Simple Circuit Light Up Valentine

STEAM Activity: Simple Circuit Light Up Valentine

This year my kids are making simple circuit light up Valentine’s for their teachers using a printable heart template. I think it’s so cute that I’m sharing the free printable with you too! But first, you’ll need supplies to make a light bulb light up using batteries. It’s an easy science project that gets kids excited when they see the final result!

Supplies:

• Two AA Batteries
• Two wires 4-6″ in length
• One flashlight light bulb
• Tape
• 1 Paperclip
• Printable Heart Valentine

Want to make this experiment a little easier? You can purchase light bulb holders for science experiments on many kid’s science sites. Be sure that your light bulb and light bulb holder are compatible before trying this project.

Directions for Making a Light Up Valentine

Making a Battery Pack

1. Place the batteries parallel to each other with the positive and negative charges facing opposite directions and tape them together. This is your battery pack.
2. Tape a paperclip across the positive and negative ends of one side of the battery pack.
3. Tape one end of a wire to the base of the light bulb. Repeat with the second wire.
4. Tape the opposite end of one of the wires to one battery in your battery pack on the side without the paperclip.

You can now touch the second loose end of the wire to the second battery on the non-paperclip side of the battery pack. Your light bulb should light up when the wire touches the battery. Remove the wire from the battery until you assemble the Valentine.

Assemble the Valentine

1. Print your Valentine and color it. Cut around the edges of the heart.
2. Cut out the small circle in the heart to fit the light bulb.
3. Push the light bulb through the hole leaving the base of the bulb hidden behind the Valentine.
4. Tape the battery pack to the back of the Valentine.

Right before giving the Valentine to the teacher secure the wire to the light bulb to make the bulb light up.

This Valentine makes a great gift for science teachers and is a great STEM activity! For more DIY and eco-friendly projects, please check out our Pinterest page!