halloween crafts | THE MAKESHOP SHOW®

Electronic Jack-O’-Lantern

October 8, 2012 by MAKESHOP Angela Leave a comment

Tech-loving makers around the world are inspired by Halloween to create pumpkins that shoot lasers, flash messages with lights or shoot silly string when someone walks by … all using LED lights, sensors or arduinos. They call them Hack-O’-Lanterns. Roll up your sleeves, clean that cold goop out of your pumpkin and get making.

Click here to learn how make a “hack-o’-lantern” from Instructables.com!

This easy how-to, Tiny LED Jack-O’-Lantern, from Instructables.com is a great start for YOU, kid makers!

Maker Zack Scott takes you step by step through the lighting of a pie pumpkin with an LED module. He shares photos for each step. When its done, you have a little jack-o’-lantern that lights up with the flick of switch on the back of the pumpkin!
Zack draws his circuit diagram to show you just how the electricity needs to run between the batteries, switch and light. Learning to build a simple circuit like this opens the door for all kinds of other projects. For example, make your Halloween costume light up with the simple circuit in our Light Up Wristband how-to.

Wondering where to find the parts to make your own hack o’lantern?

Glow in the Dark Projects

September 26, 2012 by MAKESHOP Angela Leave a comment

Fall is here and the days are getting shorter. The sun sets earlier and earlier until it’s dark before supper! Of course, here at The MAKESHOP Show that inspires us to make things – things that gloooooowww in the daaaaark. (And just in time for Halloween!)

We hunted the internet for the coolest Glow in the Dark Projects for kid-makers just like you!