Catapult
Have a go at this fun and simple catapult that uses the laws of physics and basic engineering to launch items into the air. Once you have made the catapult, challenge yourself to see how many items you can launch and land in a cup or bucket. Keep practising until you have set yourself your own new record!
An adult’s help, wooden craft sticks, rubber bands, glue, bottle lid, pom poms (for launching), cup or bucket (for catching)
1. Put together five sticks and tightly secure at one end with a rubber
band, repeat on the other end.
2. Take another two sticks, make a small V with them and secure at one end.
3. Push the pile of five sticks between the other sticks and secure tightly with a rubber band; be sure to wrap the band in all directions to hold the sticks in place.
4. Glue the lid on craft stick that is pointing into the air and allow to dry.
5. To launch your items, hold the bottom of the catapult in place, load the lid with a pom pom, pull back and release.
6. Did it work? Now set up a cup or bucket and try to aim your pom pom to land in the target. How many did you catch? Have another go!
There is a lot of fun to be had in simple activities if you set yourself goals and challenges. It’s easy to be OK at something but it takes much more work to be great at it. How much better can you get at launching items into a bucket? Are you happy to just get one in or will you keep going until you get them all in? Or will you keep practising until you are the best pom pom launcher ever? The Bible tells us that if we keep trying, good things will happen; ‘And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.’ Galatians 6:9.
