marble manufactures (I know of). Are Vacor, Jabo, and Marble King. Vacor’s are made in Mexico, while the other two are in the US. Vacor’s are generally sold under the name Mega Marbles. Marble King marbles are the ones used in the National Marble Championship (ie: the blue ones). Of the three, I personally like Jabos the best. If you’re a hobbie shop, do yourself justice and stock a small sample of all three. Every place I go only sells Vacors. Vacors look nice in the package, but side by side with Marble Kings or Jabos…let the customer decide 😉 Also, Jabos and Marble Kings use English measurements while Vacors use Metric sizes (ie: 3/4″ ~ 25mm).

And for those that want only the best, you can still purchase real stone marbles. They’re much harder to find, but you can buy them. I got mine from http://landofmarbles.com under the stone shooter section. They’re very nice, however, if you really want a quality stone marble, you’ll have to do some web searching on ‘flint marbles’.

To me, marbles is not some game fad from the past. It’s a rich game with lots of variation and history. The American style of marble play requires lots of backspin. It’s a skill that’ll challenge most any kid or adult. It’s a simple game, but lots of fun. It’s well worth the effort to learn.