Ten Tower

Stacking cups are one of the best toys ever made, and today they become a counting tower. Your child lines up cups or rings from smallest to biggest, then stacks them, counting each one on until the tower reaches ten.

What you need

• A set of nesting stacking cups or a ring stacker

• Or: 10 plastic cups, bowls or containers in different sizes from the kitchen

How to do it

1. Line them up. Spread the cups out. Ask, "Which one is the smallest? Which one is the biggest?"

2. Put them in order. Help your child line them up from smallest to biggest.

3. Build the tower. Start with the biggest cup on the bottom. Add each cup and count it on: "One, two, three..."

4. Reach ten. When the tower is complete, count all the way up together: "Ten!"

5. Knock it down. The best part. Then build it again, or nest the cups back together.

Why we love it

Ordering by size, counting on and building all happen in one simple game. Kids practice careful hand control and balance, and they see that numbers go up as the tower grows. It also ties into today's lesson: just like the cups, kids start small and grow bigger.

Tips from our table

• Start with three or five cups and work up to ten.

• If the tower tips, ask, "Which cup should go on the bottom to make it stronger?"

• Flip it: nest the cups inside each other, biggest to smallest.

Shop these items

Everything mentioned in this post, in one place. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• The First Years stacking cups

• Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack

• Clear 9 oz cups

• Shop everything for Week 3: My Body

• Starter supplies: the basics we use most weeks

• See every week in our Amazon storefront

More for this week: see all our My Body activities, Letter C activities and Number 3 activities.

Every child is different. Please use your own judgment about what's safe and right for your family. Always supervise children during activities and while eating, and adjust foods for allergies, dietary needs and your child's age and chewing ability. Sprocket & Sprout shares these ideas for fun and learning only. We are not responsible for any injury, allergic reaction, damage or mess that may result from trying them. This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.