Foam Block Towers as Tall as Me
In groups of four, kids build foam block towers and compare them to their own bodies: as tall as my knee, my tummy, or my shoulder. They work on judging height, body awareness, careful stacking, and teamwork in small groups.
How to play
- Make groups of four, each with a pile of 8–10 blocks in its own corner. Demonstrate with one child: "Let's build a tower as tall as Lucy's knee."
- Kids build taking turns: each places one block, then the next child goes. The model stands next to the tower to compare. "Is it up to the knee yet?" (2 minutes).
- On the tambourine, give a new call with a new model: "As tall as ...'s tummy!" Keep adding blocks without knocking the tower down (2 minutes).
- Third height: the shoulder. If the tower falls, the group rebuilds it together: "No problem, let's try again!" (3 minutes).
- Knock-down time: count "Three, two, one!" and the model blows hard or gently pushes with one finger. The tower falls and everyone cheers (1 minute).
- Repeat with new models so everyone in the group is the model once, then all kids put the blocks away together (4 minutes).
Rules
- Place one block per turn and never take one from someone else.
- Only the model knocks the tower down, by hand or blowing, never kicking.
- Nobody climbs on the blocks.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, go only to knee and tummy height, with big blocks.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, build to knee, tummy, and shoulder in turns.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the group guesses how many blocks they will need before building, then checks.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child is a seated model and places the bottom blocks.
- Visual impairment: the child touches the tower to compare it to their body; use high-contrast blocks.
- More skilled kids build two-column towers; less skilled kids use the biggest blocks.
Learning goals
- Compare heights using their own bodies as the measure.
- Place objects with precision and control.
- Wait their turn and work together in a small group.
Equipment for a class of 25
- foam blocks: 40
- tambourine: 1
Teacher tip
Set the blocks in the corners before you start. Use kids' names in your calls: they love being the model, and it keeps everyone paying attention.
PatioLab has "Foam Block Towers as Tall as Me" and 4199 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for Elementary
1-on-1 Mini Volleyball Up and Down the River
One-on-one mini volleyball duels on 3 x 3 m courts under a rope 2 m high, using a receive, self-set and send rule.
1-on-1 Side-Step Square Duels
In pairs, inside 5 x 5 m squares, an attacker holding a football tries to get from the starting side to the far side without the defender pulling a flag.
1v1 Four-Gate Soccer Duels
In a square with a gate on each side, two players go head to head and score by dribbling through any of the four gates.
2-on-2 Mini Volleyball with a Neutral Setter
Two-on-two mini volleyball with a neutral setter under the rope who always plays for the team with the ball.
2v1 Attack Waves to Mini Goals
Two attackers take on one defender and try to score on a small goal in under 10 seconds.
2v2 Alley Mini-Volleyball
A 2v2 mini-volleyball game on a very long, narrow court, about 33×10 feet, where the only way to win a point is by playing for depth: short near the net or deep to the…