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Want to learn how to make a catapult? It’s easy and fun and the perfect STEM activity for kids of all ages! Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten kids will love learning to make a catapult and then play with it! Making a catapult is the perfect craft and activity whether you’re at home or in the classroom!
Building a Catapult
Building a catapult for kids can make you the coolest mom or dad on the block. Today we have some instructions on how to make a simple catapult. Of course, we at Kids Activities Blog know that if your kid has a device like this they will surely want to play some catapult games. Have fun!
This simple home made catapult has been a huge hit with my son. We made it using very basic household items and had lots of fun working out which configuration would work best. Watching the pom poms fly across the table has kept us entertained as we see who can launch their pom poms the furthest.
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Related: Check out these other STEM activities!
Supplies Needed To Make A Catapult
How to Make a Simple Catapult
Steps for making a simple catapult
Step 1
Lay two of the cardboard tubes side by side and then place the third tube on top of the first two to form a triangle shaped stack.
Step 2
Fasten the tubes together with an elastic band at each end – these are the white elastic bands in the photos.
Step 3
Next, position the wooden spoon at the front of the tubes, and loop an elastic band over the top of the spoon, stretch it around the tubes and then bring it back over itself at the top of the spoon so it holds the spoon to the tubes. This is shown by the red elastic band in the photos.
Step 4
Finally, take the last elastic band, loop it over the handle of the wooden spoon, take it around the cardboard tubes, and back over the spoon as shown by the black elastic band in the photos. The photo below shows another close up view of these elastic bands.
Launch Catapult
To launch the pom poms, hold the cardboard tubes with one hand or secure them to a table with masking tape like we did. Use your other hand to position a pom pom on the wooden spoon, pull the spoon back and then release and watch those pom poms fly!
Catapult Games
Some of our pom poms flew a very long way – more than the length of our dining table. My son had fun simply launching the pom poms and seeing where they would land, but you could make all sorts of target games with this simple catapult. Try lining up some paper cups and try landing the pom poms inside the cups – you could even have a points system where different cups are worth different points.
Simple Catapult And STEM ACtivity
This simple catapult doubles as a fun STEM activity and craft. STEM is great for exploring science and math as well as building things. It’s educational and fun!
Materials
- 3 cardboard tubes
- a wooden spoon ( a plastic spoon will also work well)
- 4 elastic bands
- pom poms
- marshmallows
- scrunched up balls of paper or other soft items for launching
Instructions
- Lay two of the cardboard tubes side by side and then place the third tube on top of the first two to form a triangle shaped stack.
- Fasten the tubes together with an elastic band at each end – these are the white elastic bands in the photos.
- Next, position the wooden spoon at the front of the tubes, and loop an elastic band over the top of the spoon, stretch it around the tubes and then bring it back over itself at the top of the spoon so it holds the spoon to the tubes.
- Finally, take the last elastic band, loop it over the handle of the wooden spoon, take it around the cardboard tubes, and back over the spoon as shown by the black elastic band in the photos.
More Catapult Fun From Kids Activities Blog
Did you ever think that building a catapult could be so easy? This simple catapult is fun for kids (and adults too!). For more exciting kids activities, take a shot at these:
How did your catapult turn out? Did it work? How far did you shoot your pom poms?
