Spaghetti Tower Team Engineering
Build the tallest freestanding tower from spaghetti and marshmallows in 18 minutes — a famous team challenge that reveals group dynamics.
What You'll Need
- 1Dry spaghetti (20 sticks per team)
- 2Tape (1 yard per team)
- 3String (1 yard per team)
- 4Large marshmallows (1 per team)
- 5Timer
- 6Measuring tape
What You'll Need
20 sticks of dry spaghetti per team
1 yard of tape per team
1 yard of string per team
1 large marshmallow per team
A timer
A measuring tape for final measurements
How to Play
Give each team identical supplies in a bag.
State the challenge: "Build the tallest freestanding tower. The marshmallow goes on top. 18 minutes. Go!"
The timer starts. Teams must plan, build, and test within the time limit.
Watch the dynamics: who plans? Who builds? Who panics when spaghetti breaks?
At 18 minutes, hands off. The tower must stand alone for 10 seconds with the marshmallow on top.
Measure surviving towers. Crown the tallest.
Debrief: "Did you plan first or just start building? What broke? What would you change?"
Why It Works
The Marshmallow Challenge is one of the most studied team-building exercises in the world. It reveals fascinating dynamics: teams that plan for too long often fail because they don't test early enough. Teams that put the marshmallow on top early and iterate perform best. This mirrors real-world project management. Kids discover that prototyping (try something, see if it works, adjust) beats perfection planning. The debrief teaches metacognition — thinking about how they think and work together.
Tips
The most common mistake: teams forget the marshmallow is heavier than they think. Encourage testing early.
Don't help during the build. Let them struggle, argue, and figure it out.
Take photos at 6, 12, and 18 minutes to show the progression during the debrief.
This scales beautifully for birthday parties, scout troops, or classroom activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 30 min, with 5 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: dry spaghetti (20 sticks per team), tape (1 yard per team), string (1 yard per team), large marshmallows (1 per team), timer, and 1 more item.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 8-12 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors?
This activity is designed for indoor play, making it perfect for rainy days or when you're staying inside.
How difficult is this activity?
This activity has a moderate difficulty level. It may require some preparation or guidance, but is manageable for most families.
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