Sometimes, the best way to learn is with exciting hands-on approaches. These homemade catapult activities are ideal for teaching your kiddos all about potential and kinetic energy- giving them the perfect excuse to get crafty! From creating simple homemade launchers to experimenting with unique designs, these STEM-based activities are sure to be a smash hit with both young and old learners. Dive right in to discover the numerous developmental benefits that our collection of crafty catapult activities brings about!
1. Popsicle Stick Catapult
Kicking things off, we have a medieval-style catapult to captivate your budding engineers! All they’ll need to bring it to life is popsicle sticks, rubber bands, a spoon, and a little imagination.
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2. Marshmallow Launcher
Add a dash of sweetness to your physics class! Let your students experience the joy of launching mini marshmallows with catapults crafted from plastic spoons. As the marshmallows take off into flight, so will their understanding of force and trajectory.
Learn More: Fox River Valley Public Library
3. Pom Pom Catapult Challenge
These pom pom catapults are perfect additions to a Day of the Dead soiree. Your students will have a blast launching colorful pom poms into targets with catapults they construct out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and bottle caps.
Learn More: Kidsburgh
4. Cotton Ball Catapult
Being as light as a feather, cotton balls make the perfect projectiles for a DIY catapult! Witness your students’ fascination as they fling their cotton balls using craft stick catapults.
Learn More: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
5. Straw and Spoon Launcher
Put straws to good use by inviting your students to build catapults with them. By attaching them together using hot glue, they’ll be ready to launch lightweight objects.
Learn More: Instructables
6. Balloon-Powered Catapult
Energy, air, and elasticity combine in this exhilarating experiment. Get your students to use a balloon-powered catapult to launch small objects after crafting it.
Learn More: YouTube
7. Lego Catapult Challenge
Excite the Lego enthusiasts in your classroom with this exciting challenge! Have them create functional catapults using Lego bricks; allowing them to explore the mechanics of energy transfer while having loads of fun with their beloved building blocks.
Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys
8. Ping Pong Ball Catapult
Turn physics into a game of skill with ping pong catapults! As your kiddos construct a catapult to send ping pong balls flying into cups, they’ll learn about various trajectories and forces.
Learn More: Houma Times
9. Paper Airplane Catapult
Wings at the ready! Ask your students to design a catapult for launching paper airplanes. As they test their planes for distance and accuracy, they’ll get a hands-on lesson in aerodynamics.
Learn More: YouTube
10. Playdough Projectile Launcher
Invite your students to meld creativity with learning as they use playdough and popsicle sticks to build catapults. Launching small items will turn into a hands-on experiment on how mass impacts distance!
Learn More: Do Play Learn
11. Bottle Cap Catapult
Turn the ordinary into something extraordinary! Have your students transform everyday objects such as bottle caps into exciting learning tools. To do so, they’ll need to craft a mini catapult built from bottle caps and popsicle sticks.
Learn More: YouTube
12. Fruit Loop Catapult
Science for breakfast anyone? Task your learners with crafting a catapult using pipe cleaners and a plastic spoon to launch their cereal into a bowl. Not only is this fun, but it’s also an excellent way to get your students to consider the importance of launch angles.
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13. Water Balloon Catapult
Mix summertime fun with physics by having your students create a catapult to launch water balloons. Every splash will help them discover more about energy and motion!
Learn More: YouTube
14. Newspaper Ball Catapult
Who knew that recycling could be exciting? To ring home the importance of recycling and caring for our planet, have your students create catapults using newspaper and rubber bands.
Learn More: NY Times
15. Magnetic Catapult
Introduce your students to the fascinating concept of magnetism with this next craft. Using magnets to construct a catapult, they’ll be able to launch metallic and non-metallic objects to discover the exciting laws of repulsion and attraction!
Learn More: YouTube
16. Target Tower Catapults
Stack cups or objects into a tower formation and let the destruction begin! Your students will delight in creating small catapults from a variety of materials to knock them down; learning about force and motion along the way!
Learn More: Kid Pillar
17. Tissue Box Catapult
From mundane to fascinating- watch as a tissue box transforms into a catapult that thrills like no other! Armed with this tool, your kiddos can explore the concepts of tension and release as they send lightweight objects flying across the room.
Learn More: YouTube
18. Stuffed Animal Catapult
Who says physics can’t be cuddly? Let your students launch their small stuffed animals into baskets or boxes using sturdy craft stick catapults. As their furry friends soar, so will their understanding of projectile motion!
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19. Plastic Egg Catapult
Here’s the perfect craft to keep your little engineers entertained over the Easter period. Invite your students to join in on the fun by constructing a catapult to launch plastic eggs into targets.
Learn More: Little Bins For Little Hands
20. Paper Clip Catapult
Stationery at the ready! With pencils, paper clips, plastic spoons, and rubber bands, your students can create their own mini catapult to launch small items and broaden their understanding of physics.
Learn More: YouTube
21. Cardboard Tube Catapult
Wrap up your air resistance lesson in the most fun way possible by having your learners build a cardboard tube catapult. With it, they’ll be able to send lightweight objects into the air and learn more about what it takes to defy gravity.
Learn More: Science Sparks
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