KerPlunk

Marble-in-a-tube dexterity — thin plastic sticks hold marbles suspended; pull sticks out one by one without dropping too many.

🌤indoor

What is KerPlunk?

KerPlunk is a children's dexterity game published by Ideal Toys in 1967 (now a Mattel property). A vertical clear-plastic tube is criss-crossed with thin coloured sticks holding a load of marbles suspended near the top. Players take turns pulling out one stick at a time, catching any dropped marbles in the tray section below. The player who drops the fewest marbles wins. A childhood classic across 50 years.

Quick facts

Category

Party Games

Type

Individual

Players

2–4

Where played

indoor

Country of origin

🇺🇸 United States

Estimated origin

1967, Ideal Toy Company (USA)

Olympic

No

Popularity

global

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified