Easy Catapult Designs Catapults With a Cup

Making a catapult with kids starts out as a craft and ends with a fun activity! Add a target or a competitive goal and now you have a game.

It might possibly be the perfect toy!

15 DIY Catapults

All these catapults to make at home use everyday objects – hopefully you won't have to buy a thing! Upcycle the items in your kitchen junk drawer for hours of target practice.

These are in order as seen in the photo above with a few bonus catapults at the end. We are all about catapult value here!

(List includes affiliate links.)

1. Plastic Spoon Catapult

How cool! This Plastic Spoon Catapult by Housing a Forrest starts us off with the simplest version of them all!

2. Tinker Toy Catapult

Want to know how to make a catapult? It's easy with Tinker Toy Catapult. Get out that cherished set and make an easy catapult!

3. Dragon Slaver Catapult

Dragon Slayer Catapult is a whole story behind this simple (and large) catapult from Frugal Fun for Boys.

4. Tissue Box Catapult

Tissue Box Catapult is a simple machine uses pencils and an empty tissue box from Spoonful.

5. Paper Plate Target Game

Paper Plate Target Game is a catapult game that will have paper balls landing and math ensuing.

6. Catapult Goal Game

This simple DIY Catapult Goal Game game from Toddler Approved is catapult fun on a tabletop scale.

7. Cotton Ball Launcher

Cotton Ball Launcher is from Delightful Learning will have cotton balls flying!

8. LEGO Catapult

LEGO Catapult is great if you have 100's of bricks in your house, this might be a good project for about 20 of them.

9. Marshmallow Launcher

Marshmallow Launcher is made from a balloon and small plastic container can get marshmallows air born!

10. Pool Noodle Catapult

Pool Noodle Catapult is the large version is absolutely fun and games from Toddler Approved!

11. Craft Stick Catapult

This Craft Stick Catapult transforms a few craft sticks, some rubber bands and a lid into a projectile shooting machine!

12. Wooden Spoon Catapult

Wooden Spoon Catapult launch is easy with a wooden spoon and a few paper towel rolls!

13. Skewer and Marshmallow Catapult

This Skewer & Marshmallow Catapult design from It's Always Autumn uses marshmallows IN the design!

14. Paper Bowl Catapult

This easy-to-adapt Paper Bowl Catapult idea comes from Science Gal and can bring a new game to any picnic!

15. Cardboard Catapult

Love this simple Cardboard Catapult project from iKat Bag!

16. Simple DIY Catapult

This simple DIY catapult will let you shoot marshmallows! How far can you shoot them? This one actually uses a spoon rather than popsicle sticks.

17. Super Simple Catapult

Use crafting sticks and a bottle cap to make this super simple catapult.

18. Rubber Band Catapult

Learn how to make a catapult with rubber bands! It's easy.

Catapult Science

Even though kids will see catapult play as fun and games, there is a ton of science involved.

Using a simple catapult design you can learn about kinetic energy in an easy way.

You will also learn about simple machines and elastic potential energy and even about what a pivot point is.

If you are looking into adding some learning into this activity, I thought these resources were helpful:

Launch into Learning from Teach Engineering
The Science Behind the Catapult
All About Catapults from All Things Medieval

Catapult Projectiles for Kids

Obviously whether you are playing inside or outside will be a big component of your decision on what to use as catapult projectiles.

Safety is the other big one! The last thing you need is an ACTUAL weapon in your house.

The good news is that modern life has provided many alternatives to the medieval rock.

Start with one of the suggestions below, but get the kids involved in finding soft and safe alternatives.

Safety glasses is always a great idea when playing with flying objects!

Crumpled paper balls
Marshmallows
Craft Pom-poms
Sponge "bombs" or sponge pieces – wet or dry
Cotton balls
Ping pong balls
Duct tape or masking tape balls
Stuffed animals
Hacky sacks or small soft/squishy play balls

More Catapult Resources for Kids

Here are some more things we found that we thought you might like. These are different catapults, but still are a lot of fun.

Each of these catapults can shoot small items a great distance! They are so much fun.

Catapult books:

Amazing Leonardo de Vinci Inventions
The Art of the Catapult

Catapult Kits:

Pathfinders Medieval Catapult Wooden Kit
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Construction Model Kit
Leonardo da Vinci Catapult Kit
ButterflyEdufields DIY Wooden Catapult Kit STEM Toys for Kids
Craft Stick Catapults Kit
High Power Catapult Kit
Wood Trick Catapult Wooden Model Kit to Build

Catapult Toys:

KAOS Catapult Water Balloon Launcher
Catapult Wars
YHmall 3 Person Water Balloon Launcher with 500 Water Balloons
Stanley Jr DIY Truck Catapult Building Kit
IELLO Catapult Feud game Blue

Want More Fun STEM Activities to Do With Your Kids?

If you are looking for science projects for 4 year olds, we got ya covered!
Science Activity: Pillow Stacking <–it is fun!
Create your own LEGO instruction books with this fun STEM idea for kids.
Build this solar system model for kids
You already have the red cups from this STEM project, so here is another one in a red cup challenge which is a cup building project.
Follow along the simple steps to how to fold a paper airplane and then host your own paper airplane challenge!
Build this straw tower STEM challenge!
Got a lot of building bricks at home? This LEGO STEM activity can put those bricks to good learning use.
Here are a bunch more STEM activities for kids!

Tell us how it went and what you used for a projectile! We'd love to hear from you!

Kids Activities Blog is Holly's blogging home.

She is the co-author of 101 Kids Activities that are the Bestest, Funnest Ever! and The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments.

She is the mom of three boys ages 13, 15 & 17 who partially homeschools. She believes that you shouldn't have to buy stuff to have fun when there is a kitchen junk drawer full of possibilities.

millsnexce1950.blogspot.com

Source: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/55055/15-easy-catapults-to-make/