Marble runs are all the rage and my four year old can spend a lot of time putting them together and watching the marbles run from top to bottom. At his age, many of them really take my participation since complex engineering issues require at least a first grade education.

Marble runs come in three different types:

1. The plastic marble run - Marble Run” (Quercetti Toys) This is a fun set, but requires some skill to balance towers so that as you grow them, they still stand up. This one is only $19.99, so very affordable.

2. Wooden sets - These, notably the Quadrilla brand, are better made and more like building blocks, but you do pay significantly more. For a smaller set, count on paying 4-5 more than the plastic version. Wood does have a more satisfactory feel though, and you’ll feel more natural. The Quadrilla Marble Railway, Twist and Rail is $99.99.

3. Marble tracks or rails - These sets are clearly for older kids (or dads) and future engineers. While the age recommended age range is 8+, the photos always show a big, big boy playing with them, so I think even advertisers know this is not for little kids. The prices here are far more affordable at $55.00 for this big set, but the toy is a lot more free form (think erector set) and requires more imagination (or dad involvement) to get excitement out of it. Skyrail Suspension from International Playthings - $55.00

and if you get really jealous of all the fun your child is having with the marble run, there’s always the

Executive Marble Run. It’s clearly not as cool as the plastic ones (and a lot smaller), but does have the advantage of being wood and significantly cheaper at $18.00

My seven year old turns eight in March. Many of her 2nd grade classmates, especially the boys, have already read most if not all the Harry Potters, and have even seen all the movies. Over the holiday break, I suggested to my daughter that we finally break into

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1) and see what all the fuss was about. Lost as she usually is in books about princesses or American Girl dolls, she wasn’t too interested. By the second chapter though, she was hooked. At every occasion, she begs for me to read Harry Potter to her, and many of our conversations are reviews of the plot and mystery. She even reads to me as well, and some times will advance a chapter or two without me when the suspense gets too great.

As a dad, I’d say the books are marginally good. They are not “great” fiction, but are well-written and creative enough to hold an older person’s interest. The big draw, I now realize, though, is the wonder of watching your child have their first real immersive literary experience. My daughter can imagine this world, all through our reading it together.

We’ve now watched the movie together as well, and I’ve been happy that most of my character name pronunciations were correct. I also did a pretty good impersonation of Hagrid, a giant, who has the most distinctive accent so far.

I’ve been told that the tales get “darker” as they go along, with plenty of betrayal and violence. We’re proceeding cautiously at this point, which will increasingly become a challenge, as my daughter asks every afternoon when she gets home from school, “Can we read just a little bit?.” As dads of daughters can attest. it’s always hard to say, “no.”