Hey kids, do you love playing target games in which you throw an object towards a target? If yes, then here is a DIY of a very interesting target game. Any guesses? Well, we are making a popsicle stick catapult!

Yes, you read that right, a catapult made of popsicle or ice-cream sticks and clothes pin or peg. Isn’t it so easy, for I guess most of you have these things at home. And it will give you something to play and have fun with as you stay home these days.

So let’s begin:

Things you need

1. Popsicle sticks: two

2. Clothes pin or peg

3. Rubber bands: four

4. Bottle cap

5. Balls according to the size of bottle cap

6. Four pieces of hardboard: five inches long and four inches wide

7. Hot glue, or white glue

Directions

1. Use hardboard from any carton that you have at home and cut it in four same-sized pieces, then stick all together to make a hardboard block, see picture 2.

2. Stick both the popsicle sticks together, pictures 3 and 4.

3. Take the cloth’s peg and place it on one side of the popsicle stick, open it and insert two rubber bands from the opening and firmly tie the peg on the stick; then take the remaining two rubber bands and tie them in the same way but now at the back side of the peg; pictures 5 and 6.

4. Turn the peg down and dab some hot glue on the top raised side of the popsicle stick, then paste the bottle cap; picture 7 and 8.

5. Our catapult is almost ready, all you need is to paste it in the centre of the hardboard block, picture 9.

Note: The catapult works as you apply some force on the popsicle stick from the bottle cap’s side, which results in opening the peg below and giving it enough push to hit the target.

Have fun with it!

1. Put the ball in the cap, as said earlier, use one hand to push it downwards, and the other hand on the hardboard block, make a target and take your finger off from the popsicle stick, picture 10.

You can decorate your catapult the way you want by using the coloured papers on the hardboard block or using the colourful popsicle sticks! So what are you waiting for?

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 27th, 2020