How to make a Popsicle Stick Catapult
This catapult activity is a fun STEM activity that will unleash your kids inner engineer! Get ready to launch into a world of learning with this STEM activity for kids! Your kids will love learning how to make a popsicle stick catapult.
Supplies Needed
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- 7 jumbo craft sticks
- 3 rubber bands
- A bottle cap or jug lid
- Cotton balls
- Adhesive dots or glue
Watch the How to Make a Catapult Video
How to Make a Popsicle Stick Catapult
It may seem hard at first, but your popsicle stick catapult design will only take a few minutes.
Step 1: First, stack 5 of the craft sticks and rubber band them at each end.
Step 2: Then wrap one rubber band around the very end of the other two craft sticks.
Step 3: Slide the stack of 5 craft sticks between the other two sticks.
Step 4: Use adhesive dots to stick the cap on to the craft stick that is facing up. Glue is another option to stick the cap to the stick.
Step 5: Test your catapult! Place a small pom-pom or soft object on the cap. Pull back the arm and let it go, watching as your creation springs into action. Adjust the rubber bands if needed.
Fantastic! You’ve just built your own popsicle stick catapult!
Optional versions:
You can use a spoon instead of the top stick to fling bigger items!
Let the Learning Begin!
Experiment with different launch angles and observe how far the projectiles travel. Measure and record the distances to compare the results.
Investigate how changing the tension of the rubber bands affects the distance and accuracy of your launches.
You can also create a target on a piece of paper or board and assign point values to different sections. Our daughter came up with this idea on her own and challenged her brother.
Remember, learning can be a fun adventure when combined with hands-on activities like building a popsicle stick catapult. So let your creativity soar and have fun experimenting!
What is the Science behind the Catapult
The catapult is a fun way to learn about physics. Why are catapults able to launch objects so far? When you pull back on the popsicle stick, the potential energy gets stored up. When released, the potential energy turns into kinetic energy! Kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion. The gravity eventually pulls the object that was launched back to the ground.
Looking for more Fun Catapults?
This castle catapult math game is a blast! Kids will practice counting and adding while launching objects at a castle. It’s easy to make too!
This snowball catapult alphabet activity is a super easy winter activity! My kids really enjoyed experimenting with the catapult.
More Science Resources
My kids love science activities and I love that they are learning while having so much fun.
Science experiments are a great, hands-on way for kids to explore scientific concepts. They are super engaging and exciting, so kids are really drawn into learning.
Plus, I find that they learn more when they are engaged with interactive, hands-on ways.
Science that Engages
For each experiment, we explain the science behind them. Your kids will be able to explore science in engaging ways and be able to explain the “why” behind each experiment.
Grab some simple household supplies and you will be well on your way!
These lists of science activities are sure to be a hit:
