Siege Catapult and Cardboard Castle Wall

You will need

• Craft sticksAt least 20; standard popsicle size works
• Rubber bandsAt least 6; a mix of sizes helps
• Plastic spoonThe catapult launch cup; a metal spoon also works
• Masking tapeFor reinforcing the catapult frame and castle wall joins
• Cardboard2 or 3 flattened boxes for the castle wall sections

  Use boxes from food or household goods only; wipe interior surfaces and recycle when done.

• ScissorsChild handles most cuts; adult helps with thick corrugated layers
• Butter knifeAdult scores base fold lines on cardboard wall sections
• Washable markerFor marking stone-block patterns on the wall and measuring catapult proportions
• Small soft projectilesBalled-up aluminum foil or a rolled sock; nothing hard or sharp
• RuleroptionalOptional; helps the child measure and compare launch distances

Steps

1. 1

   Build the catapult base

   Have the child stack seven craft sticks in a bundle and wrap a rubber band tightly around each end. Then stack two more sticks, one on each side, leaving the center open to form the upright supports. Wrap those in place. The goal is a rigid, flat base that does not flex.

   Tip: If the stack flexes, add more sticks — a thicker bundle makes a more stable base.

2. 2

   Attach the launch arm

   Lay one craft stick across the top of the upright supports at roughly the center point — this is the arm. Wrap a rubber band in a figure-eight around the arm and the support bundle to create the fulcrum. The arm should pivot but not slide sideways.

   Tip: The arm should overhang further on the spoon end than on the other — about two-thirds of its length on the spoon side.

3. 3

   Add the spoon and tension band

   Tape the plastic spoon to the long end of the arm with masking tape, bowl side up. Then stretch a second rubber band from the short end of the arm down to the base bundle, creating the tension that fires the arm upward. Test with a balled-up piece of foil.

   Tip: More rubber-band wraps on the tension band means more power — the child can experiment.

4. 4

   Build and score the castle wall

   Cut cardboard into two or three rectangular panels, each about 8 by 10 inches. Score a 2-inch fold along the bottom of each with the butter knife, then fold it outward to make a standing base flap. Tape the panels side by side to form a connected wall. Draw stone-block lines with the washable marker.

   Tip: For added realism, cut merlons along the top of each panel before taping them together.

5. 5

   Mark the cut lines for a gate

   Have the child draw a portcullis — a grid of horizontal and vertical bars — on one wall panel with the washable marker, rather than cutting a hole. This adds detail without weakening the wall's ability to stand as a target. They can decide the gate shape.

   Tip: Suggest drawing the grid first in marker, then going back over with a darker line — it looks more carved.

6. 6

   Run the siege

   Place the castle wall three to four feet from the catapult. The child loads a foil ball into the spoon, presses the arm down, and releases. Note where it lands, then adjust the spoon angle or rubber-band tension before the next round. Encourage them to treat each launch as a test and record what they changed.

   Tip: Mark the launch spot with a strip of tape so every attempt starts from the same distance.

Take it to the table

Materials checklist, the steps and the variations on one Letter page.