Newspaper Tower Challenge

What You’ll Create

Armed with nothing but a stack of old newspapers and a roll of tape, you’re going to design and build the tallest freestanding tower you possibly can! 🏗️ No glue — just clever engineering and structural thinking. The taller it stands on its own, the better your design! Challenge a sibling or friend to build their own tower at the same time and see whose reaches higher.

How to Set It Up

Step 1: Roll Your Tubes

Take a single sheet of newspaper and lay it flat. Place a ruler diagonally across one corner of the sheet. Roll the paper tightly around the ruler, keeping it as snug as possible, then slide the ruler out and secure the tube with a small strip of tape. Aim to make at least 15 tubes of similar tightness — tighter rolls make stronger tubes.

Step 2: Sketch Your Design

Before building, spend 3 minutes sketching a tower design on a scrap of paper. Think about real-world towers: they’re always wider at the base than at the top. A triangle or tripod base is more stable than a single column. Sketch at least two different designs and pick your favourite.

Step 3: Build the Base

Arrange 3–4 tubes on the floor in a triangle or square shape. Tape the joints firmly — wrap tape around each join at least twice. Gently press down on the base — does it flex or hold firm? Add an extra tape wrap if it moves. A strong base is the key to a tall tower.

Step 4: Add Layers

Connect more tubes vertically, leaning them slightly inward so the tower narrows as it grows. Add diagonal bracing tubes between vertical supports — real engineers call this triangulation, and it makes structures dramatically stronger. Test after every 2 new tubes by pressing gently on the side — it should spring back without collapsing.

Step 5: Measure and Compare

Use a ruler or tape measure to record your tower’s height. Now try to beat your own record by building again with what you’ve learned! If you have a competition partner, measure both towers and photograph them side by side. 📸

Have fun!

• 🏆 Challenge a family member to build their own tower at the same time.
• ⚖️ Test how many books the top of your tower can hold before it collapses.
• 📐 Try a completely different base shape (pentagon, hexagon) and compare heights.
• 🔬 Experiment with tube tightness — does a looser roll change the tower’s strength?

Why It’s Amazing

• Structural Engineering: Children learn the same principles professional engineers use — triangulation, base width, and load distribution. 🔩
• Scientific Method: Building, measuring, and iterating is exactly how real scientists and engineers work. 🔬
• Spatial Reasoning: Sketching before building strengthens 3D visualisation skills essential for maths and science. 📐
• Resilience: When a tower falls, the lesson isn’t failure — it’s data. Rebuilding teaches persistence. 💪

Pro Tips

For ages 8–10: Focus on height as the only goal — it keeps the challenge simple and exciting.

For ages 10–12: Add engineering constraints — the tower must support a full 500 ml water bottle on top, or must be built in under 20 minutes.

Tip: Diagonal bracing (triangles) is the single most effective technique. If kids are stuck, hint that triangles are used in every bridge and skyscraper.