Eventually every parent is faced with this all important question: how to make a catapult for kids? We don’t welcome the question–it just comes to us one day when we’re wiping up spills or looking for a toy. In any case, there are many ways to go about it, but the following method has a few advantages:
- It’s completely original
- It only takes a few minutes to make
- It uses household items you already have on hand
- It’s the perfect size to play games and activities
What You Need:
- newspaper
- tablespoon
- rubber band
- masking tape
What to Do:
1. Roll a section of newspaper like a log.(figure 1)
2. Secure the middle with tape. (figure 2)
3. Stretch a rubber band. Place the log of newspaper on top of it. (figure 3)
4. Loop the two ends of the rubber band to the top of the log. Pass one end of the rubber band through the other. Hold the surplus with your finger. (figure 4)
5. Stick the end of a tablespoon through the surplus rubber band. (figure 5)
6. Adjust the spoon so that its length is approximately 1/2 way through the rubber band.
7. Tape the ends of the log to your tabletop (or to a place mat so you can move it around).
8. The catapult is now complete. (figure 6)
Note- This is a starter catapult. For a Complete List of designs, see Catapult Designs for Kids
What Objects to Hurl: Cotton balls, Q-tips, cut up sponge pieces.
How to Hurl Objects: Use three or more fingers. Press down quickly on the handle of the spoon. (Tip: to hurl objects further, adjust the spoon so that the greater length is to the rounded end of the spoon.)
Games and Activities:
1. Place a bowl 6 to 12 inches away from the catapult. See how many cotton balls in a row you can shoot into the bowl.
2. Same as game one, except this time give each person ten cotton balls. Person who shoots the most into the bowl wins.
3. Make a tower using three rigatoni (log-style) noodles. See how many times it takes to knock down the tower.
(Variation: Launch half a dozen Q-tips at once.)
4. Lay a roll of masking tape its side. That’s your target. Now each person flings a cotton ball toward the target. Closest wins a point. (If you make it in the center of the roll you win three points.) First person to ten points wins.
5. Use a marker to make red freckles on three cotton balls, and
blue freckles on three others. Again lay the roll of masking tape its side. You child shoots her three, and you shoot yours. Give a point to the three closest. For example–2 for red and 1 for blue. First person to reach ten points wins.
Show me your complete list of Catapult Games.
There’s nothing like a homemade catapult for kids to stimulate lots of new activities. The activities are simple, wholesome and engaging. Best of all, the easy to make catapult has plenty of room for your child’s imagination and ingenuity. Don’t be surprised to see your child experimenting with a longer spoon, two spoons, thicker roll of newspaper, etc. Half the fun is tinkering with the design! Good luck!
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31 responses so far ↓
1 Emily // Jul 22, 2009 at 4:29 pm
My 3 and 5 year olds just love this activity. You do a really good job explaining how to make a catapult–your design is really easy.
2 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jul 22, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Thanks – I’m glad they enjoy it. Another variation is to make two catapults and face each other from opposite sides of the table. Each person sets targets on their side of the table–take turns shooting.
3 Catherine // Jul 25, 2009 at 1:53 am
This was much loved, even by mum and dad. And it was really quick to make, most of my time was spent looking for the tape.
4 Christie // Jul 25, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Oh this sounds like such fun! My boys are older but still love to play, and I think this will make for some good family fun. Thanks for the easy-to-follow instructions.
5 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jul 25, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Catherine- I’m really glad mum & dad enjoyed the activity also. It’s kinda’ catchy isn’t it?
6 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jul 25, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Christie – Sure thing- a good variation for older kids is a contest–who can make the best catapult. Also, if you make it on a hobby board, you can experiment with springs/ spring tension.
7 Mandy // Jan 22, 2010 at 2:51 am
This is a wonderful activity. My 6 and 7 year olds have invented about 50 ways to play. They’re just fascinated with it. Thanks for the how-to.
8 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jan 23, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Sure thing. I’m glad it’s getting so much attention. All the best. -AV
9 Sam // Nov 2, 2010 at 2:26 am
The new designs look promising. Can’t wait to Get gOing!
10 Crystal // Nov 15, 2010 at 5:04 pm
The new catapults are really well done (esp the “bear trap” design). I can’t tell you how thankful Iam for the illustrations; I can’t stand directions that are poorly written, with no illustrations and impossible to figure out. Keep up the great work :) Crystal
11 Spaghetti Box Kids // Nov 15, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Thanks for the feedback, Crystal. Best of luck with the new designs.
12 Keira // Mar 20, 2011 at 12:46 am
does anyone have ideas for doing it when its on wheels its a distance of 1 meter and you cant touch the arm???
13 Ted // Mar 20, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Try a skateboard with a string that goes through a pulley then attaches to the arm.
14 kim // Apr 15, 2011 at 7:59 pm
love this!! it is soooo easy!!!:]
15 Spaghetti Box Kids // Apr 17, 2011 at 11:50 am
Good stuff. Glad to hear you’re having fun with it. -AV
16 Chelsea // May 10, 2011 at 4:18 pm
I love this.This is a great thing for us to do and learn things as we grow up.Love it.Great job on making this website.
17 Spaghetti Box Kids // May 11, 2011 at 1:14 am
Chelsea, thanks for the encouraging feedback. It’s good to know you’re enjoying the site. Hope to hear from you again. All the best–AV
18 beth // Jun 7, 2011 at 1:56 pm
This rocks. It worked out great for a school project :-)
19 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jun 10, 2011 at 4:38 am
Glad to hear it. Best of luck-
20 Amy // Sep 8, 2011 at 3:18 am
Super easy – Well worth the few minutes it takes to find the materials and put together.
21 Spaghetti Box Kids // Sep 8, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Thanks for the positive review. Good to hear it was so easy to put together. Cheers-
22 flashlight // Sep 17, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Looks like a lot of fun. The illustrations are very effective. Nice work:)
23 Spaghetti Box Kids // Sep 18, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Glad to hear the illustrations make things easy.. Good luck -AV
24 Bonita // Sep 22, 2011 at 3:47 am
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I NEED THIS FOR MY PROJECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25 Spaghetti Box Kids // Sep 22, 2011 at 4:20 pm
That’s great to hear. I’m glad the design worked out for you. All the Best -AV
26 Jinx the Kidd // Oct 17, 2011 at 12:06 am
How far do the objects it launches generally go?
27 Spaghetti Box Kids // Oct 17, 2011 at 2:27 am
Jinx the Kidd,
Good question. This is a starter design with only one rubber band for tension. Still, there are a number of variables: for instance–size of the rubber band, length of the spoon, diameter of the log of newspaper, weight of the object.
That said, this design flings a rubber grape, on average, a modest six or seven feet in the air (which means “the roll” is excluded from the measurement).
For better power, try the Brawny Launcher Design, the Super Fling Design or the Soda Can Design (see links above). The Soda Can Design, for instance, flings the same grape an average of sixteen feet in the air, and nearly double if “the roll” is counted in the measurement. The Super Fling Design, with a well made launch cup would do even better.
Hope that helps. Best of luck–
AV
28 zimmer // Dec 23, 2011 at 2:18 pm
it is more fun with too spoons :]
29 Spaghetti Box Kids // Jan 10, 2012 at 4:03 pm
zimmer- Good to know. Thanks for weighing in–
30 Jill @ A Mom With A Lesson Plan // Feb 2, 2012 at 5:55 am
I love it=) I have a sick Big Man who will need something to do tomorrow.. Looks like we will be launching lots of stuff;)
31 Spaghetti Box Kids // Feb 4, 2012 at 5:20 am
Good to hear. Hope it speeds the recovery–
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