Open-ended structural engineering with newspaper. The material is weak by design. That's the engineering problem. Roll it, fold it, tube it. Build the tallest freestanding tower that stands for 30 seconds. Different from Cardboard City (B001-16) because newspaper forces structural thinking that boxes never do.
What you need
- 8–12 sheets of newspaper or A4 paper
- tape
How to do it
- 1Hand over eight to twelve sheets of newspaper and tape. The challenge: tallest freestanding tower. No further instructions.
- 2Let them build without guidance. Measure the height when it first stands or falls.
- 3When it collapses: 'What would make it stronger?' Let them answer before they rebuild.
- 4If stuck after two tries, drop one hint: 'What happens if you roll the paper instead of keeping it flat?'
Variations
- Korb-Tür: If the first tower falls and they want to quit, ask 'what would make it stronger?' — let them guess before you help.
- Ausstieg: Measure the final standing tower and celebrate the height, then keep it standing for the rest of the day if possible.
💡 Parent tip
The first design will fail. That is the point. Don't save them from the collapse. Wait for the moment they decide to change their approach on their own. That decision is the whole lesson.
What your child develops
- Material properties — discovering through failure that rolled tubes are far stronger than flat sheets
- Structural reasoning — how do shapes stay up under their own weight
- Productive frustration — the collapse is not the end, it is the data
Safety notes
- Large folded newspaper sheets can have sharp edges — supervise younger children.
More for “Stuck inside”
See allThe World Record Attempts
Five at-home world record challenges. The child attempts each, records the result, and tries to beat it.
Tower and Topple
Stack it up, knock it down, and do it again - the oldest game in the world still works.
Bubble Wrap Stomp
A sheet of bubble wrap on the floor, and every step becomes a tiny satisfying explosion underfoot.