15 minutes or less

How tall can you build when the rules keep changing?

Grab a friend and your favourite building materials for a tower challenge with a twist. Every round brings a new rule, so you’ll need to rethink your plan, solve problems on the fly, and keep your tower standing. It’s a fun way to practise the patience and flexibility that make you a great teammate.

Lifelong Learner
Tower of blue paper cups

How to Prepare

Gather these items before you start.

  • Lots of cups, plastic or disposable ones that can stack but also won’t break when they fall
  • LEGO
  • Blocks
  • Straws
  • Paper
  • Tape
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Whatever building materials are available
  • Ruler or measuring tape
  • A timer (watch, phone, or kitchen timer)

What You’ll Do

Challenge yourself and a friend to build the tallest freestanding tower you can...but be ready to adapt when the rules change! 

The Challenge: Part 1

Step 1: Grab a friend and gather your building materials. 

Step 2: Set the timer for 5 minutes. 

Step 3: Each of you builds your own tower. Make it as tall as you can, and make sure it stands on its own.

Step 4: When time’s up, use the ruler to see whose tower is tallest!

Great job. Now it gets harder.

The Challenge: Part 2

Step 5: Pick a new Challenge Rule for you and your friend to follow:

  • Use only one hand 
  • Remove five pieces from your tower 
  • Use only half of your remaining materials 
  • Your tower must hold a small object at the top 

Step 6: Set the timer for another 5 minutes and start adapting your design to meet the new Challenge Rule.

Step 7: When the timer is up, see if your new tower can meet the Challenge Rule AND stand on its own for 10 seconds.

Step 8: Let your friend pick a new Challenge Rule and repeat steps 5 to 7 as many times as you like!

The Challenge: Part 3

Once all your Challenges are done, measure your towers. Here’s how your tower stacks up

  • Up to 30cm = GOOD 
  • 31 to 50cm = GREAT 
  • 52 to 75cm = EXCELLENT 
  • 76 cm+ = LEGENDARY 

Think about it

  • How did you react when you had to change your original plan? 
  • What helped you solve the problem? 
  • When you're working with other people, how could being flexible and open to new ideas help the group? 

Being patient, flexible, and open to new ideas helps you solve problems and makes you a better friend and teammate. Those same skills help you build positive relationships at the Club and beyond.