Things To Do

Get a sturdy plastic cup (or 2 within each other if they are not very strong) and turn upside down.

Attach 4 pens upside down to the side at equal distances apart so the tips fall below the edge of the cup.

Keep in place with a couple of elastic bands - one at the bottom and one halfway up - and some sticky tape.

The cup should be standing on the pens like stilts.

The next thing you need is a small motor - you can get these in most electronic shops and they cost about £2-3.

Get a metal paperclip, straighten one end and twist it with pliers (make sure you get a grown up to help) Wrap it round the shaft of the motor and then superglue in place. Leave it to dry.

Whilst that is drying, get 2 pieces of insulated wire each about 10 cm long. Trim 1 cm of the covering off each end of both wires using the pliers. Get one piece of wire and wrap one end around the handle of a small metal bulldog clip.

Take the other piece of wire and wrap one end around a paper clip. This must be metal and not covered in plastic otherwise the robot won't work.

Stick the paper clip at the end of the wire to the flat end of a battery (the negative end) by taping it in place.

Then tape a metal paper clip onto the bumpy end of the battery (the positive end) so that the paper clip is sticking out.

The motor should now be dry. Pick it up and thread the other ends of the wire through each of the holes on the metal tags on the back of the motor and twist until they are tight. Be careful not to snap them.

Now test the motor by opening the bulldog clip and closing it on the paper clip on the positive end of the battery whilst holding it. Your motor should be running. If it is not working, check the paper clips are connected properly or try another battery. Then stop the motor by taking the bulldog clip off again.

Put double sided sticky tape on the top of the cup and stick the motor against the edge. It should be stuck close to the edge so the paper clip on the end doesn't touch the cup when it spins.

On the opposite side of cup, tuck the battery under the top elastic band so the bumpy end of the battery is pointing upwards.

Put some paper down with a covering underneath and then take the tops off the pens. Start the motor by attaching the bulldog clip to the paper clip on the battery and watch it go!