Towers the Wind Knocks Down

Half the group are builders putting up block towers all over the playground and the other half are the wind that knocks them down with a sweep of the hand. Children practice stacking and learn to stay cheerful when what they built falls and can be built again.

How to play

1. Spread piles of blocks around the playground and practice together building a tower four or five blocks tall (2 min).
2. Make two groups: builders with pretend hard hats and the wind with swirling arms; the teacher explains the wind only knocks towers over by pushing with an open hand (2 min).
3. Round one: builders put up towers all over; on the drum beat the wind runs out whooshing, toppling the towers it finds while builders put them back up (3 min).
4. Stop, sit down and talk: how does it feel when your tower falls? And when you build it again? (2 min).
5. Switch roles and play another round (3 min).
6. Final round: everyone builds together the tallest tower that reaches the teacher's waist, then we blow it down all together with one big whoosh (3 min).

Rules

• The wind pushes with an open hand: no kicking or throwing blocks.
• Builders don't get mad: if it falls, we build it again.
• Knock down towers, never friends.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child using a wheelchair builds on a low table or bench and the wind comes to them.
• Autism: let them choose to be a builder only, in a calm zone marked with cones where the wind walks instead of running.
• Less fine-motor skill: use large foam blocks that stack more easily.

Learning goals

• Stack blocks with control and precision.
• Handle the frustration of something falling and try again.
• Cooperate to build something together.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Plastic building blocks: 80
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

The most valuable part is the pause to talk about feelings, so don't skip it. Blocks should be large and hollow so they don't hurt anyone when they fall.

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