Flashlights are handy tools you may never think about until you actually need one. Invented in 1902, flashlights are simple electrical devices everyone should have on hand for emergencies. Creating your own flashlight won’t pack the same punch as a typical flashlight, but it is certainly an educational activity to teach kids about electricity. Creating a homemade flashlight is a fairly safe activity the whole family can learn something from.
Step One
Punch the brass fasteners into one side of the toilet paper roll, roughly an inch apart, parallel to the roll.
Step Two
Connect a paper clip to one of the fasteners on the outside of the roll.
Step Three
Attach a piece of copper wire to one of the fasteners inside the tube. Repeat for the second fastener.
Step Four
Tape the two D batteries together, one on top of the other so the positive end of the bottom battery is touching the negative end of the top battery. Place the batteries into the tube.
Step Five
Tape the free end of one copper wire to the negative terminal of the battery stack.
Step Six
Press the light bulb through a 1 inch-by-3 inch cardboard strip. This holds the light bulb in place. Wrap the remaining copper wire around the button of the bulb.
Step Seven
Tape the cardboard strip containing the bulb to the top of the cardboard roll. Position the bulb over the centre of the roll so it is in contact with the positive terminal of the battery stack.
Step Eight
Move the paper clip on the outside of the tube so it connects both fasteners. This is the "On/Off" switch. The light will turn on.