Build a house of cards 

Materials You Need: A deck of cards  

What You Can Do Together: here are some steps to follow to engage in the activity:  

1. Take two cards from a deck, one in each hand, and lean the top edges of the cards against one another to form an inverted ‘V’ shape or triangle with the floor. Spend some time practising this formation as you’ll be repeating it as you build. 
2. Once you’ve mastered the basic triangle it’s time to make the base of your structure. This is made up of 2, 3 or more triangles side by side. To make sure they’re evenly spaced lay a spare playing card on the floor in front of them to check the width. 
3. Lay a card, horizontally, on the top of two triangles. Joining them together and creating the bottom of the triangle for the layer above. Do this across the width of your base. 
4. Balance another triangle on top of the flat card you’ve just placed. This triangle will therefore sit in the middle of the two triangles below. Repeat as wide and as tall as you dare to go. 

Using an older or well-used deck of cards with a less glossy backing will provide better friction for your structure. 

What Your Child is Learning: This activity is all about building! Your kids will learn to use patience and control as they build a classic pyramid-style house of cards. Try it as a solo activity or host a card-building competition to see who can build the fastest. The bit kids love best? Knocking it down, of course!