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Wow, educational toys have changed a lot since I was a kid. I remember inserting floppy disks (!) into a computer in order to play classic games like “Number Munchers” and “The Oregon Trail”. I learned very quickly that “Dog” was not a day of the week, and that it was very easy to die of wasting diseases in the western US in the 19th century.
Flash forward to today, where the “Internet of Things” and the next tech gadget rule the day. As the world becomes more and more digitally inclined, parents and teachers alike want toys that teach kids computer-and technology-related skills, both for their future employability and for being a citizen in a society built on 1’s and 0’s.
One emerging trend is toys that teach kids how to write computer programming code. Coding is becoming essential knowledge because the world runs on computers, and computers themselves run on code. As a person with a degree in a STEM field, I had to learn how to code later in life, and it was a miserably long learning curve (even if it’s one of my favorite things to do now). So, naturally, these coding toys aimed at kids piqued my interest.
Over a few weeks, myself and some curious kids and parents investigated 12 toys and games (covering an age range from 3 years old to adulthood) that claim to teach coding skills in fun and novel ways. To check out our experience with a wide variety of robots and board games (arranged in increasing age appropriateness), read on!
KIBO
Ages: 4-7 years old
App: N/A
Power: 4 AA batteries
Parental involvement needed: Minimal, once the barcode process is established and the meanings of some of the logical expressions are explained
Coding concepts: Following commands, order of operations, counting loops, conditional statements, wait for input
How it works: KIBO is a robot who operates on a combination of sensors and barcode inputs.
To make KIBO follow a sequence of actions, kids build a program by assembling a line of large, kid-friendly wooden blocks, each of which has a different barcode on it. Each block line must start with the "Begin" block, and finish with the "End" block, which tells KIBO's barcode reader to start and stop looking for additional barcode inputs, respectively.
Then, children flash KIBO's barcode reader over each block in the order they want the actions performed, and KIBO chirps every time a barcode is successfully read. After placing KIBO on the floor, press the "Go" button, and let the fun begin!
KIBO comes in four different "kits", which are designed for smaller/larger groups of kids and less/more complex sensors and actions. Basic movement blocks include "forward", "backward", "turn left", "turn right", "shake", and "repeat". The basic modules are a light sensor, a sound sensor, a distance sensor, and a lightbulb. To see all of the sensors and movements in each KIBO kit, click here.
Children not as inclined to explore the coding aspect can contribute to KIBO's antics artistically; while in KIBO 21 (the most complex kit), there's a stage and whiteboard included for decorating purposes, anyone can easily attach drawings or pipe cleaner creations to KIBO at any time.
Our experience: Mitch Roseberg, Co-founder of KinderLab Robotics (the makers of KIBO), told me that the motivation behind creating KIBO was to encourage all kids to become STEM-literate by making robotics and programming universally accessible and fun: "KIBO is the only robot kit on the market that enables young kids to build, code, decorate, and run a robot—with no screens, keyboards, or help from adults." With its simple materials, straightforward coding process, and emphasis on imagination and art, KIBO is meant to appeal to all kids, including those that identify as "STEM-oriented", and those that do not. Our testers couldn't help but agree.
It takes only seconds to assemble KIBO, and it only gets easier and more fun from there. The ubiquity of barcodes means that most kids will probably already know how they work. KIBO's barcode reader is wide, though, so it may take a bit of practice and some help from parents before little ones can aim and record the motion they want without accidentally scanning another barcode nearby.
The bottom line: Whether they prefer drawing or playing with numbers, every kid can find something fun to do with KIBO.
Buy KIBO for $229-$499 (depending on the kit)
To view the full article click here.