Make Snails Light Up

Create a play dough snail that lights up or invent your own circuit creature.

Share

things you will need

  • 2 x colours of play dough (or make your own here)
  • 2 x LEDs (any colour)
  • 1 x AA battery pack (and batteries)
  • A small piece of card
  • xxx
1

Make the body

Roll out one colour of play dough into a long strip. This will be the body.

2

Make the shell

  • Roll out the other colour of play dough into a longer strip. 
  • Then roll this strip back on itself to create the shell.
3

Add an insulator

  • Place a piece of card (the insulator) on top of the body and squash the shell on top. 
  • Make sure the body and shell are not touching each other.

Things to know

The card will prevent a short circuit. You could use any insulator here - plastic, insulating dough, a piece of rubber.
4

Give it eyes

Place the long legs of both LEDs into the shell and the short legs of both LEDs into the body.

5

Power it up

  • Make sure the battery pack is OFF.
  • Insert the red battery wire into the back of the shell.
  • Insert the black battery wire into the back of the body.

Things to know

Make sure the red battery wire is placed into the shell as the LED will only light up when the long leg is connected to the positive (red) end of the battery.
6

Wake up Snails

Turn the battery pack ON and watch as Snails’ eyes light up.

You Might Also Like:
Circuits

Electro Rainbow

Give play dough super powers and brighten up any day with this electro rainbow.
Circuits

Glowing Whale

How to make a squidgy whale circuit that glows. No whales were harmed in the making of this creation.