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Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Min number of participants 3
Age 8+ yrs.
Safety support by adult Not required
Min duration 20 min.
Cost None (Free)
Environment Indoor / Outdoor

Teams race to build the tallest freestanding tower out of dry spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow on top — a classic team-building engineering challenge with a strict time limit.

The Essentials

How to play

  1. Give each team the same kit: about 20 sticks of dry spaghetti, one metre of tape, one metre of string, and one marshmallow.
  2. Set a time limit, usually 18-20 minutes, and let teams design and build in that window.
  3. The marshmallow must sit on top of the finished structure — it can't just be balanced on the table.
  4. When time is up, freeze all construction and measure each tower from the table to the top of the marshmallow.
  5. The tallest freestanding tower that's still standing unaided when measured wins.

Tips

  • Build a wide, stable base first — most towers fail because they topple, not because they're too short.
  • Test your design early and often; teams that build a rough structure at minute 2 and refine it beat teams that plan for 15 minutes and build for 3.
  • The marshmallow is heavier than it looks — build the top of your tower to support real weight, not just balance a light rod.
  • Great for team building: it exposes who plans, who builds, and who tests, and quickly shows whether a team communicates well under pressure.
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