Catapult Castle Sight Word Game

Knights, castles, and the Middle Ages – what could be more exciting! Today we’re traveling back in time with the Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn to explore castle life and build a catapult. We’ll use our catapult in a castle sight word game that’s perfect for beginning readers. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Catapult Castle Sight Word Game

My kindergarten is learning how to read and we’ve been working on reading sight words (or high frequency words). Exposure to these words is key. They more they practice, the more fluent they become.

I’m using my daughter’s sight word list for the beginning of the year. You can use whatever list your child is working on. Instead of sight words, you can do this activity with spelling words.

Supplies Needed for the Castle Sight Word Game

• Catapult (see instructions below)
• Box or container
• Stone printed paper (or plain paper and markers)
• Ping pong balls with sight words written on them
• Container for ping pong balls
• Hot glue or double sided tape
• Tape

How to Build a Catapult

I tried to build a torsion catapult with string instead of rubber bands. This would be more similar to a catapult in medieval times since they didn’t have rubber bands. They used rope to create the elastic tension.

The craft sticks broke and the glue came apart when I twisted the string to create then tension. Otherwise, it would have worked fine. If I try again, I’ll use stronger wood and screws.

You can also buy a kit to make the catapult. This is similar to the style I was trying to build.

I went back to our simple craft stick catapult. All you need is 10 jumbo craft sticks, 4 rubber bands, a small bowl, and hot glue or double sided tape.

Stack 8 of the jumbo craft sticks together and wrap each end with a rubber band.

Stack 2 craft sticks together and wrap a rubber band around one end.

Separate the 2 craft sticks. Place the stack of 6 craft sticks between the 2 craft sticks.

Add a small bowl or milk cap to the top of the catapult. I used a tiny Play-doh container. Use hot glue or double sided tape to adhere the bowl to the craft stick.

You could also rubber band a spoon onto the craft stick. The goal is to have a launching platform that will hold your ping pong balls.

How to Play the Castle Sight Word Game

Next, you’ll need a castle. Use a box or plastic container as your castle frame. Decorate the box to look like a castle. You could let your child draw on a piece of a paper and tape it to the box.

I printed out an image of a stone wall that I downloaded from Pixabay. I cut the top to look like the top of a castle. (This is the same image I used for the owlry at Aiden’s Harry Potter birthday party.)

Set your catapult in front of your castle. Place the container of ping pong balls next to the catapult.

Have your child select a sight word and place it on the catapult. Ask her what the word is.

Then, have your child launch the sight word into the castle. It may take a few tries before she gets the launch right.

Continue reading and launching sight words as long as your child is interested. Lily was super excited to practice reading words this way.

Feel free to experiment with the distance between the catapult and the castle. Can you make the shot when it’s farther away?

Magic Tree House The Knight at Dawn by Mary Pope Osborn

We’re continuing our look at the Magic Tree House series with book #2: The Knight at Dawn. In this book, Jack and Annie travel to the Middle Ages and end up just outside a castle. They watch a knight cross the drawbridge into the castle grounds. Annie has to follow and check it out. There seems to be a party going on. Jack and Annie are spotted as intruders and are captured. You’ll have to read the book to see how they escape and who helps them get back to the tree house.

More Ways to Practice Sight Words

• Soccer Reading Games – Get kids moving while practicing sight words or spelling
• Party Hat Sight Word Matching Game inspired by If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff
• One Fish Two Fish Sight Word Game inspired by the book by Dr. Seuss
• Flower Sight Word Writing Activity

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