Two winters ago, my then-9-year-old daughter asked her dad to help her in a big project. She had done electronics in the past, but this was the first time she came up with something to build it into. First they had to make the circuit. It’s a simple circuit, only meant to light up LEDs at the flick of a switch.
The switch is the trickiest part, since it needed to be soldered and definitely needed to be supervised by a parent.
#soldering #electronics #switch #kids #kidscrafts #crafts #maker
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My daughter drew up a pattern for her plush toy, cut up the fabric and sewed it up on the sewing machine. (I taught her how to use the sewing machine when she was 8. Before that, she’d been hand-sewing since she was 4.) Before stuffing it and while the toy is still inside-out, she and her dad set the wiring up.
#electronics all wired together into the inside of my #plush #toy – #kidscrafts #kids #crafts #maker
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By this time we’d been making toys together for years. She’s an expert stuffing stuffer!
There’s her plush LED nightlight owl! It’s been her reading companion for two years now
This spring, she wanted to make a companion for her plush owl. This time, building a circuit was a breeze, but using the soldering iron still needs parental supervision.
#Soldering #electronic parts for Project Patchy Wink. #kidscrafts #girlpower #electronics #maker
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Using the sewing machine, however, has become almost second-nature to this budding designer. Like a pro, she drew up a pattern, cut up the fabric, sewed it up, and built her electronic wiring while the toy was still inside-out. Here it is all ready to stuff.
Project Patchy Wink before stuffing. #LED eyes are in. #electronics #girlpower #maker
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And there’s my happy girl with Patchy Wink, her bedtime plush toad with LED light-up eyes. Girl power!
Get your kids into electronics and making things. It’s a creative, educational and rewarding way to spend time together.
