Catapult

Hello. I am a catapult. I am very big and very strong. My body is made of wood, and I have a long, strong arm. My special job is to throw things. I can throw things really, really far. I throw them farther than any person can throw. A long, long time ago, some very clever people made me. They made me to help them. I love my job of throwing things high into the sky. It is so much fun to watch them fly.

I was born a long, long time ago in a sunny, warm place. Smart people had a big idea. They wanted to throw things farther than their own arms could. So, they built me. They gave me a big wooden arm and lots of stretchy, twisty ropes. The ropes are like a giant rubber band. They would pull my arm back, back, back. They would pull it so tight. Then, they would let go. WHOOSH. My arm would swing up super fast. WHOOSH. Anything in my bucket would fly high into the air. It would soar like a bird across the bright blue sky. WHOOSH. It was the best sound ever.

My big job was to help people keep their homes safe. I would sit outside their tall castle walls and throw things far, far away. Before I came along, people could only throw things with their arms, and they could not throw very far. I was a big helper. Today, my big idea is still around. You can see it in fun toys and games that launch little things into the air. My big WHOOSH helps you play and learn all about throwing. Isn't that a wonderful idea.