Coding & Robotics

Get a magical introduction to coding with this set from Learning Resources! Preschoolers and their new pet unicorn Skye can learn a dozen coding "spells" they can cast with the help of the magic wand programmer and the full-color coding spellbook. Kids can teach Skye to dance, catch fallen stars, eat a snack, and more! This 22-piece set comes with Skye the unicorn, the magic wand programmer, the spellbook, and a variety of accessories like a rainbow arch, stars, a ball, and even a little pandacorn companion.

Help the astronaut explore this new planetary surface with some coding basics, thanks to this activity set from Learning Resources! This screen-free set teaches kids how coding works by getting them to set up pathways for the rover, then direct it through push-button coding sequences up to 100 steps long. Kids can direct the rover to dodge obstacles, collect magnetic space rocks, or pick up the astronaut for a journey back to base. This set comes with the rover, an astronaut figure, a magnetic rock, 20 coding cards, and a full-color activity guide.

Learn to code with Dipper the Narwhal, your adorable twisting, twirling coding friend! In this kit from Learning Resources, kids will follow Dipper's story in the included storybook and help her solve problems by assembling puzzle pieces with a black line for her to follow to her goal. Once you've completed the undersea adventures in the book, you can come up with your own — and Dipper is compatible with other GO-Pets sets to extend the fun even further! This set comes with Dipper, 16 double-sided tiles, and a 12-page booklet.

This clever little robot can help kids as young as five learn the basics of coding — and its advanced features allow Botley to grow along with them! Botley is ready to go right out of the box and can be coded for up to 150 steps. Using smart logic, Botley can detect and avoid objects in its path, while following looping commands or tackling obstacle courses. It also has 16 fun interactions that let kids transform Botley into a train, police car, ghost, and more! A Toy of the Year Finalist, Botley comes with a 78-piece activity set and is 100% screen-free with no phone or tablet required so it's perfect for fostering kids' natural curiosity, creativity and problem solving skills. Plus, for even more screen-free coding fun, check out the 40-piece Botley Action Challenge Accessory Set.

STEM meets art with this set from Learning Resources that challenges kids to make pixel pictures! Each of the more than 40 challenges features a different image, and all of them incorporate math and coding concepts, becoming more complex as kids progress. At first, they'll try to match what they see on the page, but then they'll start using coordinates, decoding symbols, and more. With 400 colorful cubes, a booklet of challenges, and a 10X10 base, they'll have hours of brain-building fun!

Get on a roll — and learn basic coding skills! — with the Sphero Mini Activity Kit! Kids have a variety of ways to control their Sphero Mini Robot: they can use the Sphero Play app in modes like Joystick, Slingshot, and Tilt, or drag and drop Blocks coding to start learning the basics of programming principles. Then, download the Sphero Edu app to start learning coding languages like Swift, JavaScript, and more. In addition to your Sphero, this 55-piece set comes with a construction set, bowling pins, cones, and activity cards that prompt kids to create mazes, build towers, and much more!

With a little help — and code — from you, there's almost nothing Dash can't do! This little robot comes preassembled and fully charged, ready to use her sensors to interpret the world around her: she can hear sounds, see objects, and feel if you're moving her. As kids play, thye learn the basics of computer programming and problem solving. You can even transform Dash using LEGO bricks! This robot and the free apps to control her, Go, Path, and Blockly, are compatible with a wide range of Apple, Android, and Google smartphones and tablets.

In this kit from Thames & Kosmos, kids as young as four can learn coding principles and skills — no computer required! Kids will build a selection of different model robots, from a fire truck to a mouse to a peanut butter sandwich. Then, they'll lay down physical code cards, drive the robot over them to load the program with the bot's optical scanner, and put the robot on a map grid so it can execute their commands! 30 lessons in six clever stories progress in complexity, covering sequencing, loops, events, conditions, functions, and variables; when they're done, they can create their own robotics adventure!

Kids can learn coding principles through crafting with the Coding Charms kit from hand2mind! Your child will learn about algorithms, encryption, puzzling, sequencing, variables, puzzle, binary, and much more. They'll choose from 18 different designs to make with the included fuse beads, then follow the code to create 10 keychains — and a hands-on understanding of how coding directions allow computers and robots to create complex things. This screen-free kit comes with a 44-page activity book, 2,000 fuse beads, a pegboard, a pair of tweezers, reusable ironing sheets, 15 key chain clips, and 10 oval hooks. It's a unique, tactile way to get kids thinking about programming!

The most backed board game in Kickstarter history is now available to all with this edition from ThinkFun! In Robot Turtles, kids learn basic coding concepts as they direct their adult "computer" to move a turtle through a maze. It's inspired by the Logo programming language, and includes concepts like debugging and functions. Plus, increasingly challenging obstacles ensure that a wide age range can learn — and have fun! — with this clever game.

Enjoy the fun of an interactive pet — and learn more about coding — with PYXEL from Educational Insights! This cute little robot comes with sound sensors so it can react to noises, a touch sense so it knows when you pet it, and a proximity sensor so it knows when something is in front of it. Kids can connect PYXEL to their device through a separate password-protected WiFi, so no internet connection is required. They'll quickly learn to use the Blockly coding language to program PYXEL's expressions and actions. Then, as they become more comfortable with coding logic, they can move on to programming with Python. With built-in tutorials and plenty of how-to videos, it's an engaging way to get kids experimenting with technology!

Learn the principals of mechanical engineering and coding with this robotics kit from Elenco's best-selling Snap Circuits! This mission-based robot kit gets kids building their Mech 5 robot, then putting instructions on a mechanical coding wheel in the middle. Use the right coding buttons and the robot can move forward or backward, rotate, throw, lift, kick, draw, and more! With over 220 parts, and no screens needed, it's a fun, hands-on way to learn more about programming.

Meet the Coding Critters Bopper, Hip, and Hop, an adorable trio of robotic bunnies that can teach preschoolers coding concepts — screen-free! As you follow along with the storybook in this playset from Learning Resources, you'll code a game of hide and seek, teach them to catch a toy, and more. Kids can also create their own coding adventures — or switch their critters to play mode where they act as interactive pets!

This enchanted unicorn kit has everything you need to create a buildable, codable UnicornBot! The 3D, 360° animated building instructions on the free JIMU app (compatible with devices using iOS 9.0 and up or Android 5.0 and up) will guide you through assembling the 440 parts, including smooth motion servos, a motor, and an RGB light-up horn. Then, you can use the easy-to-learn Blockly coding platform to teach your Unicornbot to move, pick-up objects, recognize colors, and more! It's a fantasy-inspired introduction to the basics of robotics and coding that kids will love. And if she's more of a dragon fan, check out JIMU's Firebot kit which lets you build and code a dragon!

Learn about circuitry, electronics, and much more with this Snap Circuits kit from Elenco! You'll build an electronic circuit on the Snap Rover base; because the Snap Circuits components go together with no soldering required, kids can experiment as they please. Then, connect your rover to the Snap Circuits Coding App and you can program it to move or to make patterns of lights and sounds. This set comes with the Snap Rover, the SC Controller, more than 25 other Snap Circuits parts, and an easy-to-use, full-color project manual explains electrical and coding concepts and includes exciting coding challenges.

Fans of the Botley coding robot can give themselves even more screen-free coding challenges with this accessory set from Learning Resources! In the Crashin' Construction set, kids will find 10 pieces that allow them to take Botley onto a construction site, including wrecking ball and plow arm attachments, a warning sign, and multiple construction blocks. Can you figure out how to get Botley to stack blocks, knock them down, tow a load, or sweep the mess out of the way? It's a fun, open-ended STEM set that's sure to inspire budding builders! Please note: Botley not included.

You can build real itty-bitty robots with the tools in this tiny engineering lab from Smart Lab! The Tiny Robots set introduces kids to principals of robotics as they experience with axles, wheels, arms, legs, and gears inside a transparent chassis. They'll learn how gears and axles combine to let robots walk, roll, crawl, or spin; how robots sense and interact with their environment; and how to direct them to accomplish specific tasks. With 26 teensy tools and an instruction manual that guides them through 15 motorized builds, this is the perfect tiny introduction to robotics!

Meet Sphero BOLT, the app-enabled robotic ball that provides endless opportunities to have fun while learning. This small sphere has big potential! Kids can program with the Sphero Edu app, either by drawing, using Scratch blocks, or writing JavaScript. With an animated 8x8 LED Matrix that displays real-time data, and advanced sensors like a gyroscope, accelerometer, light sensor, compass, and infrared communications, BOLT provides plenty of ways to learn and play.

Build your own dragon — and code it to move, roar, and more — with this unique robotics kit from JIMU! The Firebot dragon comes with over 600 parts and components, including enough to choose two different wing styles for your dragon robot. Download the free JIMU app (compatible with iOS and Android devcies) for step-by-step, 3D, 360° animated building instructions. Then, use the Blockly coding platform to teach your Firebot to navigate obstacles, perform tasks, move its wings, and even let its snout glow with red or blue "fire"!

Discover the amazing world of engineering and robotics with this kit that lets you build 7 teeny robots from Geeek Club! Inside the set you'll find 70 parts, including tools like a rotary tool and a soldering iron, plus over 250 electronic components and easy-to-follow directions that are perfect for both beginners and experienced robot assemblers. The circuit-board robots you'll put together seek out light, so you can experiment with how they move by putting light sources in different places! It's a fun, hands-on way to learn more about robotics and how it can shape our world.

Minecraft-crazy kids will love this kit that teaches them how to build their very own real computer! This kit from Piper includes a wooden computer case with a 9" LCD display with 1024x600 resolution and integrated speaker. As you follow the included directions, you'll set it up with a Raspberry Pi 3 Project Board with 1GB RAM and a 1.2Ghz Quad Core CPU, plus gadgets like buttons, switches, LED lights, motion sensors, and more. After the computer is built, use the included SD card full of Minecraft-inspired Story Mode levels and Piper Code projects to explore the full potential of your computer. It's a great way to get kids crafting with technology in real life rather than on a screen.

Conjure your own ice magic with this Kano coding set inspired by Frozen! With this kit, kids will build their own Frozen-themed "ice" sensor, which they can use to control challenges and activities in the app. Make fractals, throw snowballs, conjure your own Ice Palace, and more! As kids play, they'll also learn the basics of programming, first with code blocks, and then with more complicated techniques like loops and variables. It's a fun and tactile way to get kids discovering the powers of coding. For Star Wars fans, Kano also makes a Star Wars: The Force Coding Kit.

Outsmart cybercriminals and protect your programs from hackers with this clever logic game from ThinkFun! In 120 challenges that gradually increase in difficulty, kids will play the role of coder, hacker, and security engineer. First, program your Agent pieces to collect data chips and exit safely. Then, take advantage of vulnerabilities in your programs by unleashing Viruses that block them! Finally, secure the program with Alarms that help data stay safe. Kids can play collaboratively or solo as they develop logic skills and learn basic principles of coding and cybersecurity.

Build 8 different robots — all fueled by the power of the sun — with this kit from Thames & Kosmos! With this 192-piece kit, kids can build a drummer bot, a tank bot, a racer bot, a big-wheel bot, a solar bug, an armadillo bot, a spinning bot, and a dinosaur bot, all powered with the included compact solar panel. As they follow along with the illustrated 44-page manual, they'll also learn about the real-life applications of solar energy and the importance of energy-efficient design. This clever kit is perfect for budding engineers who want to build a greener world!

Combine computers with Star Wars and you've got a project that will keep kids busy for hours! With Kano's The Force coding kit, kids will build a sensor that responds to their hand; then, they'll connect it to their computer or tablet and explore a variety of Star Wars-themed coding adventures, from swinging light sabers to mind tricking Storm Troopers and even piloting a starship! No coding experience is necessary.

Code your way to the cheese with this board game from Learning Resources! Based on their Code and Go Robot Mouse activity set, this 2 to 4 player game sees kids take on the roles of rival mice hunting for cheese on the board. Each turn, players draw coding cards that they need to put together into a series of commands to get their mouse where they want to go — all while avoiding obstacles like maze walls, and seeking out advantages like warp tunnels that hop them closer to where they want to go! This analog coding game teaches logic skills and basic programming concepts in an innovative, screen-free way.

Help your child learn the basics of coding with Osmo's hands-on kit! This unique learning system allows kids to combine tablet time with actual hand-held pieces, letting kids interact with three apps through tactile play to learn the basics of coding and to explore coding's creative side by using the same blocks to create rhythms, melodies, and harmonies. Everything you need to get started is included in this kit, including the Osmo base and reflector and 31 coding blocks. Please note: this kit is only compatible with iPads; if you have a Fire tablet, check out the Osmo Coding Starter Kit for Fire Tablets.

Turn the whole world into a keyboard! Makey Makey is an invention kit for the 21st century. Use your wildest imagination and turn everyday objects into touch sensitive pads — turning bananas into piano keys, or a drawing on a piece of paper into a joystick! You could even make a keyboard out of alphabet soup. Because the computer treats Makey Makey as a regular input device, you can use it with any program or webpage. It's a simple invention kit for beginners or experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between!

Raspberry Pi is a clever kit that allows you to build your own computer! Assemble a credit-card sized computer, then use an included 32GB MicroSD card to load one of the operating systems that work with Raspberry Pi. Then, connect to a monitor and input device and get experimenting with programming! A vibrant online community will give you lots of ideas of what you can do with your very own Raspberry Pi. This kit includes the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B processor with 4GB of RAM, a premium high-gloss case with integrated fan mount, and much more.

Bring the arts into STEM with this clever drawing robot from Educational Insights! As kids follow the built-in tutorials and easy to understand learning guide, they'll learn five different coding languages: Blockly, Snap!, JavaScript, Python, and C++. Startup is simple so kids will be experimenting with programming minutes after taking Artie out of the box, and before long they'll be making all sorts of colorful designs (and learning coding principles along the way.) Setup is easy so kids can connect their device to Artie in minutes, and parents can feel confident knowing that Artie's password-protected WiFi never connects to the internet. For younger kids, check out the Artie 3000, which provides a simpler introduction to coding for ages 7 to 12.