Build a Catapult for Pumpkins: A Fall Team Building Favorite

Fall is in full swing, and that means sweaters, cider, and the occasional gourd sailing through the crisp autumn air. If your team wants a seasonal activity that’s equal parts strategy and silliness, it’s time to build a catapult for pumpkins.

You’ve carved them, baked them, and sipped them in latte form. But you haven’t really lived until you’ve watched a coworker fling one across a field with a contraption they built from scratch. So round up the crew for a fall themed event built on creativity, problem-solving, and a little controlled mayhem.

It’s festive, it’s a touch ridiculous, and it’s exactly the kind of team bonding that sticks with people long after the leaves drop. Here’s how to run it, plus a second pumpkin-powered idea to keep the momentum going.

Where Did We Get the Idea to Catapult Pumpkins?

The idea was born when PEAK Scientific came to us wanting something they hadn’t done before. We pitched our classic Catapult to Success program, and then someone floored everyone with one autumn-sized tweak: skip the tennis balls and bean bags, and launch pumpkins instead. We’ve been hooked ever since.

What followed was part engineering challenge, part recess. Teams sketched designs, argued over leverage, and cheered like it was a playoff game every time a pumpkin cleared the grass. Turns out there’s no faster way to break down silos than asking finance and engineering to agree on how to hurl squash.

It’s a natural fit for National Pumpkin Day on October 26, and it earns its spot at your next Halloween office party, too.

“The event was great, and everyone had a great time. It was a good way to end a busy week with a bit of team building and a few good laughs. The facilitators were engaged and proactive…everyone did a great job.” – PEAK Scientific

Your Step-By-Step Guide to Building a Catapult for Pumpkins

Running the event is simpler than the flying squash makes it look. Here’s the flow:

1. Split into teams and give each one the same kit of supplies.
2. Put a timer on it. Teams plan, design, and build their catapult for pumpkins against the clock.
3. Move the action outside, ideally somewhere wide open with plenty of autumn foliage to launch into.
4. Compete. Score each launch on distance, accuracy, and how clever the pumpkin catapult design turned out to be.
5. Hand out cider and a tiny pumpkin trophy to the team that earned it.

Some teams go full mad scientist with pulleys and counterweights; others keep it lean and let physics do the talking. Both walk away with a story they’ll retell at the holiday party.

Using Everyday Household Items for a DIY Pumpkin Launcher

No welding torch or engineering degree required. The best part of a DIY pumpkin launcher is watching people turn junk-drawer supplies into something that genuinely works, with duct tape and stubbornness covering most of the gaps. Slingshot, trebuchet, or something with no name yet, the design is up to them.

A few materials that tend to earn their keep:

• Wooden spoons and rubber bands for the small, scrappy builds
• Plastic buckets and cups for the launch basket
• String, tape, and cardboard to hold it all together
• PVC piping or broomsticks for serious range
• The bravery to test it first

The real work is figuring out how to catapult pumpkins that go far, land somewhere predictable, and don’t fall apart on the first pull. Some teams chase raw power with tension-loaded arms; others trade muscle for finesse with a sling. Watching a design click, and a pumpkin arc cleanly over the field, is the whole payoff.

A Successful Pumpkin Catapult Design for Team Bonding This Fall

You’ll know the pumpkin catapult design landed when the trash talk starts and nobody’s checking their phone. That’s the quiet magic of catapulting pumpkins: people lock in. Whether they’re troubleshooting a busted arm or making a fast call with the clock running, everyone has a job and a stake in the outcome.

Want to raise the stakes? Add side awards. Give one to the most accurate rig, one to the best-looking DIY pumpkin launcher, and one to whoever commits hardest to yelling “fire!”

The pumpkins go up, and the team’s mood goes with them. Add the cool air and a backdrop of red and gold leaves, and you’ve got a fall afternoon people will bring up again next year.

Looking for Another Pumpkin Team Building Activity? Start Your Engines!

Once your team has tasted gourd-powered competition, they’ll want a rematch. The Great Team Building Pumpkin Race gives them one, swapping height for speed as teams design, build, and decorate their own pumpkin racers.

The entry requirement is delightfully low: a race-ready pumpkin needs two independent axles with wheels. Everything past that is open season, which is how you end up with clown wigs, dinosaur scales, and fictional sponsors plastered down the side.

This pumpkin team building activity runs indoors or out, scales from 12 to 250-plus people, and takes about 90 minutes to two hours. Heat winners square off for the Grand Champion title, with bonus prizes for best pit crew and best design.

Different format, same payoff: creativity, collaboration, and a healthy dose of friendly competition. Hosting outside of Halloween season? Swap the pumpkins for watermelons and keep the tradition rolling.

Get in the Autumn Spirit With TeamBonding

Fall is the season to get outside, get a little messy, and send something flying through the sky on purpose. So whether you build a catapult for pumpkins or race them down a ramp, do it with a plan, a few laughs, and a real desire to win.

Book your unforgettable pumpkin team building event now with TeamBonding! Then, check out our other Halloween themed events and fall team building activities!