How to Make an Easy Catapult

How to Make an Easy Catapult!

For our Oma and Opa Camp (aka cousins camp, grandma camp, etc.), I was researching catapult projects. I tried so many catapult ideas, but none worked very well. They were either so difficult to put together or the trajectory was that they just threw something straight down. (like the Kleenex box ones) How fun is that? For all the effort of putting it together, you want something that really works.  I, also, wanted  6-10 year old kids to be able to make it themselves without much help.

I finally found an idea that was both simple and worked! The materials were inexpensive and easy to obtain, too! I need to give credit to almostunschoolers  for this basic idea.

Materials Needed:

Tongue depressors or large craft sticks

Spring Clothespins

Approximately 4 inch wood square  ( cut from a 2×4) or buy these end posts from Menards

Milk Cap

Glue Gun

Directions:

If you want to decorate the base with markers or paint, you may do that first or wait until it is put together.

First glue the clothespin to the base…

Hot glue the milk cap to the tongue depressor or large craft stick.  Be sure to leave room at the end for pressing it down.

Next, glue the craft stick to the top of the clothespin.

When glue is dry, kids can decorate with markers or paint at this point, too.  Now, use pom-poms to catapult into the cups. Number the cups with points and give turns to see who can make the most points.

They enjoyed making the catapult, decorating it, and playing the game.  I call that success! How did it fit into a Science Camp? Well, we talked about simple machines and a catapult is one which uses a lever! You use force to push the lever down and the energy is transferred to the pom-pom which sends it flying up.

Now you know how to make an easy catapult that actually works and is easy to put together!

Have fun!

Phyllis

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