How to Make a Leprechaun Trap Using Simple Machine – Pulley

Are you looking for a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and learn about simple machines at the same time? Look no further than a Leprechaun trap using a simple machine – pulley. With a few simple materials and some creativity, you can make your own Leprechaun trap and catch that sneaky little Leprechaun!

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Materials Required FOR BUILDING A Leprechaun Trap

Before you begin building your Leprechaun trap, gather the following materials

• An empty shoe box
• Green, gold and black metallic paint
• Paint brushes
• A Shamrock cutout – (optional)
• White card stock paper
• Golden glitter ( optional )
• Air dry clay
• Popsicle stick (optional )
• 1 Plastic bobbin
• Smooth and Strong thread
• A metal washer
• 1 Small plastic cup
• Cotton
• Green pipe cleaners
• Crayons
• Two chopsticks
• Toothpicks
• glue and scissors

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Leprechaun Trap

1. DECORATE THE BOX

• To give your leprechaun trap a festive St. Patrick’s Day look, paint the shoe box metallic green. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle some golden glitter on it and let it dry.

2. CREATE THE ARCH

• Cut a broad strip of cardboard lengthwise from the lid of the shoebox to form the arch. This arch will be used to attach the pulley and the colored rainbow sheet.

3. Build the Cloud, Cauldron AND LADDER

The next step in building your leprechaun trap is to create the cloud, cauldron, and ladder components.

• Building the Cauldron and Coins : Start by using clay to create a small cauldron and several flat circles to look like coins. Allow them to dry completely before proceeding. Once dry, paint the cauldron black and the coins golden. This will serve as the bait for the leprechaun.
• Building the Ladder : Take two chopsticks and place them side by side with a small distance between them. Use toothpicks to create the rungs of the ladder by gluing them horizontally to the chopsticks. Once the glue is dry, paint the ladder golden and glue it to the front of the shoebox.
• Building the Cloud :To create the cloud trap that will catch the leprechaun, begin by gluing cotton to a plastic cup. Next, create a small hole in the center of the bottom of the cup. This will allow the thread to be tied to the cup and hold it in place. The cup, with the cotton on it, will be the cloud hanging to the arch.

4. Build the Pulley System

The pulley system is an important component of the leprechaun trap that enables the trap to drop when the leprechaun takes the bait. Here’s how to build it:

• Use a scissor or knife to make holes on the sides of the shoebox and attach the arch to the sides of the shoebox using a pipe cleaner.
• Make two holes vertically in the center of the arch where the pulley will be fixed.
• Thread the bobbin through a pipe cleaner and secure it on the center top of the arch. It will act as a pulley
• On one side of the arch, create some holes and make hooks using pipe cleaners.
• Tie a metal washer to one side of the thread and loop it through the plastic cup. We tie the metal washer on one end of the thread to create weight, so that when the leprechaun picks up the cauldron, the cloud aka the plastic cup will fall down quickly.
• Loop the other end of the thread through the bobbin and all the hooks created along the arch and place the cauldron on top of the thread. This would keep the cloud hanging up in place.
• Test the trap by lifting the cauldron. If the trap is properly set up, the cloud should drop down immediately to where the cauldron was positioned.

5. HIDE THE TRAP

To hide the trap, decorate the front of the arch by drawing a cloud and rainbow on the white card stock, coloring it, and then gluing it onto the arch. This will help to hide the trap behind the rainbow, making it more difficult for the leprechaun to detect.

Attach the shamrock cutout to the popsicle stick and glue it onto the box to decorate it.

6. Wait for the Leprechaun

Now that the trap is set, all you need to do is wait for the Leprechaun to take the bait. When the Leprechaun takes the bait, the thread holding the plastic cup will loosen and drop the cloud trap immediately, successfully capturing the Leprechaun inside.

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Building a Leprechaun trap using a simple machine – pulley, is a fun and educational way to learn about the science of machines while celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. We hope you have fun building and catching a Leprechaun!

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