Overview
"Don't Rock the Tower" is a very simple stacking game that's easy to play. Although blocks are great, pennies, popsicle sticks, and other flat objects can be used as well. Players try their best to add pieces to a tower without knocking it down. Watch out for those jittery fingers.
Age
Preschool, School-age, Tweens, Teens, Adults, SeniorsNumber of Players
2, 3 to 4, 5 to 10Team Division
Every man for himself (individual players)Competitiveness
Either/or (can be played either way)Difficulty
Easy peasy (fun and simple)Indoor or Outdoor
EitherSpace Needed
Small (a clearable open space the size of a 1-car garage)Noise Level
Semi-rambunctiousMess Factor
Clean and tidyPrep Time
5 minutes or lessGame Time Length
5 - 15 minutesSupplies
Setup
1. Seat all the children in a circle. Keep the teams small - 4 or 5 per team.
2. Make sure there is a flat surface in between them to build the tower. This could be a table, serving tray, wood floor, or book.
3. Divide the blocks evenly among the teams. Each team should have approximately 30.
How to Play
1. The first player places their block in the center of the circle.
2. The player to the left now adds their block, and so on around the circle. Once a block has been placed it can not be shifted or moved, that's what makes the game challenging.
3. The goal is to build the tower using all the blocks, making it as high as possible.
4. The taller the tower becomes, the more likely it is to fall. Players do their best not to "Rock the Tower."
4. Should the tower fall at any time, the blocks that have fallen (not those left standing) must be taken by the player who knocked them down.
5. The first player to get rid of all their blocks wins the game!
Variations
1. Use coins, dice, dominoes, popsicle sticks, plastic coins, even flat rocks.
Tips
Have fun with this - the more oohing, ahhing, and commiserating the better!