# Circuit Playground Express Spooky Laughing Box ## Overview https://youtu.be/lWCFMT4LooY _The trick-or-treaters clamber up the steps of the next house on their evening route. The porch light is on, but no one comes to the door._ _What's this? On a small table, a spooky-looking cardboard box sits next to a lamp. A sign on the lamp says "Touch Here for a Treat."_ _A small but brave goblin reaches out her hand, but before she can touch the lamp, an electronic disk lights up with a ghoulish orange smile, haunting notes play, and the box springs open as if to laugh at the foolish children._ _But perhaps not as foolish as they seem ... for inside the box are spider rings and creepy crawlies for the taking. They each take a treat and move on in their quest to fill their Halloween bags._ This spooky laughing box comes to life thanks to a Circuit Playground Express, a servo motor, and a power source. The project is easy enough for kids to do themselves (with a little help cutting), and you can decorate it any way you choose. The CPX's onboard light sensor is simple to program using MakeCode software to trigger the lights, music, and motion. If you want, you can add extra features like a mouth-opening mode or change up the eerie tunes. Keep reading to find out how! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/082/111/medium800/express_BoxButtonFace.jpg?1570315354) ## Parts List -- Electronics The Circuit Playground Express and a servo are the only electronic parts in this project, along with the things you need to make them run, like a USB cable and a battery pack. Depending on the size and weight of your cardboard box, you may be able to use a micro servo to lift the lid. But if your box is large or heavy, try the more powerful standard servo. ### 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) ![A Black woman's manicured hand holds a round microcontroller with lit up LEDs.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3333-05.jpg) ### Micro servo [Micro servo](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) Tiny little servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction) and works just like the standard kinds you're used to but _smaller_. You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/169/guides) ![Micro servo with three pin cable](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/169-06.jpg) ### Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010 [Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) This high-torque standard servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction). You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without building a motor controller with feedback & gearbox. Comes with 3... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/155/guides) ![Standard hobby servo with three pin cable](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/155-01.jpg) ### Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces [Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3448) When working with unusual non-header-friendly surfaces, these handy cables will be your best friends! No longer will you have long, cumbersome strands of alligator clips. These compact jumper cables have a premium male header on one end and a grippy mini alligator clip on the... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3448) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3448/guides) ![Group of Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wires](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3448-00.jpg) ### 3 x AA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch, JST, and Belt Clip [3 x AA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch, JST, and Belt Clip](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3287) This battery holder connects 3 AA batteries together in series for powering all kinds of projects. We spec'd these out because the box is compact, and 3 AA's add up to about 3.3-4.5V, a very similar range to Lithium Ion/polymer (Li-Ion) batteries, plus it has a nifty on-off... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3287) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3287/guides) ![Angled shot of 3 x AA battery holder with on/off switch, JST, and belt clip.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3287-00.jpg) ## Materials List -- Household and Crafts Supplies Other supplies you will need include: - 1 oblong cardboard box with a lid -- an Adafruit box works well! - (optional) extra smaller box - extra scrap cardboard - (optional) craft stick - adhesive such as dots or strips, foam tape or hot glue - masking tape - (optional) peel-and-stick Velcro dots - (optional) peel-and-stick craft foam - crafts supplies and/or holiday decorations (eyeballs, plastic creepy crawlies, pipe cleaners, construction paper, etc.) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/spooky-circuit-playground-express-mystery-box/build-the-box-and-controller.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) ### 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) ### Micro servo [Micro servo](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) Tiny little servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction) and works just like the standard kinds you're used to but _smaller_. You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/169) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/169/guides) ### Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010 [Standard servo - TowerPro SG-5010](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) This high-torque standard servo can rotate approximately 180 degrees (90 in each direction). You can use any servo code, hardware, or library to control these servos. Good for beginners who want to make stuff move without building a motor controller with feedback & gearbox. Comes with 3... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/155) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/155/guides) ### Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces [Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wire Bundle - 6 Pieces](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3448) When working with unusual non-header-friendly surfaces, these handy cables will be your best friends! No longer will you have long, cumbersome strands of alligator clips. These compact jumper cables have a premium male header on one end and a grippy mini alligator clip on the... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3448) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3448/guides) ### Premium Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires - 20 x 12" [Premium Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires - 20 x 12"](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1952) These Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires are handy for making wire harnesses or jumpering between headers on PCB's. These premium jumper wires are 12" (300mm) long and come in a 'strip' of 20 (2 pieces of each of ten rainbow colors). They have 0.1" male header... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1952) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1952/guides) ### 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 Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Circuit Playground Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-circuit-playground-express.md) - [Motorized Grinch Fireplace](https://learn.adafruit.com/grinch-fireplace.md) - [Circuit Playground Express Treasure Hunt](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-treasure-hunt.md) - [Adabot Operation Game](https://learn.adafruit.com/adabot-operation-game.md) - [Crickit Collapsible House with MakeCode](https://learn.adafruit.com/collapsible-house.md) - [LED Shoji Lamp](https://learn.adafruit.com/led-shoji-lamp.md) - [CircuitPython Basics: Analog Inputs & Outputs](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-basics-analog-inputs-and-outputs.md) - [Rose's Shield - Steven Universe](https://learn.adafruit.com/rose-s-shield-steven-universe.md) - [Hacking Ikea Lamps with Circuit Playground Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/hacking-ikea-lamps-with-circuit-playground-express.md) - [Esenciales para CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/esenciales-para-circuitpython.md) - [Cardboard Circuit Playground Express Inchworm Robot](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-robot-inchworm.md) - [Chatty Light-Up Circuit Playground Express Mask](https://learn.adafruit.com/chatty-light-up-cpx-mask.md) - [Circuit Playground Express: Piano de Limones](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-express-piano-de-limones.md) - [Four Seasons Fairy Bottle Lanterns](https://learn.adafruit.com/four-seasons-fairy-bottle-lanterns.md) - [DIY Circuit Playground Shields](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-shields.md) - [Make It Bubble](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-bubble.md)