Tower of Trust
Intended age group: Elementary through adult
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Learning objectives: Participants will realize the necessity and fragility of trust.
Materials needed:
Adult and older student version: 10 or more rectangular cardboard boxes, paper (optional), crayons/
markers (optional)
Younger student version: blocks, paper, tape, crayons
Overview:
Preface the activity by reminding participants that if we have trust in our relationships it can be very
uplifting. Point out how trust in a relationship allows other valuable traits to exist, and that without trust
a relationship is paralyzed. Lay down four of the boxes on the table (or the floor if you are using larger
boxes), announcing that these boxes represent a foundation of trust in a relationship. Ask participants to
name some things that would be enhanced in a relationship where total trust flourished. Tell them you will
add one box to the “tower of trust” for each response. (It will be in the form of a triangle: four boxes at
the base, then a row of three, followed by a row of two, and finally a single box at the top of the tower.)
Possible responses:
1. Talking to each other
2. Prayer
3. Laughing with kids
4. Family secrets
5. Family traditions
6. Intimacy
7. Relaxation
8. Getting things done
9. Having a joint checkbook
10. Honesty
11. Mutual understanding
When tower is built ask, “When trust is compromised or eroded even a little bit, what happens to all
those elements of the relationship?” Knock a block from the bottom row with a sharp rap of the knuckles.
Tower should begin to collapse.
Alternate Method: Give each participant a box. Have them create a design for their box relating to one
of the aspects of trust (honesty, integrity, promise-keeping, loyalty) and then explain the design to the
group. Then put the boxes in a tower shape and proceed with the demonstration of what happens to the
tower when trust is compromised.
Suggested discussion question:
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Tower of Trust
What does this demonstration show us about the role of trust in a relationship?
Classroom application:
For older students, use the relationship of “best friends” instead of “significant other.”
For younger students, you can use blocks instead of boxes, and use the relationship of mother-child. Have
students draw little pictures of things they do that show their mom she can trust them. Tape the pictures to
the blocks, and build a tower out of them.
Say: “It has taken a long time to build your mom’s trust in you. But it doesn’t take long at all to destroy the
tower of trust. What if you tell your mom you picked up all your toys, and she finds them under the rug?
Will that help her trust you?”
Pull a block from the base of our tower of trust. Say: “Every untrue thing you say takes away a little of
the trust people have in you. What happens if you tell your mom you ate your green beans, but then she
sees that you fed them to your dog instead? Will she trust you more, or less? Let’s pull another block from
our tower of trust. What happens if your mom asks if you have seen her cell phone and you say no, but
then she finds you playing with it? Will you build up or tear down the trust she has in you?” Take another
block from the base of the tower of trust.
Say: “How does our tower of trust look now? It isn’t much of a tower any more. Do you think your mom
is going to trust you anymore? What will it take to get her to count on you to do the right thing?”
The younger student modification appears in Exercising
Character for 4- to 6-Year-Olds, written by Peggy Adkins,
a CC! National Faculty member.
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Character Development Seminars TRAINING MATERIALS 40
© 2007 Character Counts!