Introduction: A Simple Circuit Game

About: Developing projects for HowToons @ Squid Labs.

Make a neat little game using a simple circuit.

Step 1: Gather Materials

For this project you will need some wire, electrical tape, a 9 volt battery, and a light or buzzer. I chose to use an LED light, but a buzzer would probably work better. You will also need wire strippers.

Step 2: Strip the Wires

Cut a few pieces of wire. The lengths need to be as follows: 4", 14", and 16". Strip the ends of the 4" piece. On the 14" piece, strip one end normally and strip the other end about twice as much, about an inch of wire. On the 16" piece of wire, leave about 6" of insulation on the end, and strip the rest of the wire. Strip the other end of the wire as you normally would.

Next, you will be bending the wires. On the 14" piece, make a loop in the end that is stripped more. Then on the 16" piece, loop the part that is still insulated. With the rest of the wire, make a zig-zag design. Check the picture below to see what it should look like.

Step 3: Connect All the Parts

Take the LED (or buzzer) and attach the smallest wire to one side and the 14" wire to the other side. Then take the small wire and attach the other end to a pole on the battery. Then take the longest wire, and attach the end to the other pole on the battery. Refer to the picture to see how to attach. All connections should be made with electrical tape.

Note: If you are using an LED or other polarity sensative device, make sure you have all the poles correct for it to work. By switching the wires around on the battery, you can check to see if it is correct.

Step 4: Play!

If you haven't already guessed, the point of the game is to move the loop around the bended wire. Depending on how your bends are and how big the loop is, it can be pretty tricky. This game will keep kids entertained for a while, and is actually pretty fun.