116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Make circuit bots with the Cedar Rapids Public Library
A simple robot that moves around on a smooth surface with the help of a small motor and battery is a great way to introduce children to basic concepts of creating circuits
CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Public Library is visiting area parks this summer and introducing kids to technology in a variety of ways. One of the crafts the library brings to parks is a circuit bot, a simple robot that moves around on a smooth surface with the help of a small motor and battery.
A circuit bot is a great way to introduce children to basic concepts of creating circuits. One of the most important things about circuits is that energy flows in one direction, so connecting the battery and the wires of the motor allows the energy to flow. If one of the wires to the motor isn’t touching the battery, the power cannot flow and the motor will not move.
Find the schedule at CRLibrary.org/summer-dare. This fall, look for even more science, technology, engineering, math and art activities for kids at the library!
For this craft, you will need:
- Card stock, 2.5 x 5.5
- Battery
- Motor
- Double-sided sticky foam
- Googly Eyes
- Tape
- Markers
1. Fold one end of the card stock down about half an inch.
2. From the first fold, fold the card stock again, this time by about a full inch. The card stock should look like the picture when it is folded correctly.
3. Decorate the card stock above the second fold. When your card stock is sitting on the 1-inch fold, the decoration should be on the back.
4. Peel the backing off the googly eyes and place them on your card stock. Add a mouth and eyebrows to your bot with a marker.
5. Peel the backing off both sides of the sticky-backed foam, with the larger piece on top of the little piece in the center of the folds (shown with dotted lines).
6. Press the motor onto the smaller piece of sticky-backed foam. Press the blue wire on the larger piece of stick-backed foam.
7. Press the negative side of the battery to the larger piece of sticky-backed foam on top of the blue wire. The negative side of the battery is rough instead of smooth.
8. Get a piece of tape about an inch long. Fold over one edge of the piece of tape. This will make it easier to “turn off” the bot when its finished. Tape down the red wire to the top of the battery. The circuit bot should start to wiggle.
9. Put tape on the back of the smaller flap. Tape the back of the circuit bot’s face to the flap. The bot is finished!
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