STEM Challenge: Build a Tower on Sand

We’re staring this year’s Storybook Science month a STEM challenge inspired by Iggy Peck, Architect. Can you build a tower on sand? I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

Iggy Peck, Architect introduces us to a little boy who loves to build. He doesn’t build normal things like sand castles or block towers. He builds towers out of diapers and churches out of fruit. He built the St. Louis Arch out of pancakes and coconut pie. Iggy gets in trouble for building too much at school instead of doing his classwork. His teacher eventually appreciates Iggy’s architect skills on a field trip. This fun story with rhyming text will inspire your kids to get to building. Be sure to read about Iggy’s friends Rosie Revere, Engineer and Ada Twist, Scientist, too.

STEM Challenge: Build a Tower on Sand

I first shared this activity in our Inspiration Laboratories newsletter back in August as an Invitation to Explore. (I share Invitations to Explore in every newsletter. Sign up here for free.)

Supplies Needed for Tower Building Challenge:

• blocks (I use Melissa and Doug wooden blocks.)
• sand (I use Crayola colored play sand. You can get it at Walmart in the spring and summer.)
• container or tray (My tray is from IKEA. A storage bin would work well, too.)

How to Set Up the STEM Challenge

Add a pile of sand to your container or tray. Place some blocks nearby.

Ask your child if they can build a tower on the sand.

How tall can the tower get? Why does the tower fall over?

Does moving the sand around make a difference?

Build a tower on solid ground. Which surface allows for a taller tower?

Building on the mound of sand will make the tower unstable. Making the sand flat should help some.

Invite your child to design and build other structures with the blocks on the sand. Can they build a house? What will it look like?

This exploration illustrates how different substrates affect how a building is constructed. Engineers have to take into consideration what lies underneath the ground before they can design and build a structure. The taller the structure, the more important this becomes.

Check out this collection of 25 activities using blocks.

Storybook Science

The first week of our Storybook Science series features STEM challenges. Follow along with the rest of our Storybook Science here. Bloggers will be sharing a new science idea inspired by a children’s book throughout the month of March.

Subscribe to the Inspiration Laboratories newsletter. Each issue has exclusive hands-on science explorations for children, a recap of our latest activities, and special resources selected just for you!