STEM for kids: How to make a catapult with Popsicle sticks in 10 minutes
Hello,
If you are reading this tutorial today it is because you or your children or both of you like technology (robotics, coding, electronics, hands-on, crafting and more). To be more specific, let's say STEM. If that's the case you are at the right place. If your children like to make stuff at home, hands-on projects, working with cardboard, plastic cups, straws, etc, you should like what is coming.
Small catapult
The main focus of this tutorial will be on how to make a small catapult made of Popsicle sticks that your can bring everywhere and that you can do in less that 10 minutes with the right material and the right tools as well. Your children may need your help for safety reason since we will use some hot tool but stick around to see the process.
Materials
To get started, gather the following
Popsicle sticks
1 cork
Rubber bands (optional)
1 small sauce container (Like the one used to put ketchup or mayonnaise)
Tools
1 glue gun
1 glue gun sticks
1 Utility knife
Steps to do your small homemade catapult with popsicle sticks
To get started, grab 2 popsicle sticks and make a cross with them
Put a little bit of glue where the two of them cross with the hot glue gun. Hold them pressed for 20 seconds so they stay glued together.
Take a cork and cut 1/3 of one with a utility knife or a sharped knife (Ask your parents for help since it can be dangerous to use knives).
Glue it on the previous glued popsicles. Hold them pressed for 20 seconds so they stay glued together.
Add a stick on top of the glued cork and the rest of the project. Put glue with the hot glue gun on the cork and hold it.
Also glue the extremity of the stick. Take a look at the picture below.
Pick your small sauce container
And glue it to the other extremity of the pospicle stick with the glue gun.
There it is. We are all done here for this homemade STEM project. It's time for testing now.
How to test it
To do so, You want to put an object in the small sauce container and put a little pressure on the stick on which it is glued and release it. You can use a cork for the ammunition if you have any remaining close to you or ball of paper if you please.
Be careful on not directing it toward your eyes or someone else eyes. It's can be pretty dangerous if not used correctly.
Improvement
Of course this is only a small one and really simple to do. It can be improve and even be made bigger. If you have any ideas or concept on the project, do not hesitate to share them or even your realizations if you decided to try them at home with your children.
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