How to Build a Simple Electric Motor with Your Kids

Create a working electric motor at home using basic household supplies in this fun family science experiment.

  1. What You'll Need. Gather these materials: one AA battery, one small neodymium magnet (like those on your fridge), one large paperclip, electrical tape, thin copper wire (about 3 feet of 22-gauge wire works best), wire strippers or sandpaper, and small pliers. You can find copper wire at hardware stores or online. Make sure the magnet is strong enough to stick firmly to the battery.
  2. Create the Wire Coil. Take your copper wire and wrap it around a cylindrical object about 1 inch wide, like a marker or small bottle. Make 10-15 tight loops, leaving about 2 inches of straight wire on each end. Carefully slide the coil off the cylinder. Use the remaining wire ends to wrap around the coil twice on opposite sides to hold its shape. These wire ends will be your axles.
  3. Prepare the Axles. This step is crucial for your motor to work. Take sandpaper or wire strippers and remove the insulation from the wire ends, but only scrape the top half of each wire end. Leave the bottom half insulated. This creates a connection that turns on and off as the coil spins, which is essential for continuous rotation.
  4. Make the Support Stand. Straighten your paperclip and bend it into a stand shape. Create two small loops at the top ends that will hold your coil's axles. The loops should be just big enough for the wire ends to rest in and spin freely. Bend the bottom of the paperclip so it sits flat and stable.
  5. Set Up Your Motor. Place the magnet on top of one end of your battery. Position the paperclip stand so the bottom touches the other end of the battery. Place your coil in the support loops so it hangs just above the magnet. The coil should be close to the magnet but not touching. Connect the paperclip to the negative end of the battery using electrical tape to ensure good contact.
  6. Test and Troubleshoot. Give your coil a gentle spin to get it started. If it works, the coil should continue spinning on its own. If it doesn't spin, check that your wire connections are clean and making good contact with the paperclip. Make sure you only sanded half of each axle wire. Adjust the distance between the coil and magnet if needed.