Do you want to learn how to build a catapult? Easy and fun, it’s the perfect STEM activity for kids of all ages! Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten kids will love building a catapult and then playing with it! Building a catapult is the perfect craft and activity whether you’re at home or in the classroom!
building a catapult
build catapult for kids can make you the coolest mom or dad around. Today we have a guide on how to make one simple catapult. Of course, at Kids Activities Blog, we know that if your child has a device like this, they will surely want to play something catapult games. Have fun!
This easy homemade catapult was a huge hit with my son. We made it with very basic household items and had a lot of fun figuring out which configuration worked best. Watching the pom poms fly across the table kept us entertained as we see who can shoot their pom poms the furthest.
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Related: Check out these other STEM activities!
Supplies needed to craft a catapult
How to make a simple catapult
Steps to make a basic catapult
Step 1
Place two of the cardboard tubes side by side and then place the third tube on top of the first two to form a triangular stack.
step 2
Secure the tubes at each end with a rubber band – these are the white rubber bands in the photos.
step 3
Next, position the wooden spoon at the front of the tubes and place an elastic band over the top of the spoon, tightening it around the tubes and then threading it back over itself at the top of the spoon so it holds the spoon in place . This is shown by the red rubber band in the photos.
step 4
Finally, take the last elastic, loop it around the handle of the wooden spoon, thread it around the cardboard tubes and back over the spoon as shown by the black elastic in the photos. The photo below shows another close-up of these elastic bands.
Launch catapult
To start the pom poms, hold the cardboard tubes with one hand or tape them to a table like we did. With the other hand, position a pom pom on the wooden spoon, pull back on the spoon and then release and watch the pom poms fly!
catapult games
Some of our pom poms have flown very far – more than the length of our dining table. My son had fun just 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 to land the pom poms in the cups – you could even have a scoring system where different cups are worth different points.
Easy catapult and STEM activity
This simple catapult doubles as a fun STEM activity and craft. STEM is great for exploring science, math, and building things. It’s educational and fun!
materials
- 3 cardboard tubes
- a wooden spoon (a plastic spoon works well too)
- 4 rubber bands
- pompoms
- Marshmallows
- wadded up balls of paper or other soft objects to start with
instructions
- Place two of the cardboard tubes side by side and then place the third tube on top of the first two to form a triangular stack.
- Secure the tubes at each end with a rubber band – these are the white rubber bands in the photos.
- Next, position the wooden spoon at the front of the tubes and place an elastic band over the top of the spoon, tightening it around the tubes and then threading it back over itself at the top of the spoon so it holds the spoon in place .
- Finally, take the last elastic, loop it around the handle of the wooden spoon, thread it around the cardboard tubes and back over the spoon as shown by the black elastic in the photos.
More catapult fun from the Kids Activities Blog
Ever thought building a catapult could be so easy? This simple catapult is fun for kids (and adults too!). Find more exciting activities for kids here:
How did your catapult turn out? Did it work? How far did you shoot your pom poms?