The swing ride or "chair o planes" is a popular and famous ride at carnivals and amusement parks. The ride uses centrifugal force to lift you up and up as you spin faster! We get to make one with lights, music and more with the help of CRICKIT and cardboard.

circuitpython_chairoplane_wiki.jpg
image: Wikimedia Commons

Prerequisite guides:

Reading or at least skimming through these guides before beginning will save you a lot of headache in the future. You can always refer back to them if you need help!

Adafruit Parts

1 x Adafruit CRICKIT for Circuit Playground Express
Crickit: Creative Robotics and Interactive Construction Kit is an add-on to Circuit Playground Express
1 x Circuit Playground Express
Circuit Playground Express is a great introduction to electronics and programming
1 x TT Motor DC Gearbox
200 RPM 3 to 6VDC
1 x USB Cable
USB A to Micro-B
1 x Switching power supply for CRICKIT
5V 2A (2000mA) - UL Listed
3 x M3 Screws - 25mm long
Mounting screws for mounting motor to base
3 x M3 Hex Nuts
For mounting motor to base

Materials and Tools

  • Paper towel or aluminum foil roll cylindrical cardboard center 
  • Medium-sized cardboard box - need at least one face of box to be 25 x 25 cm (to make the circle top)
  • Scrap pieces of cardboard (to make swings and character cutouts)
  • Small cardboard box for mounting components to (Adafruit one works well)
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Hobby knife
  • Scissors
  • Twine or string
  • Thumb tack
  • Hot glue gun + 2-3 sticks of glue
  • Phillips head screwdriver
  • Tape

Optional but recommended: 

  • Cutting mat (for cutting cardboard)
  • Level (for leveling ride, reducing wobbles)
  • Glue stick (for character cut outs)
  • Glitter glue
  • Popsicle stick (to spread glitter glue)
  • Plastic jewels
  • Other decorations!
  • Peel and stick hoop and loop fasteners (Velcro) - For attaching characters to swings
  • Print out of characters

This guide was first published on Oct 28, 2018. It was last updated on Mar 18, 2024.

This page (Overview) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

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