Knock Down the Cardboard Box Tower
In small groups, kids build a tower of cardboard boxes, knock it down by throwing soft balls, and build it back up together. Children practice one-handed throwing, aiming, and teamwork while building.
How to play
- Make 4 groups of 5. Each group gets 4 or 5 boxes, its own area, and a line of cones three steps from the tower (1 min).
- "Builders!" Everyone stacks the boxes together to make a tower (2 min).
- Each child takes a soft ball and, from the cone line, everyone throws at once: "Three, two, one… throw!" (1 min).
- When the tower falls, everyone claps and builds it again. Repeat several times with new shapes: tall, wide, stair steps (6 min).
- Special round: throw with the hand you don't eat with, or roll underhand like bowling (3 min).
- Finish: the last tower stays up as a monument, and each group poses for a pretend photo with it (2 min).
Rules
- Throw only when everyone is behind the cones.
- Nobody builds while others are throwing.
- Throw at the tower, never at friends.
- Walk to collect balls when the teacher says so.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use big boxes and throw with two hands from two steps away.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, throw with one hand from three steps away.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, use small boxes, more distance, and try to knock off only the top box.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: throw from a wheelchair at a closer tower; the child can also be the architect who says how to build it.
- Hearing loss: also show the countdown with fingers.
- Skill levels: each child picks a throwing cone: close, middle, or far.
Learning goals
- Throw with one hand toward a target.
- Wait for a group signal before throwing.
- Work together to build a tower.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cardboard boxes: 20
- soft balls: 20
- cones: 12
Teacher tip
The crash of the tower is the big reward, so celebrate it. Shoe boxes or cereal boxes work; ask families to send them taped shut.
PatioLab has "Knock Down the Cardboard Box Tower" and 4199 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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