Looking for a fun and creative way to brighten up the holiday season? With the Arduino Plug and Make Kit, you can build an interactive LED light installation that reacts when someone walks by – perfect for spreading cheer and adding a high-tech twist to your decorations.

This project is easy to make, super fun to use, and fully customizable. The component includes the UNO R4 WiFi, Modulino Distance, and Modulino Buttons as well as all the cables and accessories you need to bring your decorations to life. All you have to add is a 5V LED strip (like this one, for example).

Your step-by-step guide to LED magic

Anyone can recreate and personalize this project for festive lights: with the Plug and Make Kit’s snap-together design and Arduino Cloud integration, creating something amazing has never been easier. Just follow this step-by-step tutorial on Project Hub, complete with code templates and wiring instructions.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Arduino Plug and Make Kit, which already includes UNO R4 WiFi, Modulino Distance, Modulino Buttons, and Qwiic cables
• A 5V LED strip
• Some jumper wires 
• A power bank (optional)

The project starts similarly to our recent jack-o’-lantern project, with the Modulino Distance sensor detecting movement and triggering an action. But in this case, instead of a scary cackle you’ll recreate whimsical light animations on the LED strip. These are pre-configured, and can be easily controlled either with Modulino Buttons or remotely, via the Arduino Cloud dashboard: you can adjust the color of the LEDs, select your favorite animation, and even set the lights to react only when someone is near – perfect for adding a playful surprise.

Why stop at festive lights?

The Arduino Plug and Make Kit makes it easy to expand your project. With its versatility, you can modify the interactive lights to fit any creative idea. Add more sensors for different triggers, or use other Modulino nodes to include audio effects, track data, or create patterns based on the weather – your imagination is the limit!Ready to spread some light and joy? Build your own interactive light project and share it with us! Upload your designs to Project Hub or email creators@arduino.cc to get in touch. We can’t wait to see how you make the season bright with Arduino!

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