Teaching STEM? Check Out These Cool Robotics Kits for Kids

Unlike robots that are ready to go out of the box, a robotics kit allows students to interact with the individual pieces that comprise their bot.

Robotics kits are an exciting and educational STEM project that can be accessible for kids even in preschool. Unlike robots that are ready to go out of the box, a robotics kit allows students to interact with the individual pieces that comprise their bot. The building process can be very rewarding, as well as an important unit of study in and of itself. Why stick to coding with your students when you can do so much more?

What is a Robotics Kit?

A robotics kit requires that you build the robot, rather than simply program one. The kits consist of pieces such as structural elements, mechanical elements, motors or other actuators, sensors and a controller board to direct input and output. Of course, once built you can then also programming and coding with it!

Why Choose a Robotics Kit for My Next Major STEM Project?

Robotics in the Classroom has been a hot topic in STEM for a long time. Robotics kits take it to the next level by familiarizing students with the components that make up a robot. They furthermore teach students first-hand how assembling the components through different means and in different configurations assists the robot in accomplishing its intended purposes. Robotics kits align particularly well with STEM goals because they sprawl across the realms of applied science, technology, engineering and of course math as well.

They are also a great way to engage your students! Students that prefer to work with their hands as well as those that prefer to think their way through problems. Similarly, robotics kits offer the opportunity to methodically follow directions as well as offer avenues to foster creativity.

The costs associated with robotics kits varies to accommodate a wide range of needs. Many vendors even include instructions for how to apply for grants for educational use right on their website!

Robotics Kit Recommendations

VEX

VEX Robotics is educational robotics for everyone. They span all levels of both formal and informal education with accessible, scalable, and affordable solutions. Beyond science and engineering principles, VEX encourages creativity, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving among groups. It allows educators of all types to engage and inspire the STEM problem solvers of tomorrow!

SPIKE

Replacing the fabulous LEGO EV3, SPIKE has more than 40 guided lessons, step-by-step building and coding instructions and the intuitive SPIKE™ Prime App make getting started a snap

Bristlebots

Bristlebot kits are an affordable tool to engage young students in any S.T.E.M based activity. It is a simple micro robot built by attaching a micro motor to a conventional tooth-brush head. The motion of the robot is caused by the transfer of kinetic energy from the vibration of the micro motor, through the robot, to the ground. Each V4 kit comes with standard material to make and customize a Bristlebot, but they recommend adding custom material to personalize your robot.

KiwiC o

There are a wide variety of kits to choose from here. Play with mechanical motion as you engineer a walking robot, get hands-on with switches as you create and customize a slithering snake robot, program your own domino runs with a domino robot you build yourself, and more.

Arduino

For middle school and beyond, Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for anyone making interactive projects. Arduino senses the environment by receiving inputs from many sensors, and affects its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. You can tell your Arduino what to do by writing code in the Arduino programming language and using the Arduino development environment.

Code-a-Pillar

Code-A-Pillar features 8 easy-to-connect segments that preschoolers can arrange and rearrange to “tell” the toy how to move. It can move forward, left, right, wiggle, dance or even wait for a couple seconds before moving again. When kids connect the segments—in tons of different ways—to make Code-A-Pillar move left, then right, then forward, or wherever– that’s sequencing! When they figure out a sequence that will create a path for Code-A-Pillar to reach a target, that’s programming (and problem solving, too)!

The Gripper Building Kit

While not a full robotics kit in and of itself, this kit is designed for Wonder Workshop Dash and Cue robots as an easy-to-construct set of functioning arms to expand the robots’ capabilities. If you already have the bots, it can be a great way to dip your toe into robotics kits.

Bonus! Top 10 Pre-Assembled Bots

Our Facebook Community has weighed in, and we have the run-down on their 10 favorite pre-made bots! These come with age recommendations based on real classroom experiences.

Primary Grades

Code & Go Mouse

Build your maze, and then use the coding cards to create a step-by-step path for Colby, the Programmable Robot Mouse. Program the sequence of steps, and then watch Colby race to find the cheese! This deluxe set includes 30 double-sided coding cards, 10 double-sided activity cards, cheese wedge, and an Activity Guide. Create your path with 16 maze grids to create a 20″ x 20″ maze board, 22 maze walls, and 3 tunnels for endless possibilities. Colby lights up, makes sounds, and features 2 speeds along with colorful buttons to match coding cards for easy programming and sequencing.

Botley

Botley teaches kids to code with active, screen-free play that’s perfect for promoting critical thinking and problem solving skills. Botley’s 45-piece set comes with a remote programmer, detachable robot arms, and 42 coding cards. Botley features completely screen-free coding: no phone or tablet required. The easy-to-use remote programmer transmits your commands and sends him rolling. He can also follow looping commands, take on obstacle courses, and follow black-line paths. He even has hidden features to unlock!

Cubetto

Cubetto has been specifically designed to be most useful for children aged 3-6. They’ve paid a huge amount of attention to every last detail – from the child-friendly language in our stories, to the machine-washable maps. It introduces a host of programming concepts, including ‘algorithms’, ‘the queue’, ‘debugging’, and ‘recursions’. By removing unfamiliar distractions such as screens and keyboards this allows children as young as three to write and execute their first programs, using tangible, block-based coding language.

Beebots

Sturdy construction and colorful design entice children to put Bee-Bot through its paces. Use directional keys to enter up to 200 commands which send it forward, back, left, and right. Pressing the green GO button starts Bee-Bot on its way. It blinks and beeps at the conclusion of each command to allow children to follow Bee-Bot through the program they have entered and then confirm its completion. Children want to use Bee-Bot over and over and are inspired to enter ever more creative and complex command sequences.

Middle Grades

Dash

Using one of their free apps, like Blockly or Wonder, kids ages 6-11 can program Dash to move, sing, dance, flash its lights, respond to voices, make sounds, and even tell a story. Children learn coding concepts like sequencing, events, loops, algorithms, operations, and variables through self-directed play and guided challenges.

Spheros Bolt+

Sphero BOLT+ is a round programmable robot that delivers best-in-class, hands-on classroom learning experiences and supports beginner to advanced coders. Featuring a suite of programmable sensors and motors, a vivid LCD screen, and endless hands-on learning opportunities. BOLT+ allows for more coding, more experiential learning opportunities, and more FUN! One BOLT+ supports up to 2 learners and promotes pair programming and collaborative learning.

Ozobot

Ozobot claims to be redefining the role of robotics in education with our award-winning coding robots and STEAM-based learning solutions. Their STEAM Kits provide hands-on learning experiences that are fun, educational, and standards-aligned for students K-5. On screens with Ozobot use the Blockly app, and feature visual programming with 5 skill levels. The screen-free option consists of coding with markers and paper.

Finch

Finch is a robot designed to grow with students. From icon- and block-based coding to advanced text-based programming, the Finch is a tool for elementary school, AP computer science, and every class in between. This low floor, high ceiling tool includes materials designed for teachers who are new to coding so they can meet the needs of students at all experience levels.

Upper Grades

Edison Programmable Robots

All of the Edison robotics programming languages have complementary teaching resources including lesson plans, teacher’s guides and student activities & worksheet sets. Their teaching resources are designed to help educators unlock robotics and coding to get the most out of Edison in their classrooms. All of the educational resources are free to use and licensed under Creative Commons so you and your students can adapt, modify and translate them.

Parrot Mambo drones with Tynker

The bundle, which includes a Parrot Mambo minidrone and a six-month premium subscription to Tynker, teaches kids coding skills through play with drones. The minidrone comes complete with a mini-ball launcher, grabber, 50 plastic balls, USB cable, and battery. The Tynker subscription includes eight mobile (iPad) coding courses, 18 online coding courses, over 350 puzzle levels, more than 100 tutorials, and a virtual drone flight simulation course.

More Ideas

We also feature some of these bots in our article on The best coding robots to use with grades k-2, where we also include how to use some of Brittany’s coding and robotics resources to incorporate bots into multiple subject areas.

Conclusion

Robotics kits are a great addition to any STEM class, no matter the level. If you aren’t ready to build a bot with your kids quite yet, there are many time-tested robots that come ready to go. Whatever you choose for your next STEM project, if you program your lessons correctly your students are sure to input knowledge and output good work.