Starter Electric Circuit & Electromagnet Kit

A basic, entry-level kit for building a working circuit and a simple electromagnet. Good for ages 8 and up. This is a low-cost kit for a first look at circuits, not a precision instrument, so treat the included battery as a starter and swap in a better one if you want it to run longer.

What's in the box

• Battery base x1
• Small light bulbs x2 (2.5V, screw-type, with a spare included)
• Bulb holders x2 (screw-type)
• AA battery x1
• Crocodile clips x2
• Switch x1
• 10cm wires x2 (one red, one black)
• Iron nail x1
• Copper wire x1 (50 to 60cm)
• Paperclips x3
• Compass x1

Build a circuit

Screw the bulb into the holder, wire it through the switch to the battery base using the crocodile clips, then close the switch to light it up.

Build an electromagnet

Wind the copper wire around the iron nail, connect the ends to the battery through the crocodile clips, then test it by picking up paperclips or watching the compass needle move.

Where it fits the curriculum

• Grade 6 Natural Sciences and Technology: building and identifying the parts of a complete circuit
• Grade 8 Natural Sciences, Energy and Change: the lighting and magnetic effects of current, using the bulb and the electromagnet
• Grade 9 Natural Sciences, Energy and Change: circuit layouts and field forces, using the switch and compass
• Grade 8 to 9 Technology, Systems and Control: raw materials for a Practical Assessment Task on a switch-controlled system