Pinball Machine | The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop

Pinball Game

Pinball-rev.1.12

For School Groups

School Program
Costs $9.00 per student
Takes about 1.50 hours
Designed for 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade and 6th grade
Theme: Force and Motion

Meets Connecticut Science Standards

4.1 The position and motion of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling.

For Families

Essential Experiment: Telling Stories
Makes a great birthday party!
Currently available as a Walk in project
$9.00 for nonmembers
$7.00 for members

A popular project that teaches game design (beginnings, middles and ends), logic (rewards for difficulty), marble movement (caroms, momentum) and creative design (good games must still attract players.) A rare exploration of the work of play.

Pictures
How To Make One

Pictures

Click images to enlarge.

Pinball-rev.1.12

Pinball-rev.1.12

pinball-2010

Dragon-ball Game Table

Dragon-ball Game Table

Simple Colorful Game Table

Simple Colorful Game Table

The Compound Game Table

The Compound Game Table

Little Red Riding Hood rolling to Grandmother's House

Little Red Riding Hood rolling to Grandmother's House

A Roll Through the Park

A Roll Through the Park

How To Make One

Parts

Prepare glue on the base for the plunger housing and nail partially to attach.

Insert the plunger and wrap it with a rubber band to hold it in place.

Hammer nails in along the edges to prepare the perimeter.

Wrap rubber bands from nail to nail, creating an elastic fence to rebound against.

Glue the starting tracks in place, then add miscellaneous parts to the board to create an interesting set of obstacles. See the images at the bottom for decorative ideas.

Insert the leg pegs into the top end to slant the table down towards the bottom.

Now pull back on the plunger and see where the marbles fall. Use different amounts of force to change the marble's path.