DIY LED Hanukkiya (Circuit Menorah)

This DIY LED Hanukkiya is a hands-on STEAM activity for Hanukkah that combines art, electricity, and holiday joy!

This DIY LED Hanukiyya project uses simple circuits, LED lights, and copper tape to create a Hanukkiya that lights up --> one LED for each night of Hanukkah.

Materials You’ll Need

• Cardstock or construction paper (for the menorah shape)

• Background paper or poster board

• Copper tape (conductive, adhesive)

• 9 LEDs (any colors you like)

  Note: LEDs have a long leg (positive) and short leg (negative)

• 9 coin batteries (CR2032 recommended)

• Clear tape

• Scissors

• Pencil

Overview of How It Works

Each candle (LED) gets its own simple circuit:

• Negative line → connects to the short leg of the LED

• Positive line → connects to the long leg of the LED

• A coin battery sits on the negative line, with copper tape connecting its positive side to the positive line

Pressing the positive copper tape to the positive leg completes the circuit, and the candle lights up!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Create the Menorah Shape

• Draw a menorah with sturdy, ¾-inch-wide branches on a piece of cardstock.

• Cut it out carefully.

• Glue your menorah onto a larger sheet of background paper (black paper works beautifully for contrast).

• Lightly pencil in:

  • A positive line for each branch

  • A negative line for each branch

  • A small battery circle beneath each branchThese marks help guide where your copper tape and LEDs will go.

2. Add the Copper Tape Circuits

Copper tape is the "wire" that moves electricity from the battery to the LED.

Tips before taping:

• Smooth tape = better conductivity

• Do not let positive and negative lines touch

• Fold the copper tape around corners.

  If you prefer to cut it, overlap the next piece well so the circuit stays continuous.

Instructions:

• Place copper tape over each negative line, running from the bottom battery circle all the way up the branch.

• Do the same for each positive line, starting at the top of the menorah and going downward - but keep the two lines separate.

Troubleshooting

If later a light doesn’t turn on, firmly press down each section of copper tape. Gaps or wrinkles can interrupt the flow of electricity.

3. Attach the Batteries

• Place a coin battery positive side up (the side with the + sign) onto each negative copper line, aligning it with the battery circle you drew.

• Lay a short piece of copper tape over the top of the battery, connecting it to its positive line.

• Secure the battery with a small piece of clear tape so it stays flat and makes good contact.

4. Prepare and Place the LEDs

Each LED has:

Long leg = positive

Short leg = negative

• Gently bend the legs outward so they sit flat on the paper.

• Place the LED at the top of its branch so the legs align with the copper tape lines.

• Tape the short leg to the negative line with copper tape.

• Leave the long leg unattached for now --> this is how you’ll “light the candle” later!

5. Secure the Menorah to a Backing (Optional Frame)

If you want your project to hang on the wall or fridge

6. Light the Candles!

To “turn on” a candle:

• Place a small strip of copper tape so it touches the long leg of the LED.

• Connect that strip to the positive copper line for that candle.

Once the connection is made, the LED should glow!(Your photos show how beautifully this works once the final connections are made.)

Troubleshooting:

If a candle doesn’t light:

• Press all copper tape firmly

• Check that the + and – are not touching underneath

• Make sure the LED legs match the correct lines

• Ensure the battery’s positive side is facing up

7. Display Your Finished LED Hanukkiya

Your circuit menorah can now “light” night by night, and the batteries usually last more than a week.

Your completed version will be stunning: different LED colors, clean copper circuits, and a glowing shamash in the center. This makes a beautiful STEAM-themed holiday project for kids and adults alike.