Have you checked out Helen Leigh’s amazing maker book yet?
If not, you are going to want to get a copy of the Crafty Kids Guide to DIY Electronics for your library (or yourself) ASAP!
About the Projects
This maker project book is broken up into four parts:
- Paper Circuits
- Soft Circuits (Sewing Circuits)
- Wearables ( Which combine the knowledge of the previous two chapters to create unique wearable creations!)
- Robots
Helen has some really fun paper circuit projects that utilize regular LEDs and Chibitronics LED stickers (which are some LED circuit stickers that I’m a tad obsessed with. Read my posts about Chibi stickers here.)
My 9 year old daughter thoroughly enjoyed making and hacking the cardboard doorbell!
I also love her ideas for introducing soft circuits, like the Circuit Sampler which will help young makers learn about short circuits, series circuits, and parallel circuits. I also personally really want to make the “Grumpy Monster with a DIY tilt sensor.”
The wearable projects are interesting and the robot projects are all doable for kids ages 8 and up! (Or younger if they are interested!)
Maker Spotlights
One of the things I think is really cool about this book is that each section ends with a maker spotlight. For these spotlights, Helen has interviewed some really cool female makers from all over the world! Like check out the maker Coco Sato and her gesture sensing origami fan! Plus, she has one of the most beautiful Instagram feeds that is sure to inspire some origami madness.
The Giveaway!
So do you want to win a free copy of this book along with a Chibitronics starter kit?
Here is how to enter:
- Comment on this blog post and let my readers know what kind of makerspace you run (or hope to run!) Also, please make sure to subscribe to the comments or leave your Twitter handle in case you win! This is how I will contact you.)
- I have to approve comments to keep out the SPAM, so be patient! 😀
- Then share this blog post with others so they can learn about Helen Leigh’s Crafty Kids Guide to DIY Electronics!
There can only be one winner and because shipping overseas is costly, I can only ship to a US shipping location. (Sorry about that!)
Giveaway ends in one week on February 28th! So start commenting and sharing!
Create, Collaborate, Innovate 
Elementary school librarian with a Maker Den at school and the sponsor of the STEAM-Powered Maker Club (3rd-5th grade students) in central Texas here… I am excited to hear about this book, although I have already seen the post about the cardboard doorbell. I’d love to win this book and have my students try some of these ideas out! Thanks for sharing about this book…
LikeLike
I started a Maker Mornings on Mondays and have maxed out with 30 4th graders almost every week! Just got a grant for LED lights and copper foil and can’t wait to stay a circuitry project!
LikeLike
I’m excited to check out her insta feed on origami and the gesture sensing origami fan is amazing! My hope is to promote making in every classroom and also run a maker club during lunch where students can explore paper circuits and wearables. Excellent post Colleen. @atkauffman on twitter 🙂
LikeLike
Our library is part of the Specials rotation so I incorporate MakerSpace elements into learning centers. I have been thinking of adding Chibitronics to our center rotation but wasn’t sure where or how to start. Winning a free copy of the Crafty Kids Guide to DIY Electronics along with a Chibitronics starter kit would certainly put us on the right track!
LikeLike
I run a community maker space and consult with schools to built library/classroom/after school spaces! It’s great to see how working making into the school environment can take so many forms!
LikeLike
I’m trying to put together a Maker Club in my K-3 library at a charter school in Austin. I’ve been working on gathering supplies and books. This would be a wonderful boost to the collection I’ve started! Thanks for the chance!
LikeLike
Aloha! I help run a K-6 Design Lab at a K-12 private school in Hawaii! We support classroom based projects with 3D printers, laser cutter, electronics, circuits, and other tools! Follow me on Twitter @EdTechocation!
LikeLike
I hope to run a Makerspace that can be sustained independently and can be used as a tool for teachers to help with transdiciplinary curriculum and have a design thinking mindset! I hope it can have both a mix of high tech and low tech as well! My Twitter is @mrdavolatech
LikeLike
I run a makerspace in my elementary school library! Kids visit as a creative alternative to recess. @lillian_carden
LikeLike
I just learned about all these new gadgets at the Alaska Science and Technology for Educators conference. I’d love to try out these projects with my students.
@dwellinpossibi3 -twitter
LikeLike
I’m hoping to run a library club that allows anyone interested in joining twice a month to enjoy creating some fun creations with STEM-related projects.
LikeLike
Patrons at our new library Makerspace have really enjoyed paper circuits and soft circuit projects, so I’m always looking for new ideas. HAving a book that they can take home and continue learning with would be fantastic! @KaleidoscopeSci
LikeLike
I put together a makerspace in my elementary school library. I set up 3-4 maker stations were the students solve design challenges. I change them ever month or so. We’ve done a bit of work with paper circuits and I was just putting an order in for some squishy circuit materials. This book looks like great inspiration! My twitter handle is @mrreuland
LikeLike
I teach gifted education with a grade range from 3rd through 5th grade. This would be such a fun activity to engage them in!
LikeLike
I am a Teen Outreach Librarian. I’d love to start offering maker activities when I’m at the local middle school 2.5 days a week. (@library_meg)
LikeLike
I do some tech programming at my library, and im really interested in doing more! I love working with robots, circuits and coding. Love working with tweens and teens!
LikeLike
I am a middle school librarian from Newport News Virginia and run a maker space during lunch time, as well as a maker space club after school. I am always looking for ideas and this book would be perfect. Thanks for the opportunity.
LikeLike
I am a public librarian in the Kansas City Metro area and Our Library has a small Makerspace and is planning our big one for our new building. I do a Maker Tuesday event for teens during the summer, which is well attended.
LikeLike
I’m a 7th grade science teacher at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito, California. I run a massive paper circuits unit every year with my students to teach them the fundamentals of circuitry, which involves every kid blending art & science together, as they learn to design, prototype, and build their own circuit artwork. Every 7th grader learns to solder in my class. I also run a paper circuits elective every Friday for 5th-8th graders. You can find me on twitter at @dharlette; my current pinned tweet is on how paper circuits works as a project at my school!
LikeLike
This looks perfect for the After-School program I run at our library “Extreme Science Challenge!” We are a small public library with a mobile maker-space and serve tons of families. The kids in our community would LOVE this!
LikeLike
I am a middle school librarian and have the beginnings of a maker space. I am interested in expanding to be able to offer much more to our “maker minded” students. My twitter handle is #ReadThinkSeek
LikeLike
Would love to own a copy of this title to have in our professional library so all librarians in our district could use as a resource for their maker spaces. We have used the Chibi lights with only one site previously, so it would be nice to give another site the opportunity to try them out with their Ss. Twittter handle is @PaggiSusan.
LikeLike
We are setting up a lab with a Makerspace for all our students. This book would have so many options for our elementary and middle school students!
@kellynmurphy
LikeLike
I am a program director supporting educators take their 1st steps into maker education. This would be an awesome resource for any maker (new and experienced alike!). @carronmccabe
LikeLike
I hope to run a Mobile MakerSpace that goes to teachers and kids who dont have enough maker centered learning as well as community events to pomote Maker. I love books helping people become makers, I just can’t afford all of them. shirky17
LikeLike
Elementary librarian with an after school maker club. I have also created a badge system for fourth and fifth grade that allows for hands-on exploration of STEAM. This book sounds like a terrific addition to any maker space!
LikeLike