Have you ever tried building a tower using raw spaghetti noodles? I love this fun twist on the traditional Spaghetti Tower STEM Challenge for Kids.

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Spaghetti Tower STEM Challenge for Kids with a Twist

My husband Mike challenged my two oldest kids to a spaghetti tower building challenge. The goal was to see who could build the tallest Spaghetti tower using spaghetti, tape, and thread. But, there was a twist. This tower also had to support the weight of a LEGO minifigure!

Emma and Johnny taped several pieces of spaghetti together. They were able to anchor it pretty impressively to the table using tape. But there was a problem! When they added their LEGO minifigure, the tower would bend. The LEGO minifigure also kept sliding down the spaghetti tower!

Building a Spaghetti Tower Engineering Challenge

Luckily, they came up with a brilliant solution: a single strand of sewing thread served as a tension line to hold the tower in place. Then a little extra tape at the top of the tower kept their minifigure from sliding down the tower.

Success!

Lily and Anna wanted to build a spaghetti tower, too, but they struggled to get started. So Mike joined their team.

Mike and Lily created a tripod base to give their tower some stability. The uncooked spaghetti has just enough give to allow for slightly curved lines without breaking.

There was a big celebration when they got their minifigure to balance on the tower first try!

Who Won the Spaghetti Tower Challenge?

This was more of a “see what you can create” challenge than a “winning challenge”. Mike and Lily build a tower without needing any thread. Their LEGO minifigure balanced first try. Emma and Johnny’s tower was actually taller, and it was able to balance on a single base – thanks to their clever use of a tension thread. Their design took some tweaking to get the minifigure to balance, but they ultimately solved the problem – and that’s what matters, in the end!

More Building Challenges for Kids

We love building in our house! Here are some more fun engineering challenges for kids of all ages:

• Bridge Building STEM Challenge
• Build a House for the Three Little Pigs
• Design and Build a Truck
• Build a Tall Tower
• Boat Building Challenge

Can you recommend a fun building challenge for us to try? Please share in the comments. I also love to see photos, suggestions, and ideas on my Facebook page, and you can tag me on Instagram. 

MaryAnne Kochenderfer

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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.