The paper introduces an example of a 'distributed tangible technology' as a new type of technology that enables children in different physical locations to engage in physical interaction. A virtual tug of war game is an example of a distributed tangible technology that is played by groups of children pulling a rope from two separate locations. The game was launched when teams in Finland and South Africa competed during an international science festival. The paper describes the design and implementation of the tug of war game. It explores the challenges combining tangible user interfaces with distributed computing and distributed technologies to be overcome in future educational applications for children.