micro:bit holiday activities
Some festive ideas for the holiday season to keep you and young learners busy and creative with the micro:bit, with new projects and old ones given a seasonal twist.
Blow out the candle!
These videos show you how to use the new micro:bit with a built-in microphone to make a candle that you can 'blow' out - and back on again!
Animated decorations
The Shining sunbeams animation also works really well as a Christmas decoration - the LED patterns also look like stars and would look fantastic hanging up in windows or on a tree.
Light up when it gets dark
Save energy and create a wonderful effect by making decorations that use the micro:bit's built-in light sensor to light up when it gets dark. Give the Sunlight sensor project a seasonal twist by modifying the code so that it lights up the light level is less than (<) 100 instead of greater than (>) 100.
Mix and match
Why not combine the code from Shining sunbeams and Sunlight sensor to make an animated decoration that lights up only in the dark, saving batteries and creating a lovely effect?
Download the code
Each project has a guide and code you can open in the MakeCode and Python editors, or just download the .hex file and flash it straight on to your micro:bit:
Blow out an electronic candle
Make a flashing sunbeam animation
Make your micro:bit light up when the sun comes up
More projects to modify
- Check out the Frère Jacques loops project and remix it to play your favourite festive tune or Christmas carol. If you have more than one micro:bit, try getting them to play a 'round'.
Hint: here are the notes you need to play the start of 'Jingle Bells':
E E E E E E
E G C D E
F F F F F E E
E E E D D E D G - If you've been given a new micro:bit with sound, get in the party mood with our Disco lights that glow in time with music...
- ...or create your own micro:bit pet with expressive sounds and emojis as a gift for someone you care for.
Program your micro:bit to play a tune
Make lights flash to the rhythm
Code your own electronic pet
