Operation Valentine's Day Game

This project was created for YuKonstruct and SMRT Pop Ups' Monster Love craft party. It is a remix of two great instructables:

• mathiemom's Operation Valentine, and
• SamuelH10's Electric Valentine

Our goal was to create an easy date night craft kit that could be assembled while enjoying beer and conversation, and would make a cute little Valentines gift. Who doesn't love a DIY twist on the classic Operation game?

We designed the cardstock box pieces to be cut with our makerspace's Epilog laser cutter, but you could also print out the designs and cut them by hand.

YuKonstruct is the first makerspace in Canada's north. Our mission is to provide access to shared space, quality tools, available expertise, and a collaborative environment to help makers build anything!

Parts you'll need to build the game:

• Cardstock box pieces (template attached)
• Aluminium foil
• LED
• Wire
• Coin cell battery
• Hair clip "tweezers"

Other things you'll need:

• Glue (glue stick, glue dots, hot glue or whatever you have)
• Tape
• Markers, crayons, or other tools to decorate the game
• Scissors and/or a craft knife
• Something to put in the box: candy, toys, jewelry, etc.

Fold along the perforated lines.

Glue the tabs together.

You can decorate the inside of the box (for this demonstration we used sparkly tape).

Place the candy or gifts inside the box bottom. We used a ring but anything small will do.

Glue a small piece of aluminium foil over the opening on the box top. Be careful not to cover the tiny hole above the heart (that will be for one of the LED leads).

Cut the middle of the foil and fold the flaps back through the opening.

Secure the edges to the inside with glue or tape.

Decorate the cardstock cover however you like.

We used crayons and markers to make a little guy, and cut around the edges. You could draw a monster, a friendly face or anything you'd like.

Push both LED leads through the little holes on your decorated cover cardstock.

Fold the lead on the right back, so it lies flat with the cardstock.

Glue the decorated cover to the top of the box. The folded LED lead should be sandwiched between the cover and foil.

Make sure the folded LED lead connects with the aluminium foil and the other lead goes through the little hole on the box top.

On the inside of the box, fold the LED lead towards the small hole in the top corner. Fold the lead flat against the box top.

Strip the ends of the wire to remove the plastic coating and reveal the metal wire.

Tape the LED lead to one side of the battery, and the exposed wire to the other side.

LEDs have a positive and a negative lead and will only work when connected to the battery one way. If you're not sure if you have it right, test out the circuit before taping it together. Hold the LED lead to the battery and touch the hair clip to the aluminium foil and the other side of the battery - if it doesn't light up, flip over the battery.

Feed the end of the wire through the hole in the top corner.

Secure the battery to the inside of the box with more tape.

Wrap the exposed end of the wire on the outside of the box around the end of the hair clip. The hair clip will be the game's tweezers.

Wrap tape around the end of the wire to keep it in place. We used pretty sparkly silver tape, but any tape will work.

You could leave your game as-is if you like, but if you want to be able to give it to someone without the contents of the box falling out, you will need to add something to cover the opening.

Fold the long band of cardstock along the perforated lines.

Glue the band to the bottom of the box, lining it up so the arms will cover the opening.

You can use the extra pieces of cardstock to make hands that link together, or simply tape together the band.

The game is done!

Try to remove the contents of the box with the tweezers without lighting up the LED.

Have fun playing with it or give it to your valentine.

If you make your own, please share a photo in the comments!