With Tek
How to make a catapult with popsicle sticks
This course teaches your kid how to make a catapult with popsicle sticks and launch soft things across the room. Tek hosts four short films: building it, why it flies, aiming at a target, and tweaking it for a family game. Plan about 4 minutes of films and 30–45 minutes of building and launching.
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What your kid makes
Your kid ends with a working popsicle stick catapult that launches pom-poms at a paper target, a score from the family target game, and a first look at how a lever stores and releases energy.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 4 minutes, then 30–45 minutes of building and launching
- You need
- Seven popsicle sticks, four rubber bands, a bottle cap and tape, soft things to launch, like pom-poms, paper for a target
- Host
- Tek
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. Build it
Five banded sticks make a block, and two more make the lever.
- Stack five sticks and band each end
- Band two sticks at one end and slide the block in
- Wrap the last band in an X and tape on the cap
Where: At home
Lesson 2. Why it flies
The bent stick stores energy and pushes back when it's let go.
- Push the stick down
- Feel it push back
- Let go with nothing in the cap
Where: At home
Lesson 3. Aim and launch
A target three big steps away turns launching into a game of aim.
- Draw a target and put it three big steps away
- Launch five soft things
- Count the hits
Where: At home
Lesson 4. Tweak it and play
Changing one thing, then testing, shows what launches farther.
- Change one thing, like the block's place
- Test it and compare
- Play the target game with the family
Where: At home
Take the quiz
Tek asks 3 questions about the films. Get 2 right and you finish the course.
Lesson 1 transcript: Build it
Hi, I'm Tek. Today you make a catapult. A little machine that launches things across the room!
Get your stuff. Seven popsicle sticks, four rubber bands, and a bottle cap. And some tape.
Stack five sticks in a pile. Wrap a rubber band tight around each end. That's your block.
Take the last two sticks. Hold them together, and wrap a rubber band around one end.
Open the other end, like a mouth. Turn the block sideways, and slide it in between.
Wrap the last band in an X, where the sticks cross. Then tape the bottle cap on the end of the top stick.
Your turn. Build the block. Band two sticks. Slide the block in, and add the cap. Then press Next.
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
Is a catapult safe indoors?
Yes, with soft things like pom-poms or paper balls. The films say never to aim at people or pets, and to launch at a paper target.
What do we need?
Seven popsicle sticks, four rubber bands, a bottle cap, and some tape. Craft sticks from any shop work.
How long does it take?
The four films take about 4 minutes. Building the catapult and playing the target game take about 30–45 minutes.