Review : Turing Tumble – Build Marble Powered Computers*

If you’re looking for a fun, screen-free, educational activity where your child plays and learn about computer coding at the same time then do read our review of Turing Tumble.  Created by Paul and Alyssa Boswell in the United States,  Turing Tumble is a new type of game where players build mechanical computers powered by marbles to solve logic puzzles.  Created to teach kids to code, the game helps children learn about exploring concepts and to see how the game actually works.  You see, the logic isn’t hidden inside a computer chip – it’s all right there in front of you.

Although aimed for children, my husband was equally entranced by the game as both my children as it is a game unlike any you’ve ever played. It takes creative thinking to come up with a solution to each puzzle – you can’t just stumble across the solution by trial and error – and it is extremely gratifying to build it and watch it work. Even if you’re an expert programmer, you’ll find the harder puzzles a challenge. There are over 60 puzzles to solve as per the puzzle book included in the kit.  So keep on reading to find out more as this is one game, you won’t mind your child playing for hours.

What did we think of Turing Tumble?

Firstly, I am not too sure who was more excited when the Turing Tumble box arrived, my husband or my children! Either way, everyone was super excited and crowded around the table as we opened the huge box which measured 47.5cm (h) x 34.5cm (h) consisting of various items from computer boards, stands, ramp, marbles and an eye-catching puzzle/comic book with 60 puzzles for us to solve.

We found the game to be very hands-on and highly engaging. The game helps children develop, build logic, help with critical thinking skills, fundamental coding concepts and grounds their understanding of computers without realising it.  It took a while for my daughter to get into creating the new puzzles, but my son picked it up quickly and has not stopped playing with the game and creating new ways of solving the various puzzles since we received the kit. They have even forgotten about electronic gadgets and insist on playing with Turing Tumble instead (which is super surprising!).  I also found that both my children are using their imagination more, working together as a team problem-solving and discovering solutions together.

How much is Turing Tumble and how can you order it?

The Turing Tumble standard kit which we have featured here costs £67.92 (including VAT) and you can purchase it from here.  The standard kit includes the following:

• Computer board
• Computer stand
• 30 Ramps
• 10 Bits
• 8 Gear bits
• 6 Crossovers
• 4 Gears
• 3 Interceptors
• 1 Presser
• Puzzle/comic book with 60 puzzles
• 20 Red marbles
• 20 Blue marbles
• 30 Counterweights

Do note that a fraction of every purchase is donated to the Turing Trust. The Turing Trust, started by Alan Turing’s closest family, strives for a world of equal opportunity with technology-enabled education for all. They provide reused IT equipment, loaded with educational resources, and training to schools in sub-Saharan Africa.

About Turing Tumble

Paul Boswell (at the time a professor at the University of Minnesota) and Alyssa Boswell (a former high school teacher) started creating Turing Tumble on nights and weekends back in 2015. Two years later, in June of 2017, they launched what they thought was a long-shot Kickstarter campaign to raise $48k. They were absolutely floored when they raised $404k. Paul and Alyssa now both work on Turing Tumble full time.

Turing Tumble is a completely new type of game (ages 8 and beyond) where players build mechanical computers, powered by marbles, to solve a series of fun logic puzzles in order to rescue Alia the space engineer from a forgotten planet. Unlike other coding games, Turing Tumble teaches not only coding, but also how computers work. Players use a set of 6 different types of parts to build computers that can generate patterns, add, subtract, multiply, divide, compare numbers, and much, much more. It’s a Turing-complete computer, which means that if it were big enough, it could do anything a regular computer can do.

You may also want to read this:

STEM Based Gift Ideas from Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre

Christmas Gift Guide – Gift Ideas for Children

Christmas Gift Guide – Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

Disclaimer: Do note there are a lot of small parts in this kit which may pose as a choking hazard. 

* We were sent this kit for free in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.