Halloween STEM~ Paper Circuits

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It’s always fun to do a little bit of holiday learning and today I have a Halloween STEM activity to share with you. These cute halloween paper circuits are simple to make. Even my 7-year-old could follow along and make it! We made a jack-o-lantern, a spider and a ghost with glowing eyes.

How to Make the Halloween Paper Circuits:

Supplies:

Lithium 3V Coin Cell Batteries
3 or 5 mm LED Lights
1/4″ Copper Tape
Binder Clips
Halloween Templates (in the subscriber library)

Print out the Halloween Paper Circuits Templates Here!

You can print them on colored paper, or color the pictures first.

We started by poking holes in the eyes with our lights so that when the paper is turned over you can see where the eyes will be easily.

Fold back the bottom corner of the paper. Use the copper tape and starting from the fold do a straight line to the left. Angle upwards towards where the eyes are.  Do one more turn coming across under the eyes. It needs to be close enough for the pins of your lights to reach.

The second section of tape should not touch the first. Make a second line going across above the first for the other side of the lites. Turn downward and end right in the fold that you made on the corner of the paper. If your tape breaks, you can add a small piece overlapping the other piece.

One section will be positive and one will be negative. This will be determined by the direction you put your lights. The pins on the lights are two different lengths. The short ones are the negative side and the long ones are the positive side. Add your lights into the holes you made at the start. Bend the pins so that they are touching the two sides of the tape. Make sure both pins are facing the same direction. We bent the long ones (positive) to the bottom and the short ones to the top.

When you add your battery, match the positive side of the battery to the positive side on your pins. Sometimes the lights will flicker a bit. Usually this is due to how tightly they are connected. I always add an extra strip of copper tape over the top of the pins to keep them steady.  Then secure your battery with a paper clip or a binder clip.

Not too hard, right?  This is a fabulous technology STEM activity to try in class or at home this week!

We have done some other circuit activities in the past. Check out our Menorah Paper Circuits, Firefly Paper Circuits, and Play dough circuits! We’ve also done some sewn circuits!