What you need

For each team: ten full sheets of newspaper and about one metre of tape. A measuring tape. A timer.

How to play

Make teams of three to five. Give each the same materials.
Explain the goal: the tallest tower that stands without being held, using only the paper and tape provided. It may not be fixed to the floor, wall or furniture.
Give teams three minutes to plan without touching the materials.
Then fifteen minutes to build.
At "Stop", hands off. Each tower must stand for ten seconds while it is measured from the floor to its highest point.

The tallest standing tower wins. Give a second prize for the most beautiful.

Strength round: which tower can hold a tennis ball or an orange at the top?
Bridge round: build a bridge between two chairs that carries a full water bottle.
Scarcity round: half the paper, no tape, folds and slots only.
Use dry spaghetti and thread, or drinking straws and tape, for a table-top version.

Use old newspapers and recycle them afterwards. Scissors are not needed; if you allow them, give round-tipped ones to children.

One person takes over the team. In the planning time, every member must make one suggestion aloud.
Towers collapse at measuring time. That is the lesson. Allow one rebuild of two minutes for all teams together.

Time the round with the party timer, make chits or random teams with the chit maker, and keep the points on the scoreboard.