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Program

Catapult

Team Building Catapult Challenge

Catapult

Group Size
30 to 1,000+
Per Team
6 to 8
Length
1.5 to 2 hours
Setting
Indoor / Outdoor
Physicality
Medium
Space
30 sq. ft. per person

Team Building Catapult Challenge

Put your team’s creativity, collaboration, and accuracy to the test in Catapult, a high—energy team—building experience in which groups design, build, and compete with their own working launchers. This hands-on construction challenge fuels innovation and friendly rivalry while bringing teams together for a shared mission of design, experimentation, and success.

Perfect for groups that love a little STEM-style fun with a playful edge.

Program Agenda

The program begins with an energizing icebreaker: a fun mini-launch activity using small, pre-assembled catapults to get participants in the zone. Then, the real challenge begins.

Teams of 6 to 8 participants are formed and given a full set of building materials. The activity starts with a 10-minute “hands-off” period, during which teams inspect materials and sketch out their strategy. Once the timer starts, it’s all systems go; teams have 30 minutes to build, test, and prepare their full-size catapults.

Then it’s time for the competition, played out in two phases:

  •  Phase 1: Launch for Distance
    Teams fire their catapults across a gridded field marked in 5-foot increments, rotating through roles to ensure full team participation.
  •  Phase 2: Launch for Distance & Accuracy
    This round adds a hilarious twist as teammates attempt to catch launched items in various containers while adjusting aim and power under pressure.

At the end of the event, total scores are tallied, and the top-performing teams take the stage to celebrate their victory. Expect cheers, laughs, and maybe a few unexpected bounces along the way.

Program Outcomes & Takeaways

  • Encourages creative problem-solving and resource management
  • Promotes team roles and accountability under a time constraint
  • Strengthens group collaboration through hands-on activity
  • Builds momentum and energy with laughter, trial, and triumph
  • Highlights performance and continuous improvement in action

Program Customization

This program can be tailored to your group, including:

  • Company-specific bonus challenge or scoring round
  • Custom awards for “Most Accurate” or “Most Creative Design”
  • Adjusted difficulty levels based on participant demographics

Ready to see which team can launch their ideas the furthest? Book your Catapult challenge today!

To ensure a great experience, aspects of this program may be modified for your group size, group makeup, time available, and other variables.

Photo Gallery

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What Clients Say About Catapult

Your Catapult team building program was innovative, creative and a fun competition. Who would have thought we could build a catapult that flings things so far. What else could we ask for? It was just like Junkyard Wars on TV. Our group had a great time!

Legacy Homes / Thomas

I just wanted to shoot a BIG THANK YOU to your group. Your lead facilitators did a terrific job with our Catapult event and the team had a blast!

Mars Petcare / Jesse

The best team building aspect of our Catapult program was that everyone was involved. People really weren’t able to not participate! The most fun was actually making our own catapult and our group is a whole enjoyed the activities. I know everyone loved it. Overall, it was a great time.

Catapult / Will-Son Distributing Co, Inc. / Becky

The best part about our Catapult program was watching teams of very diverse people (global, sales/technical) find individual skills that could be used to meet the goals of the experience. The most fun for the individual teams was building and testing the catapult, but the most fun for the whole group was listening to the “marketing” presentations the teams came up with about their Catapult.
All the feedback I got was highly positive. It was all well done and I don’t think there is anything I would change.

Catapult / Silicon Laboratories / Roy

Everyone was engaged and active, from the first warm-up activity through the end thanks to your great facilitator. He was one of the best I’ve seen in 13 years; clear, engaging, respectful, adapted the basic plan to our requirements flawlessly and had enough energy to drive home the transfer of learning to real-world work in the debrief. Our group loved working together on the Catapult construction. I’ll pass our experience on to the other IPTD facilitators. I suspect you’ll hear from one of them soon.

Catapult / CACI / Lisa

FAQs about Catapult Team Building Activity

How does the Catapult team building challenge work?

Catapult is a hands-on construction challenge in which teams design, build, and compete with their own working launchers. The program opens with a fun icebreaker: a mini-launch activity using small, pre-assembled catapults to get participants warmed up and in the competitive mindset. From there, the real challenge begins. Teams of 6 to 8 participants are given a full set of building materials and a 10-minute "hands-off" period to inspect materials and sketch out their strategy. Once the timer starts, teams have 30 minutes to build, test, and prepare their full-size catapults. The competition then plays out in two phases. At the end of the event, total scores are tallied and the top-performing teams take the stage to celebrate their victory. The program is perfect for groups that enjoy STEM-style problem-solving with a playful, competitive edge.

What skills does the Catapult program help a team develop?

Catapult is designed to fuel creativity, collaboration, and accuracy under pressure. The build-and-compete format gives teams a shared mission — design, experimentation, and success — and requires every participant to contribute meaningfully to reach it.   A few elements make this program particularly effective for team development:
  • Strategic planning under constraints — the 10-minute hands-off period requires teams to think before they act, encouraging deliberate communication and role clarity before the build begins
  • Iterative problem-solving — teams have time to test and refine their catapult during the build phase, mirroring real-world cycles of experimentation and adjustment
  • Inclusive engagement — the combination of design, construction, and competition means there are meaningful roles for different strengths and working styles throughout the experience
  • Friendly rivalry with a shared goal — the competitive format brings out energy and investment while keeping the experience fun and structured for the whole group

Can the Catapult program be tailored for different groups?

Yes — the Catapult program can be customized to suit your group's specific needs, size, makeup, and the time available for the event. Aspects of the program may be modified to ensure the experience works well for your particular audience. If you're considering Catapult for your next event and want to discuss how it can be shaped around your group's goals, reach out to the team for a conversation about options. The program can be delivered anywhere in North America.

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