Ask Ollie
Cup Stacking Pyramid Race
Here's one to try together!
Build a wobbly cup pyramid, beat the clock, and then challenge a grown-up to beat you!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- Cups may topple and scatter, so play on a clear, flat surface
- Racing fast may cause rushing or frustration; keep it friendly
What you need
- Clear cups, 10 to 15
- Paper, 1 sheet
- Crayons or markers, 1 pencil
- Phone, 1, to use as a timer
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Clear a flat table or floor space so cups have room to topple without anything breaking.
- Set four cups upside down in a straight row.
- Stack three cups on top of the row.
- Add two cups above those, then one cup at the peak. Ask: Why do you think the wide bottom makes the pyramid stay up?
- Collapse the pyramid back into one tall pile.
- Practice slowly, using both hands at once.
- Start the timer, then build and unstack as fast as you can! Ask: How fast do you think you can go this time?
- Write down your best time on the paper.
- Try five times in a row and compare your times. Ask: Did your times get faster? What helped you most?
- Challenge a grown-up to beat your time, or try a fifteen cup pyramid!
Play it again
- Beat the grown-up: take turns racing and see who has the best time.
- Team relay: two kids build one pyramid, one does the stack and one collapses it.
- Eyes closed: build the base with eyes closed, then open them to finish.
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