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⚽ Sports and games ♟️ Games and hobbies

Marbles

Marbles

📖 In short

Marbles are small colorful glass balls that children play with all over the world. In Arab countries they have many names: dahahil, jlul, bananir, klal and qlul. A player tries to hit their opponent's marble with their own by flicking it.

🤩 Did you know?

  • The ancient Romans played marbles about two thousand years ago.
  • In the ring game players try to knock marbles out of a big circle.
  • Marbles used to be made of clay and smooth stones.
  • There are world championships for marbles!

🔎 Find out more

🌟 How do we play?

The player puts their marble between thumb and finger, then flicks it hard with the thumb so it rolls toward the target. One of the best-known games is drawing a circle on the ground and trying to knock the others' marbles out of it.

🔍 Pretty marbles

Inside glass marbles are pretty colored swirls like a cat's eye, which is why children love collecting, swapping and showing them off.

💡 A very old game

Marbles of baked clay have been found in ancient caves, and Roman and ancient Egyptian children played similar games. The Arabs long ago knew a similar game called “al-midhah”.

🎯 Play safely

Marbles are small, so don't put them in your mouth, and keep them away from your very young brothers and sisters. Pick them up after playing so no one slips on them.

📸 More pictures

Marbles

🧩 Test yourself

1 What is a marble usually pushed with?

2 Why do we keep marbles away from very young children?

3 Which picture shows “Marbles”?

⚽ Discover more

📷 Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons