# Make It Glow - Your First NeoPixel Project ## Overview https://youtu.be/vCDfyxNFeEw Add animated programmable lights to your costume or project. This first-timer guide will walk you through the basics and get you up and running in minutes. You don't need any fancy soldering equipment or programming knowledge -- Adafruit's Circuit Playground Express makes it really simple, so you can spend your time on making your project amazing and unique. We'll be using NeoPixels in this guide. NeoPixel is a fancy name for lights you can program. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/162/medium800/leds_neopixels_glowing.jpeg?1585936475) ## What You Need - A Circuit Playground Express - A battery (unless your project can plug in via USB) - Some NeoPixel lights - A bolt-on kit for attaching the lights - Wire strippers - A USB cable for programming (some cables are charge-only, you'll need a good one that can pass data) Adafruit's [Circuit Playground Base Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3517) already comes with a battery holder and batteries, plus a USB cable for programming, so it's perfect for first-timers.  ### Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit [Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3517) It's the **Circuit Playground Express Base Kit!**  It provides the few things you'll need to get started with the new [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333). This version of Circuit Playground is super powered, and will... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3517) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3517/guides) ![Rectangular case for Circuit Playground Express - Base Kit.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3517-04.jpg) As for the lights: there are so many different kinds to choose from, so it's really up to you! I'll go into more detail later on, but here's a great one to start with. ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 30 LEDs/meter [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 30 LEDs/meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3812) Adding glowy color to your projects has never been easier: no more soldering or stripping wires, clip 'em on and glow! This **Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with Alligator Clips** has **30 total LEDs in a "30 LED per meter" spacing** , and is 1 meter long,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3812) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3812/guides) ![Adafruit NeoPixel LED 1 meter Strip with Alligator Clips wired to Circuit Playground, lighting up rainbow](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/product-videos/640x480/3812-06.jpg) If you get parts separate from the Base Kit, be sure to get a good quality data+power USB cable. 75% of issues with a microcontroller are a poor or incorrect USB connection. ### USB cable - USB A to Micro-B [USB cable - USB A to Micro-B](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) This here is your standard A to micro-B USB cable, for USB 1.1 or 2.0. Perfect for connecting a PC to your Metro, Feather, Raspberry Pi or other dev-board or microcontroller Approximately 3 feet / 1 meter long In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ![USB cable - USB A to Micro-B - 3 foot long](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/592-01.jpg) Adafruit's bolt-on kit is an easy way to securely attach the lights to the Circuit Playground. If you have a soldering iron, you can always solder them instead -- but the bolt-on kit works just as well, and at a bargain price. ### Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma [Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) You have a [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333), and want to connect some wires to it for adding LEDs or sensors or speakers? You can use our nice alligator clips, but they are a little bulky. If you aren't quite ready to solder to your Playground,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4103/guides) ![Close up angled shot of a LED strip attached and powered by a circuit playground. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4103-06.jpg) You'll also need some wire strippers. These will both cut and strip wires of varying sizes. You can't do electronics without wire strippers, and it's amazing how often they come in handy. ### Hakko Professional Quality 20-30 AWG Wire Strippers [Hakko Professional Quality 20-30 AWG Wire Strippers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/527) These are the finest wire strippers we have used, and if you have to do a lot of wiring, you will agree! They have soft rounded grips - very comfortable to use, and precision ground notches that do a perfect job every time. No more yanking or twisting to strip wires cleanly and quickly. Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/527) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/527/guides) ![Red and black multi-size wire stripplers, closed](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/527-02.jpg) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-glow-your-first-neopixel-project/quick-start.md) ## Featured Products ### Circuit Playground Express [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) **Circuit Playground Express** is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've taken the original Circuit Playground Classic and made it even better! Not only did we pack even more sensors in, we also made it even easier to... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3333/guides) ### Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma [Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) You have a [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333), and want to connect some wires to it for adding LEDs or sensors or speakers? You can use our nice alligator clips, but they are a little bulky. If you aren't quite ready to solder to your Playground,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4103/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 30 LEDs/meter [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 30 LEDs/meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3812) Adding glowy color to your projects has never been easier: no more soldering or stripping wires, clip 'em on and glow! This **Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with Alligator Clips** has **30 total LEDs in a "30 LED per meter" spacing** , and is 1 meter long,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3812) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3812/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 60 LED/m [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip w/ Alligator Clips - 60 LED/m](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3811) Adding glowy color to your projects has never been easier: no more soldering or stripping wires, clip 'em on and glow! This **Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with Alligator Clips** has **30 total LEDs** in a **"60 LED per meter" spacing** , and... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3811) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3811/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LEDs at 2" Pitch [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LEDs at 2" Pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3630) Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little dots of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel dots! They're very small, so they're easy to embed into any structure, costume, or wearable. Each dot is... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3630) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3630/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little dots of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel dots! They're very small, so they're easy to embed into any structure, costume, or wearable. Each dot is... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3631/guides) ### Flexible Silicone Neon-like Skinny NeoPixel LED Strip [Flexible Silicone Neon-like Skinny NeoPixel LED Strip](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4310) You love NeoPixels, and you love silicone diffusion? Peep this  **Flexible Silicone Neon-like Skinny NeoPixel LED Strip**! OK it's a bit of a mouthful, but check out the beautiful footage! It _looks_ a lot like a slim strip of neon, but without the need... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4310) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4310/guides) ### 3 x AAA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch and 2-Pin JST [3 x AAA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch and 2-Pin JST](https://www.adafruit.com/product/727) This battery holder connects 3 AAA batteries together in series for powering all kinds of projects. We spec'd these out because the box is slim, and 3 AAA's add up to about 3.3-4.5V, a very similar range to Lithium Ion/polymer (Li-Ion) batteries and have an on-off switch. That makes... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/727) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/727/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Circuit Playground Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-circuit-playground-express.md) - [Flora+NeoPixel LED Skateboard Upgrade](https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-neopixel-led-skateboard-upgrade.md) - [Battery Powering Wearable Electronics](https://learn.adafruit.com/battery-powering-wearable-electronics.md) - [Techno-Tiki RGB LED Torch](https://learn.adafruit.com/techno-tiki-rgb-led-torch.md) - [Drone Claw](https://learn.adafruit.com/drone-claw.md) - [Fidget Spinner Tachometer](https://learn.adafruit.com/fidget-spinner-tachometer.md) - [Using MCP23008 & MCP23017 with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/using-mcp23008-mcp23017-with-circuitpython.md) - [Cosplay Glow Fur Raver Bandolier](https://learn.adafruit.com/cosplay-glow-fur-raver-bandolier.md) - [CircuitPython Snow Globe](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-snow-globe.md) - [Jack-o-Theremin](https://learn.adafruit.com/jack-o-theremin.md) - [Mystery Box: The Freefall Deck](https://learn.adafruit.com/mystery-box-freefall-deck.md) - [FruitBox Sequencer: Musically Delicious Step Pattern Generator ](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-fruitbox-sequencer-musically-delicious-step-pattern-generator.md) - [NeoPixel NanoRing](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-nanoring-gemma.md) - [Cartoon Network and Make Code - Rose Quartz Shield Umbrella](https://learn.adafruit.com/cartoon-network-and-make-code-rose-quartz-shield-umbrella.md) - [Cyberpunk Santa Eye](https://learn.adafruit.com/cyberpunk-santa-eye.md) - [3D Printed Heel Clips](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-heel-clips.md)