Card house. Three floors.
You will build three small floors from cards that stay flat. Cards slip easily, so placing the next floor can disturb the support you have already made.
- Build
- Expert
- About 20 minutes
Grown-up needed: yes for setup, nearby supervision and clearing spills or loose pieces
What you need
- A pack of playing cards
- A steady table
- A clear area around the cards
The rule
No bending the cards.
How to do it
- Lean two cards together to make a low tent on the table.
- Build two more matching tents beside the first.
- Lay flat cards across neighbouring tent tops to form a floor.
- Build two smaller tents on that floor.
- Add a flat card and one final tent above them.
- Release the cards and count the complete standing floors.
Why it works
Each leaning card carries some downward load along its length and pushes against the other card at the top. Contact with the table or floor card gives the pair somewhere to push. Friction helps the feet stay apart instead of sliding. Upper floors add load to lower pairs, so a small movement can upset several supports. The triangular outline is useful, but it does not remove the need for steady joints and a firm surface.
Make it harder
- Use less space between base tents.
- Build without touching earlier floors.
- Find a different three-floor arrangement with the same cards.
Ask Taz
- Why do two leaning cards support each other?
- Why do card feet slide apart?
- Why does an upper floor affect the bottom floor?
For grown-ups
Help your child find a stable work surface and leave the card placement to them. They can practise sequencing, careful observation and explaining failure without needing to hurry. There is no need to hold their breath. Ask at dinner: “Which contact point mattered most when your card house began to move?”
Taz is an AI and can be wrong, so stay close by. Read how safety works on Taz.
Show us yours
Film your hands and what you made, not your face or name. Ask a grown-up before posting anywhere else.
Questions parents ask
Do we need special equipment?
Use the household items listed above. Begin with a small attempt on a clear surface before trying any harder version. The listed time is an estimate, so leave room to rebuild or repeat without rushing.
What if the first attempt does not work?
Notice where the result first changed. Alter one feature, keep the rest similar and try again. An unsuccessful attempt can still give you a useful question.
Do we have to post the result?
No. You can show it to a grown-up at home. Online sharing is optional and needs the permissions in the privacy line above.
More to try
See all Taz Challenges, or look through the science labs. One place for every why. Ask for early access at aitaz.com