Even children can explore electricity easily and safely with batteries and a little motor.

What You Need:

• One or two flashlight batteries (size C)
• Small hobby motor (Radio Shack)
• Package of coloured wires with alligator clip (Radio Shack)
• Popsicle stick or plastic coffee stirrers
• Plasticene
• Masking tape
  
  What To Do:
  
  Take the motor, two wires, one battery and see if you can make the motor go. Make sure the two wires are attached to the two small prongs at the base of the motor. When you touch one wire to one end of the battery and the other to the other end, the rotor on the motor should spin.
  
  Put a dab of plasticine in the middle of the popsicle stick or stirrer and attach it to the rotor. What happens when you attach the wires to the battery? Careful, the stick may fly off!
  
  What's Going On?
  
  When you attach wires to each end of the battery, you get electricity flowing through the wires. Where do you think the electricity comes from? What happen if you don't touch both ends of the battery? What things in your home use electricity? How does electricity come to your home?
  
  What Else Can You Do?
  
  Tape a small piece of paper to the rotor to make a blade. You can also purchase small flashlight bulbs or buzzers that run on a low voltage. The bulb needs to be touched at the side of the base with one wire and at the tip of the base with the other wire to make it light. Battery holders and bulb holders increase the fun.