How to Build a Catapult with Kids

Catapults are a classic building activity for kids. Believe it or not, catapults have been around since medieval times. Catapults are a tool used to launch an item a great distance without additional aid from explosives. They have been proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during warfare.  That is pretty amazing given that building a catapult is relatively easy to put together. 

How does a Catapult Work?

Don't forget to take the learning beyond build the catapult and into math and more science!  The science behind a catapult is physics. A catapult launches with stored energy. The energy used with catapults include tension, torsion, and gravity.

Learn more about how catapults work (and learn about the main types of catapults) by visiting one of my favorite sites!

The Best Catapult Ideas for Kids

Popsicle Stick Catapult by Buggy and Buddy uses simple materials: rubber bands, plastic spoon, popsicle sticks, and pom poms.

Learn how to build a catapult with legos by visiting this post on Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Make a catapult with Tinker Toys! This post is particularly appealing because it outline where to take the learning once you build the catapult. There is measuring, estimations, and hypotheses being done! 

Lincoln Log Catapult by Brain Power Boy is a sweet version of a catapult. Learn how to build a catapult with Lincoln Logs!

Build a Chocolate Launching Catapult & win the hearts of children everywhere.

A PVC Catapult is a bit more labor and material intensive simply because it involves a trip to the hardware store. You have to purchase a variety of PVC pipe sizes, connectors, and duct tape. Not too difficult to put together but requires some organization.

Pencil Catapault by Little Bins for Little Hands is a fun back to school activity that also requires very few materials: pencils & rubber bands.

Frugal Fun for Boys & Girls shows us how to build a catapult with a tissue box! As you can see in this photo, you really don't need much else other than a glue gun, a cap, a paper hole punch, a straw, pencils, and scissors.

I love activities that require not much more than checking out the recycling bin. Master how to build a catapult with paper towel tubes, a bit of yarn, pom poms, tape, a wooden spoon, and rubber bands.

Learn how to build a catapult with a cardboard box. iKatbag shows us a simple way to build a catapult with recycled materials and materials you have around your home.

Further Learning

Asking open ended questions is a fantastic way to keep the learning rolling. Here are a few ideas for catapults:

• Talk about projectile motion and ask for predictions on how far various objects will go
• Switch up the launching object
• Build other types of catapults and see how changing the materials mixes up the energy 
• Ask a lot of what happens if and what happens when questions

Science activities engage and intrigue kids in ways not possible by other topics. Hands-on science experiments are even better. Get kids moving and involved in the science lesson and you're on your way. You've created a lifelong scientist! Exploring science rarely takes many out of the ordinary materials, often materials you can find around your home. Check out these experiments on friction for tons of learning fun!

What is Friction?

Friction is part of the science of physics. This explanation from the Khan Academy is terrific so I will borrow it:

“The force of static friction is a force between two surfaces that prevents those surfaces from sliding or slipping across each other. This is the same force that allows you to accelerate forward when you run. Your planted foot can grip the ground and push backward, which causes the ground to push forward on your foot. We call this “grippy” type of friction, where the surfaces are prevented from slipping across each other, a static frictional force. If there were absolutely no friction between your feet and the ground, you would be unable to propel yourself forward by running, and would simply end up jogging in place (similar to trying to run on very slippery ice).”

Friction Experiments for Kids

Friction experiments are some of the easiest, inexpensive, and most enjoyable for kids. Below are my favorite and super cool friction activities for kids.

Easy & Amazing Experiments on Friction

Exploring Ramps & Friction from Pre-K Pages

What a cool and easy way to experiment with friction! Kids love cars and ramps. So, why not introduce a little science learning with a friction activity? This science lesson involves mostly things from around the house, too, which is always a bonus!

Cool Experiments with Friction from JDaniel4'sMom

This activity is similar to the above but gives additional ideas for exploring different surface tensions with cars and ramps. I love the textures used in this friction activity! This activity completes the learning circle with making predictions, noting observations, and examining the results. This science activity integrates math and other less tangible skills such as focus and concentration by completing the activity!

Hockey Science from Creative Family Fun

I love this activity for so many reasons. It demonstrates friction in a fun and cool way. Kids love this activity and it includes a worksheet to bring the friction learning home.

Easy Science of Friction Activity

One of outnumbers all-time favorite science lessons of all time. Does it get any easier than a bottle, rice, and a chopstick? Okay, there is a funnel involved in the experiment, also. The best part is how mesmerized children are by being able to pick up a bottle of rice with a chopstick alone. Science is indeed magical. Explore Newton's 3rd Law of Motion with this activity!

Make a Hovercraft from Science Sparks

Does science get any cooler than making a hovercraft? You will be hard-pressed to find a more engaging and easy friction experiment. Kids have fun and make a really cool machine on top of it.

Enjoy!

Marnie

A classic science activity for kids is the Fruit Battery. Fruit electricity is a fascinating science experiment for kids! Learning about Electricity can happen early on in life and can happen with the lemon battery!

Yes!

Seriously!

You can create electricity from a piece of a fruit…

…and well, a few other items.

If you have never done this activity with children, you should definitely check it out. There is something about a lemon lighting up a digital clock that truly ignites a child’s desire to learn. Often to get a child hooked onto a topic, we have to “wow” them.

Fruit Electricity Science Activity

The moment I observe my son’s eye widen and his mouth fall open, I know I have succeeded in hooking him into wanting to learn more. Be sure to download this FREE fruit & vegetable activity sheet to go along with your experimenting!

Fruit Battery – An Easy Science of Electricity Activity for Kids

The Lemon Battery experiment is a wonderful example. While you can put these activities together with various items around your home, there is a kit that you can purchase online at an extremely reasonable price.

Materials Needed – Fruit Electricity Activity

• lemon (big & juicy works best)
• knife
• lemon clock kit OR
• galvanized nails (zinc)
• pennies (copper)
• alligator clips

Approach – Lemon Clock 

• Use the knife to cut the lemon in half
• Insert the copper and zinc wires as indicated on the instructions of the lemon clock kit
• Take your penny & insert it halfway into each side of the lemon
• Then take the nail & insert it into each side the lemon (make sure not to touch the penny)
• Connect the pennies and the nails with alligator clips

Further Electricity Learning

Explore with different types of objects such as styrofoam, play dough, potato, fruit, eraser, a block of wood, and cucumber.

Fruit Electricity Facts

Batteries contain two metals suspended in an acidic solution. In the case of the lemon battery, the metals are zinc and copper. The acidic solution comes from the lemon's citric acid. The metals are electrodes where the current enters and exits the battery. In the lemon battery case, the current flows from the copper to the zinc and within the acidic solution inside the lemon. The lemon battery is connected to the clock and you have completed the circuit.

Marnie

Newton's Laws for kids are spectacular. What is Newton's Laws for Kids? Oh, you're in for a treat! ‘Science seems almost too good to be true. Even for us adults. Science across the board is not only amazing but can be performed or observed easily and inexpensively. Remember when we learned about electricity? How about our friction experiment? Engaging kids in science seems straightforward, but what if you don't ignite the sense of awe and wonder of the world?

What if your child has no desire to learn more? I thought about that a while back. If this obstacle sounds familiar check out a post I wrote on Ways to Help a Child with Science Thinking. Let me know what you think. In the meantime, learn about Newton's Law of Motion for Kids' Activity!

Newton's Laws for Kids Must Try Activity

In the meantime, onto our Newton's Laws of Motion (the 3rd law to be specific) experiment! Every month we receive Steve Spangler's Science Club Kit. Steve's Kit is superior full of amazing experiments, science learning for kids, and a Top Secret guide for parents and teachers. The experiments build (scaffolding) upon each other so kids really get the science. Extremely well done.

The Helicopter Balloon is one super fun way to introduce kids to more complex scientific ideas.

The kit we received includes three blades, a blade connector, a hub, and two balloons. A bit tricky for a younger child to put together but my 6.5-year-old was able to make it happen. The key is after the balloon is blown up, to pinch the balloon as you attach it to the hub, and wait for the amazing science.

Science Behind the Balloon Helicopter

The gas coming from the balloon forces the blades to rotate, the blades drive the air down to cause the helicopter to lift. Kids love this activity.

So, how can you make this activity happen for your child?

You can buy the Toysmith Balloon Helicopter kit on your own from Amazon or you can subscribe to Steve Spangler's Science Club, which I highly recommend.

Marnie

I am over on Playdough to Plato's blog today share fun ideas to learn about the science of sound. Not only will kids learn a ton of really cool information, they will get their bodies moving and no doubt be inspired to want to discover more science.  This activity ideal for a kindergarten and older classroom or group. With that said, my 4.5 year old had a blast, too.

The post shares a few ideas on how to explore the science of sound, specifically the science of echolation. Hooked, yet? The absolute best part about these activities is that thy are easy to execute and inexpensive to put together. That is my kind of activity!  I hope you enjoy reading about the science of sound activities and are inspired to discover more with questions and resources to get you started on your learning journey!  For more awesome information on the science of sound, visit the NPS website!

Marnie