DIY At-home Robotics Projects for Kids Made From Household Items
Your kids could have experienced building sandcastles, LEGO blocks, or indoor forts. But, what if they start building moving toys… like robots? Would it be so much fun to develop?
To make it more interesting for you and your kids, you could create awesome DIY at-home robotics projects!
Why do parents need to join in creating the robotics project?
Well, you can assist your child in making your homemade robots. You could help them in cutting materials, pasting some parts, up until you completed the product. Afterwards, you can also test and watch the robot project together.
It would be fun as an unplugged robotics project at home!
What are the materials you need to use?
The exciting part of this project is that it is free or less expensive. You can get all the materials at home, or you quickly buy it at the nearest grocery store. Other than that, you can find the materials easily without any hassles.
Some of the DIY at-home robotics project materials are available at home. You can reuse and recycle some items and use them to build your homemade robots.
The most essential parts and tools to create DIY robots are the following:
- batteries
- wires
- small DC motors to help your robot move
- decoration to add style and appeal
- scissors
- cutting pliers
- ruler
- wire strippers
- mounting tape
What are the at-home robotics projects my child can build?
#1 Homemade Spinning Brush Bot
One of the easiest and most common kids robots is the brush bot.
Materials needed:
- Toothbrush
- mini vibration motor
- mounting tape
- 3V cell battery
- googly eyes
Instructions on how to create the robot:
- Cut the head off the toothbrush. Then, spread out the brush’s bristles to make it stable as the legs.
- Get your motor with wires and use a wire stripper to expose ¼” of wire.
- You need to add mounting tape at the back of the googly eyes.
- Stick the wire to one side of the battery and the second wire to the end of the battery.
- Use the googly eyes to cover one side of the battery.
- To complete the project, you only need to attach the motor to the back of the brush and place the batter at the front.
- As you completed connecting the parts, your brush bot will begin to move all by itself.
You may want your kids to observe whilst creating the robot together. Explain to them how it works and how real robots can do the same through computer programming.
#2 Simple Homemade Robot Car
Besides the brush bot, you can also build a robot car made from styrofoam!
Materials needed:
- Foam
- 4 bottle lids for the wheels
- 2 straws
- 2 skewers
- 2” rubber bands
- 2AAA batteries and holders
- 1.5-3V DC motor
- Switch
- Wires
- googy eyes and other decoration.
Instructions on how to create the robot:
- Cut out your foams into three parts. One would have 4”x3”x2”. Then, your foams would be 3”x2”x1”. But then, you can still choose the size you want. Cut it using a butter knife or other cutters.
- Next, prepare the wheels. Grab 1 straw and 1 skewer. Place them just above the largest foam. Try if they will fit, then cut the straw and skewer in half. Use glue to attach the uncut straw to the one side of the foam.
- Across the other side, make a hole in the middle.
- Afterwards, stick the two halves of the straws straight to the spot. Get the rubber band and insert it into the whole.
- Insert the skewers corresponding bottle caps into the straws. Just make sure to hook the rubber band on the other side.
- Then, prepare the motor system. Connect the motor to the battery pack and switch.
- After connecting everything, arrange the motor system above the foam.
- Don’t forget to add the two smaller foams on the other side of the hole. Place the smaller foams parallel to each additional making space in the middle.
- Attach the motor to one of the foam. Most importantly, reach for the rubber band and hook it to the engine.
- Parallel to the motor, add the switch on the other side of the foam.
- Lastly, attach the batter to the largest foam.
- Open the switch and test if your car robot will run.
- Add the googly eyes and other decoration to make it more appealing.
The car robot will showcase its straight movement allowing them to run independently. You can create this robot with other materials you have as long as you do the procedure for the wheels connected to the motor system.
#3 Homemade Wigglebot
Wigglebot is interesting to build because it is capable of circling to draw circular patterns. It is applicable to test with a white paper on the ground.
Materials needed:
- 1 disposable cup
- electrical tape
- 3 markers
- 2AAA batteries and battery holder
- 1.5-3V DC motor
- popsicle sticks
- googly eyes.
- glue
- permanent marker
- scissors
Instructions on how to create the robot:
- The first thing you need to do is attach the coloured markers inside the cups and form it as the legs.
- Then, move on to the motor system by connecting the DC motor and batteries. Once connected, attach it at the top of the cup. Make sure that the markers can hold the whole weight of the robot.
- Afterwards, add the clothespin with an attached popsicle on the motor. It will help to make the machine wiggle and spin.
- Then, add the googly eyes and draw a smiley face.
- To test it, place the Wigglebot on a white paper after removing the covers of the markers.
- Insert the batteries and let it move around. If it works, the Wigglebot will make circular patterns on their own.
Besides these homemade robots, you can also make propeller cars using motors and propellers. Some parents also built walking robots made from popsicle sticks. Other children also experienced building spider robots which include real programming robots.
Are the mentioned homemade robots a 100% real programmable robots?
These homemade robots you are about to build are not programmed machines from commands and coding instructions. It is working due to electricity and motor machinery. However, this project still focuses on uplifting your child’s STEM skills. Other than that, it also gives your child some ideas previously programmed machines from planning, designing until it is being constructed.
Aside from that, at-home robotics projects for kids gives your children an idea for robots. Hopefully, they can also build their real programmable robots through simple science experiments you will be doing now shortly.
How can my child learn coding skills to build their real robots and games?
Skill Samurai is a kids coding school that highlights robotics classes for kids! They are open for all learners, boys and girls, to build their games and robots. Through this after school care for kids coding, your child would have a fantastic learning experience about computer sciences.
Other than that, they would also enjoy all the interactive learning, activities, and hands-on challenges. In this program, they would try online platforms to code learning for kids. They would also begin creating their games and robots using their favourite applications like Roblox, Minecraft, Python, and Scratch.
So, if you want your kids to master robotics for kids, sign them up today with Skill Samurai’s kids’ code learning!
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