On Sunday, 4 October, from 9:30 am-4:30 pm, Chibitronics joined other partner organizations, including Spark!Lab, the International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, KID Museum, and DC Public Library to support hands-on activities for families. Leading the charge were two graduates of our summer Pathfinders professional development course, who brought paper-circuits to the National Children’s Museum […]
Collaborate with Chibitronics During ISTE 2027!
Deadline for Proposals is 30 September 2026! Are you an educator with plans to attend ISTELive27? The 2027 ISTE+ ASCD Conference is taking place Sunday, June 27 through Wednesday, June 30 in Boston, MA! Chibitronics is interested in supporting educators who are planning to present topics related to paper circuits, Circuit Sketcher, and creative coding! […]
Alien Abduction: Tilt Sensing, Light-Up Tunnel Book (featuring Chibitronics)
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use Chibitronics LED stickers and an optional tilt switch to add illumination, interactivity, and special effects to a tunnel book. The one I’m sharing here is shaped like an octagon and features my own interpretation of a common trope: an alien abduction. Although a tunnel book may be […]
Animating Rainbow Phosphene Simulator (by Emily Brooks)
Switch-Activated Simulator Have you ever rubbed your eyes while they’re closed and “seen” bursts of colors? These phenomena are known as phosphenes. Phosphenes can be induced by mechanical, electrical, or magnetic stimulation of the retina or visual cortex, much like our circuits can be enhanced with mechanical stimulation (Conductive Pressure Sensitive Sheets) or magnetic stimulation […]
Illuminating Mangrove Trees at KID Museum (With Barbara Liedahl)
On Sunday, 18 May 2025, visitors to KID Museum in Bethesda, Maryland had an opportunity to learn about mangrove trees, origami, and paper circuitry, while being introduced to the achievements and creations of inspirational makers in STEM. As part of their Asian American & Pacific Islander Community Celebration, KID Museum hosted Barbara Liedahl to oversee […]
Educator & Lesson Spotlight: Illuminated Heart Boxes With Catie Nasser
Illuminated Heart Boxes In today’s post we are honored to have Catie Nasser sharing her Illuminated Heart Boxes, an origami project that students of many ages may enjoy (with varying levels of scaffolding). Catie Nasser is a tech-savvy K-6 art educator who dabbles in a variety of creative pursuits, ranging from papercutting, printmaking, paper engineering, […]
Diamond Painting—with White Blink Animating LEDs: By Emily Brooks
Rhinestone Earth, Twinkling Stars: Bright Fun With Faux Gems! (by Emily Brooks) “Be humble for you are made of earth, be noble for you are made of stars.” Have you tried diamond painting? It is such a soothing, relaxing craft where rhinestones are kind of like pixels making up the dots of the image. I […]
12 Bright Project Ideas to Try in 2025
Happy New Year! The promise of a new year is ripe for reflection, imagination, and curiosity. It’s also an ideal time to explore hobbies, build skills, and experiment with fresh ideas! In addition to creating a dazzling collection of light-up greeting cards, the 2024 Chibitronics Design Team produced a diverse collection of projects that integrated […]
How to make light up swivel Christmas card. ~ Type 2. The background glows. ~
Hi crafty friends! This is Eiko. I made two types of light up cards using Chibitronics and Lawn Fawn swivel surprise dies and stamps. Next, I will show you how to make a Christmas card. I used the reed switch and animating white blink LED from Chibitronics for this circuit. When you open the card, […]
How to make light up swivel Halloween card. ~ Type 1. The moving circular part glows. ~
Hi crafty friends! This is Eiko. I made two types of light up cards using Chibitronics and Lawn Fawn swivel surprise dies and stamps. First, I’ll show you how to make a Halloween card. I used the reed switch on this card. When you open the card, the small circular part moves and a reed […]
Light-up a Pop-Up Bird with Chibitronics Sticker LEDs
Light Takes Flight This project takes inspiration from a bird model featured in Duncan Birmingham’s book, Pop-Up Design and Paper Mechanics: How to Make Folding Paper Sculpture, which is a fabulous resource! In this tutorial, I’ll show you a way to light up the wings of a pop-up bird using Chibitronics sticker LEDs. My bird […]
How to Make a Light-Up Pop-Up TV with Chibitronics LED Stickers (by Emily Brooks)
Make Your Circuit POP! The following project, which combines two of our favorite things (paper circuits and pop-ups) was created by Design Team member Emily Brooks, whom you can find on Instagram at @funfettigator. Are you a big fan of the small screen? Learn how to make this easy light-up pop-up living room scene and […]