More Catapult DesignsĮxplore physics and how catapults work with other design ideas including: Playing with the catapult also provides an opportunity to observe gravity, kinetic energy, and potential energy. How can you see some of these laws in action with the catapult? You use technology to assist in building and math to determine the supplies you need.įirst recorded in ancient Greece around 399, B.C., catapults were used in battle to defeat walls and attack settlements, but in modern times we can use them for something else! Catapults are very useful in teaching STEM concepts, particularly Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion – An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an outside force force is equal to the change in momentum per change in time, and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You use engineering to construct the catapult and science to test how well various objects and designs work (speed/distance/weight/etc). What do you think will happen? Which design/projectile is best?Ĭatapults are super fun and educational. Try launching other projectiles, such as marshmallows. Try building the catapult with more popsicle sticks and other designs. ![]() ![]() What might make a difference in how far it travels? Measure the distance the pom pom traveled. Release and watch the pom pom launch! Where will the pom pom go? How far will it go? Hold the catapult with one hand and use your other hand to pull down on the egg.Set the half of a plastic Easter egg (cup side up) on the hot glue.Place a dollop of hot glue on the upper part of the launcher stick.Attach the larger stack to the stick on the top using a rubber band.Pull the two popsicle sticks slightly apart and place the larger stack of sticks in between the two.Wrap one rubber band around one end of these two sticks to hold them together. Take two popsicle sticks and stack them together.Wrap a rubber band around each end of the stack to hold the stack together.Optional: paint or color the popsicle sticks before starting. Make a stack of popsicle sticks by stacking them one on top of each other.What’s also really cool about this activity is that you can make it simple enough for a toddler to understand or complex enough that a teenager benefit from it. There are a lot of cool DIY models, but I chose this one because Easter is coming soon and using a plastic Easter egg is timely.īoth boys loved the catapults (and marshmallow snack!) and played with them for a good 45ish minutes. With just a few household items, you can create your own mini weapon of war – or entertainment.Today’s activity is a fun kid-friendly engineering challenge. It’s a great activity to do with kids, and it’s also a fun way to explore the principles of physics. Making a catapult without popsicle sticks is easy and fun. You can also modify the design by adding a third rubber band or adjusting the size of the cardboard base. Then, release the spoon and watch your object fly!Įxperiment with adjusting the position of the second rubber band to see how it affects the launching distance. Pull back on the edge of the spoon, using your other hand to hold the catapult steady. Your catapult is now complete! To test it out, place a small object – such as a grape or a bean – in the scoop of the spoon. ![]() This rubber band will provide the elastic energy needed to launch objects. Stretch it across the top of the spoon, near the scoop. The spoon should be pointing away from the cardboard base. Then, slip the spoon handle under the rubber band. Take one of the rubber bands and stretch it around the bottom of the bottle cap. Next, we’ll attach the spoon to the bottle cap. Then, place the bottle cap in the center of the cardboard and press down firmly. Take the small piece of cardboard and apply some hot glue around the edges. But why settle for a store-bought version when you can make your own? In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make a catapult without popsicle sticks.įirst, we’ll attach the bottle cap to the cardboard. But in recent years, they’ve also become a popular toy for kids – and even adults! You can buy a pre-made, plastic catapult at your local toy store. Catapults have been used for centuries as weapons of war.
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