Adafruit
Circuit Playground Classic
Would you like to learn electronics, with an all-in-one board that has sensors and LEDs built in? Circuit Playground is here - and it's the best way to pr...
Would you like to learn electronics, with an all-in-one board that has sensors and LEDs built in? Circuit Playground is here - and it's the best way to practice programming on real hardware with no soldering or sewing required!
This is the Classic version of Circuit Playground, which comes with an ATmega32u4. It's designed to be used with Arduino IDE and code.org CS Discoveries only. It even comes with Firmata already programmed in, so you can use it immediately with code.org Discoveries without any preparation or updates.
If you would like to use MakeCode or CircuitPython, check out Circuit Playground Express, which can be used with MakeCode, CircuitPython or Arduino.
Circuit Playground features an ATmega32u4 processor, just like our popular Flora. The board's also round and has alligator-clip pads around it so you don't have to solder or sew to make it work. You can power it from USB, a AAA battery pack, or with a Lipoly battery (for advanced users). Just program your code into the board then take it on the go!
- ATmega32u4 Processor, running at 3.3V and 8MHz
- MicroUSB port for programming and debugging with Arduino IDE
- USB port can act like serial port, keyboard, mouse, joystick or MIDI
Circuit Playground has built-in USB support. Built in USB means you plug it in to program it and it just shows up. All you really need is a Micro-B data/sync USB cable - not included! With the new 1.6.4+ Arduino IDE, it takes only a few seconds to add support. The Circuit Playground has USB HID support, so it can act like a mouse or keyboard and attach directly to computers.
Here's some of the great goodies baked in:
- 10 x mini NeoPixels, each one can display any color
- 1 x Motion sensor (LIS3DH triple-axis accelerometer with tap detection, free-fall detection)
- 1 x Temperature sensor (thermistor)
- 1 x Light sensor (phototransistor)
- 1 x Sound sensor (MEMS microphone)
- 1 x Mini speaker (magnetic buzzer)
- 2 x Push buttons, left and right
- 1 x Slide switch
- 8 x alligator-clip friendly input/output pins
Includes I2C, UART, and 4 pins that can do analog inputs/PWM output - All 8 pads can act as capacitive touch inputs
- Green "ON" LED so you know its powered
- Red "#13" LED for basic blinking
- Reset button
Check out our detailed tutorial for pinouts, driver installation, Arduino IDE, and more!
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- CircuitPython
- A beginner-friendly version of Python designed to run directly on microcontroller boards. If a product supports CircuitPython, you can often program it by copying code files onto the board rather than setting up a more complex toolchain.
- CS
- CS stands for chip select, a control pin used by SPI devices to tell which connected device should listen. It matters when you connect more than one SPI module to the same microcontroller, because each device usually needs its own CS pin.
- HID
- Human Interface Device is a USB device class used for keyboards, mice, gamepads and similar controls. If a board supports HID over USB, it can act like an input device to a computer without needing a custom driver.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- IDE
- Short for Integrated Development Environment, a program used to write, run and manage code. It matters because some learners prefer a traditional coding workspace instead of a guided notebook-style lesson.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- LIS3DH
- A specific low-power 3-axis accelerometer chip made by STMicroelectronics. Knowing the chip part number helps you find the correct datasheet, libraries, wiring details, and limits such as its safe voltage range.
- MEMS microphone
- A tiny microphone made using micro-electromechanical systems, the same style of miniature manufacturing used in many phone sensors. It lets the board detect sound without needing an external microphone, which is useful for noise-reactive projects and simple audio input.
- MIDI
- MIDI is a standard way for electronic instruments, controllers, and software to send musical control messages such as notes, velocity, and timing. If a board supports MIDI, it can be triggered from keyboards, drum pads, sequencers, or other music gear rather than only from buttons or code.
- phototransistor
- A light-sensitive transistor that changes its electrical output when light hits it. Compared with a modulated IR receiver, a simple phototransistor can be more affected by ambient light, so it may need extra filtering or careful setup.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
- UART
- UART is a simple serial connection that sends data over separate transmit and receive wires, often labelled TX and RX. It matters because this module is designed to replace a wired UART cable with a wireless link while keeping the same serial data format.
Find this product in
Brands
Microcontrollers
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
