Building Games for Children

Block Games

• Most children enjoy playing and building with basic blocks. Create a basic block building game by giving each child the same number of blocks. See who can build the tallest tower using only the blocks provided. Set a timer and give the children five or 10 minutes to complete their towers. If you do not have enough blocks, divide the players into teams and have them work together. Other contests include the sturdiest tower, the widest tower and the most creative tower.

Card Games

• Give the children a deck of cards to use for building. Tell them to build the tallest card tower they can in 10 minutes. Set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the child with the tallest card tower wins the game. If the tower falls, the children can rebuild it until the timer goes off. Have the children work in teams if preferred. For another variation, have the children try to build the sturdiest card tower. After 10 minutes, place one penny at a time on the card towers. The card tower that will hold the most pennies wins the game.

Marshmallow Games

• Have all the children sit around a table. Give each child a bowl of marshmallows and a bowl of toothpicks. See who can build the tallest tower in five minutes using only the toothpicks and marshmallows After five minutes, the child with the tallest tower wins the game. Play this game individually or in teams. Another idea is to use pretzel sticks instead of toothpicks.

Holiday Theme Games

• Use conversation hearts for a building game when it is close to Valentine's Day. Children can use the small, large or both size hearts to build a tower. The child or team that builds the tallest tower wins the game. For Christmas, use red, white and green (unwrapped peppermints). For Halloween or fall, see how many miniature pumpkins the kids can stack on top of one another without them falling over.