ten, clear plastic cups stacked, with four cups on the bottom, threes cups stacked on top of those, then two cups on top of the three, finally one cup on the very top
Active Participation: Fun Games and Challenges

Our Friday Fun Challenge is a Cup Stacking Challenge! Did you know that there is a World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA)? Who knew this was such a big thing?! Last year, on November 19, 2019, the Guinness Book of World Records set a new World Record Mark for the “Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day”. There were 638,503 stackers, 2,739 schools and organizations from 26 Locations/Regions. Canada had 30 683 “stackers” participate! If you want to see the videos from this day, click on the link Sport Stacking Videos 2019 to see some of the fastest “stackers” in the world!

This activity is good for any age. Many kindergarten children have enjoyed testing their skills at various schools just as much as children at older elementary schools all the way up to adults! Any type of plastic cup works, as long as they are all the same shape and size. Some people have even used plastic sand pails, or soccer markers/discs to stack. This challenge is very versatile and can be adapted for various learning needs and abilities.

Stacking Challenges:

  • Try to make the tallest cup stack/tower by placing a piece of paper between each cup, or alternating them upside down on top of a cup that is right side up.
  • Use fewer cups to stack (e.g. three), or a lot of cups (e.g. 100).
  • Use a timer, then make a stack of 3 or 6 cups and then “nest them” back one inside the other and do this as many times as you can in one minute.
  • Use a timer to see how long it takes you to make 3 stacks of 3 cups and then “nest them” back again (one inside the other).
  • Stack the cups while doing the plank exercise. You may need to change hands if one arm gets tired. Think it isn’t possible?
  • Need more ideas? Watch Round Hill PE with Mr. T and Mr. Lose.