Water fountain ramp toy

A simple toy that can be made for a few dollars, didn't come from China and will entertain children for hours.

Step 1 Why and how

I was asked to build something like this from my wife. She took our boys to a childrens museum and told me about this exhibit that all the kids loved. From the tiny cell phone camera picture she showed me I came up with what you see here. The way it works is you fill the base container with water up to the holes in the pipe that has a water fountain pump inside. Turn on the pump and it carries the water to the top and then flows down each ramp until reaching the container and starting over. The fun part for the kids is putting all sorts of different balls and toys on the ramps and watching them roll and float down. I didn't think this would be very entertaining for them but most kids seem to really enjoy it.

Comments

[mtebert]

looks pretty awesome. I have a question about your pvc measurements however. Are your measurements inside diameter or outside diameter measurements. from the pictures they look like outside diameter measurements.

[Stryker]

I would say outside diameter.

[neuroamanita]

Great toy to fire the synapses of the little ones, and nice instructable. A thought: perhaps one of the middle ramps could be a full pipe with a small cutout window-the thrill of wondering when the object will pass in the window area...

[georgemorgan]

Is the movie of how it looks on you tube . I can't get this to up load.
Thanks

[Stryker]

Sorry I didn't upload to youtube.  It's just a short clip of my two boys rolling a few balls down. 

[bobhill125]

looks vorng to me and im only 10

[Stryker]

10 is a little old for this game.

[Rossiroller]

10s a little old for this and a little young to be commenting and such on the internet....

[Warlrosity]

Buuuut, I am 12...

[bobhill125]

true dat

[grantdevine]

10s not even close, I'm 19 and I want one myself! Although the building itself might be what appeals most XD

[mwmonkey]

just a thought but to make this more entertaining for little kids, why not cut some corks in half and make little boats to sail down it . but altogether a nice design

[SFHandyman]

Kids love to play with water. I think it is great. Very cute kids too. "Daddy Up"

[Stryker]

Thanks.

[viviluk]

Ive got something like that when i was young. it was for marbles tho.

[sensoryhouse]

same here

[Stryker]

I was going to bring it inside to use with marbles but my one year old keeps trying to eat them.....

[ChrysN]

Wow, that looks fun, I can see why kids would love to play with it.

[Stryker]

Sometimes the simplest toys are the best.