Pathfinders STEM Kits – Leonardo da Vinci Catapult kit | Trebuchet Science Kits for Kids Age 12-14 | Toys for Ages 8-13 Physics Toys | Kids Engineering kit | Learning Resource | Engineering

I bought this for my finace's son and I to put together (he is 13). It took us about an hour total, and here is how we did it: First, we laid everything out according to the chart. This was to help keep his interest in the product, as he gets distracted very easily. The pieces are all made of wood, and well-cut. No splinters, no broken pieces or anything. Then, we assembled the catapult according to the instructions BEFORE we glued anything together. This is the smart thing to do, as some of the pieces do not fit perfectly together (the kit comes with a small bit of sandpaper to file down the pieces so they fit snugly). At this point I did NOT tie the strings in place yet. Next, I disassembled the catapult and he watched me glue it together (I used this as a teaching tool for him). There isnt enough glue for the entire model, in my opinion. So, next model I will make a trip to the hobby store and purchase a bit more, just to insure the model is tight all around. Just my preference. Thirdly, after gluing all the pieces in the appropriate place, i tied the strings in place after carefully ensuring the correct way was obvious. Fourthly, We used Pill Pockets (dog medicine treats) as ammunition after our little Tiki tried to eat one of the clay projectiles we made. Little rat. So, we figured we would make treats the dogs would chase and make it fun for them as well. As you can see in this video, it works wonderfully! Very stable, easy to operate. We probably fired stuff of it for about an hour, and it is still in excellent shape. This was a great Saturday afternoon project for he and I, and I am looking forward to purchasing more of Leonardo's stuff for future projects. Hey- at least he got off the Minecraft.

I purchased this to make with my grandchild. He loved it and it was a great task to do together. It was great to use for taking them through each step. I do recommend going through before hand though and labeling each piece. The parts do not come marked for each step. This would be a good item to add to the production

Makes a great model. Clear easy to understand instructions, assembles easily, minimal sanding needed if any. And functions very well. *** INCLUDED PICTURES are of MY completed kit *** Built straight from the box,the competed model will look the same as photo on box.

My nine year old grandson and my husband made this a joint project. Building this minature catapult was fun and educational. I drew faces on ping pong balls and they launched them from the catapult. It works really well. The directions say that a child under 14 should have an adult's help and this does seem to be a very accurate recommendation. The very small piece of sandpaper was barely adequate for the necessary step of smoothing the dowel ends in order to get then into the pre-drilled holes. Even with this small frustration, it was well designed and a good value.

Excellent present for our 11 year old. He had best time putting together with dad. Only needed a little assistance from dad. GREAT PRESENT FOR CHILD AND PARENT TO PUT TOGETHER

This kit is great for older kids who enjoy building things but still like the fun of a toy. After it is assembled, you have a great toy to play with ! It is great value for a purchase that is appreciated by older kids who need something different . My grandson loved it - I was running out of ideas and this was perfect!

Fun and educational for my grandson.

My son helped my 11 year old grandson assemble this, and both of them are enjoying the catapult.