After School Quick STEM / Cup Tower Book Challenge
Cup Tower Book Challenge
Children engineer a tower from cups and card strong enough to hold a book, testing ideas about balance, load and stable bases.
How to run it
- Give each small group a stack of cups and some card squares.
- Challenge groups to build a tower that can hold a book on top.
- Let them test, adjust and rebuild after each collapse.
- Add a second book or a height target for groups who succeed quickly.
- Finish by asking each group what made their tower strongest.
You will need
- plastic or paper cups
- card squares
- a few books
Make it easier or harderYounger children can build freely before adding a book; older children can work to a set number of cups or a height minimum.
My Time Our Place · Outcome 4Children test and refine design ideas, building persistence and problem-solving as confident learners.
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