Family STEAM Challenge: Pom Pom Catapult

We are delighted to introduce the amazing Liz from @babyatplay as our latest guest blogger. Her Instagram feed is bursting with simple but exciting play based learning activities for babies and toddlers. We love how she takes everyday materials and creates the most wonderful and engaging invitations to play. Liz is a STEM teacher turned stay-at-home Mom of two, so she is more than well qualified to teach us a thing or two about STEAM activities! 

Pom Pom Catapult

What kid can resist an opportunity to launch an object across the room? This simple catapult allows them to do just that! It provides endless entertainment and is a fun STEAM activity for kids of all ages. What’s more, you only need 4 materials, and you probably already have them in your home!

• 8 popsicle sticks
• 4 rubber bands
• 1 plastic spoon
• 1 pom pom or other small object for launching

Instructions:

1. Make a stack of 7 popsicle sticks and rubber band them together on each end. 

2. Stack a spoon on top of your last popsicle stick and rubber band them together around the bottom. 

3. Slide the stack of 7 popsicle sticks in between the spoon and popsicle stick that you just created (step 2).

4. Use your last rubber band to make an X around the area where the craft sticks intersect to hold your catapult together. 

5. Put a pom pom on the spoon, hold the catapult with one hand, and use your other hand to pull the spoon back and LAUNCH away! 

Extension:

• Have your child experiment to determine how many stacked popsicle sticks work best. 

• Have your child experiment with different objects to see which fly the farthest. Try a pom pom, mini marshmellow, jelly bean, penny, LEGO figure, or other small toy. 

• Place a bucket on the floor and see how many pom poms you can land in the bucket. 

This activity was a favorite in my classroom and now it’s a favorite in my home. We love it and we hope you do too!

Thanks so much Liz for sharing this great STEAM activity with us. We know our kids are going to love this one!

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Creative QT designs quality + innovative toys that declutter homes and inspire creative play. Founded by parents of five, Adam and Dana Sue Hinkle, Creative QT’s vision is to empower parents and encourage a culture of families that Make Time Together. All products are designed to enrich families’ lives through active, creative play and play based learning. Creative QT products are laboratory tested for compliance with CPSC requirements and are free of lead, cadmium and phthalates so you can play with confidence. So, go ahead … today is the day: be your kid’s hero.

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