This is the wooden tumbling tower everyone knows: the blocks lie three to a layer, each layer crosswise on the one below, building up into a tall narrow tower. They are painted red, blue and yellow with plain blocks in between, so the tower looks cheerful on the table straight away. A die is included as well, shown beside the tower in the photo on the box.
The rule takes one sentence, and that is exactly where the appeal lies. In turn, each player slides a block out of the tower and lays it on top. The higher the tower gets, the more precarious it stands. Whoever brings it down loses that round, and then you simply build it up again.
Children practise working calmly and precisely along the way, and they see at once what happens when they rush. The blocks are wooden and smoothly finished. After the game they go back into the tall narrow cardboard box, so the game travels easily to grandma's or on holiday.
A familiar game to play with the whole family, at the kitchen table or on a rainy afternoon, and one that adults join in with just as keenly as the children.
