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    Home » Science Experiments for Kids » How to Make an Art Bot (Scribble Bot)

    How to Make an Art Bot (Scribble Bot)

    May 15, 2021 By Emma Vanstone 4 Comments

    Art Bots or Scribble Bots are great fun and provide many investigative opportunities. This simple version uses a small motor and pens fixed around a pot. The motor makes the arm ( glue stick or cork ) spin, which in turn makes the Scribble Bot move.

    Pupils can be given challenges, such as finding a way for the Scribble Bot to draw a dotted line or left to explore, freely going through an iterative process of designing, testing and amending their ideas.

    An Art ( Scribble ) Bot made with a pringles tube, moving arm, pens and motor #scienceforkids #STEMChallenge
    Art bot

    How to make an Art Bot

    Scribble Bot Materials

    Small motor 1.5 -3 V( U.S link http://amzn.to/2bo57nn )

    Thick elastic band 2 in x ½ in

    AA Battery

    Double-sided tape or strong glue

    Pringles can or another small container

    Two leads

    Paper

    Felt tip pens ( U.S link http://amzn.to/2bChQ9I )

    Roll of paper – we like this Melissa and Doug roll ( U. S link http://amzn.to/2bo1qhq )

    Instructions for making a scribble bot

    Place the thick elastic band around your battery and sellotape it to the top of a pringle can or similarly shaped container.

    Battery for an art bot - step one - Pringles tube with a battery held in place with an elastic band #artbot
    Step 1 – Attach the battery and elastic band in place

    Attach the motor to the top of the container; it needs to be close to the edge so the arm can spin freely.

    Step 2 - how to make an Art Bot - battery held in place with an eleastic band and a motor attached
    Step 2 – Add the motor

    Attach the leads to the motor and battery. The elastic band is perfect for holding the wires in place at each end of the battery, as they can easily be removed to turn the motor off.

    Battery and motor for an art bot
    Step 3 – attach wires between the battery and motor

    Attach a glue gun stick to the motor and test to ensure it spins.

    You can experiment with different lengths of glue sticks or other items such as corks or even plasticine.

    Scribble bot instructions, step 4. Rotating arm attached.
    Step 4 – fix a glue stick or other propeller to the end of the motor

    Attach four felt tip pens around the sides.

    Step 5 Art Bot Instructions #Scienceforkids
    Step 5 – Place felt tip pens around the outside

    Remove the lids and let your Scribble bot loose on paper.

    Finished Art Bot or Scribble Bot. Made using a pringles tube, pens, battery and motor #STEMProject #Scienceforkids
    Complete Art Bot

    More Art Bot Activity Ideas

    Experiment with different types of mark-making materials:

    • Chalk
    • Paintbrushes
    • Pencils

    Experiment with different materials on your motor as the arm

    • Different lengths of glue stick
    • Cork
    • Plasticine

    Investigate what happens if you move the arm off-centre; we added a piece of K’nex to the one end of the cork in the picture above, which made a dotted line. A central arm made a smooth line.

    Placement of the pens

    Try the pens higher and lower and investigate how this changes the drawing.

    Could you add a trailing pen behind or to the side of your scribble bot?

    Can you add a switch or buzzer to your circuit?

    How to make an art bot ( scribble bot ) brilliant STEM activity for kids of all ages #scienceforkids #STEMforkids #Designandtechnology
    Art Bot Instructions

    More STEM Challenges using an electric motor

    Once you finish the drawing robot, the motor and battery can be used for many other STEM challenges.

    Make a mini motorised boat. You’ll need a small propeller for this and the motor and battery.

    mini motorised boat made with a small motor, AA battery pack covered in bubble wrap to protect it from water and a small propeller. The boat is made from coloured lolly sticks with two long balloons underneath.

    Design and build brushbots. These are brilliant as children can use their imagination to make the brush bots look however they want and add fun decorations and extra features.

    mini robot made with a brush. small motor and cork

    Lemon Lime Adventures also has a brilliant motorised toy car.

    Last Updated on February 6, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

    « Cardboard Circuits
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    Safety Notice

    Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

    These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mads

      September 01, 2016 at 2:06 pm

      We made this; hours of fun!

      Reply
    2. Leslie Ralph

      September 07, 2016 at 2:43 pm

      This looks like so much fun! Thanks for the great step-by-step tips!

      Reply
    3. Janelle Durham

      May 24, 2017 at 6:26 pm

      Thanks for this great post! I used it as inspiration when we built our scribble-bots in the Robots theme week of the Family Inventors class I teach for 3 – 7 year olds. See our process and results here: https://inventorsoftomorrow.com/2017/05/22/scribble-bots/

      Reply
    4. prakhar pandey

      August 05, 2020 at 6:41 am

      it is very helpful and interesting way to make art bot
      thanks a lot

      Reply

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