Ready to add some excitement to your winter activities? This DIY snowball launcher is a simple, hands-on project that combines creativity, fun, and physics for kids!
Make a Snowball Launcher
Whether you’re looking for an indoor snowball fight or a way to explore physics with the kids, this activity has it all. Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity to dive into Newton’s laws of motion through playful experimentation. Let’s get started and launch into learning!
💡 Check our our printable snowball launcher STEM challenge for an alternative design.
Supplies:
- Balloons
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks (you can also try duct tape or any other heavy-duty tape)
- Small plastic cup or paper cup
- Styrofoam balls (find other items to experiment with, too including cotton balls, pompoms, balled up paper)
- Decorating supplies (construction paper, ribbon, google eyes, markers, glue)
Instructions:
STEP 1. Cut the bottom out of the plastic cup, but leave the rim for strength; otherwise, the cup will crumple.
This is a good step for the adults to do and can be prepped ahead of time for larger groups! Make sure to trim off any jagged edges.
STEP 2. Tie a knot in the neck of a balloon. Then cut the end off the balloon. (not the knotted end!)
STEP 3. Either tape or glue the balloon to the bottom of the cup, where you have cut the hole.
Now let’s launch some snowballs!
How to Use Your Snowball Launcher!
Get ready for some snowball-launching fun! Here’s how to use your homemade launcher:
- Place the snowball (or other lightweight object) into the cup.
- Pull down on the balloon’s knot, then release it to watch the snowball soar!
This is a fantastic way to enjoy a snowball fight indoors or outdoors—even when there’s no snow around!
Turn It into an Experiment:
- Test different objects as “snowballs” to see which ones fly the farthest.
- Compare how weight, shape, or size affects the distance.
- Take measurements and record your results to extend the learning in this winter STEM activity.
More STEM Fun:
Pair this activity with a popsicle stick catapult to further explore Newton’s laws of motion. Hands-on projects like these are a great way to encourage creativity and learning while getting kids off screens and into making and experimenting!
How Does a Snowball Launcher Work?
A homemade snowball launcher is a fantastic way to explore the physics of motion while having fun! This simple STEM activity demonstrates Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion, which explain how objects move.
Newton’s First Law of Motion:
An object will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. In our case, the snowball (or lightweight object) won’t launch by itself—it needs a force to get moving. That force comes from the stretched balloon. When you pull the balloon back and release it, you’re applying the energy needed to propel the snowball forward.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion:
This law states that the acceleration of an object depends on its mass and the force applied to it. A lighter object, like a foam ball, will accelerate more easily than a heavier object when the same force is applied. You can experiment by testing objects of different weights to see how far they travel. Does pulling the balloon back further increase the force and increase acceleration?
Newton’s Third Law of Motion:
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you release the balloon, the elastic material pushes back against your pull, propelling the snowball forward. The force you exert on the balloon is matched by the balloon’s reaction force, which launches the snowball in the opposite direction.
More Indoor Snow Fun for Kids
Snow or no snow, there are so many fun ways to explore winter activities and snow!
Printable Winter STEM Pack
Even if you don’t live in a snowy winter climate, there are many ways to explore the season!
WHAT’S INSIDE? You’ll find 250+ Pages of Winter theme projects for science, STEM, and art!
What size Styrofoam ball did you use?