Back in the olden days, when you gave your kids educational toys that fostered literacy of science and engineering, you were giving them a leg up in life. Everybody thought kids who sat around writing computer programs and building robots were on the fast track to MIT. But that’s not the case anymore. Today every kid is supposed to have a working understanding of coding and computer engineering. STEM is part of standard elementary curriculums all across the country. Now parents worry that their kids are falling behind if they haven’t developed their own apps by the time they’re in middle school. Luckily, teaching your kids coding, science, and technology is easier than ever thanks to mBot build-your-own robot kits from Makeblock.
Why Is STEM Such A Big Deal?
Why do kids need to learn coding and engineering? Because computer technology dominates just about every aspect of our daily lives. We are completely surrounded by and dependent on it. If we want them to understand and navigate this world, coding literacy is absolutely essential. Studies have also shown that STEM education instills a number of life skills and educational habits, including problem solving, creativity, empathy, and resilience. And those are valuable regardless of the role technology plays in our lives.
The good news is that science, technology, and engineering can be fun and exciting, so it’s pretty easy to trick your kids into learning the stuff that’s good for them. All you need are the right tools. And the folks at Makeblock have the right tools.
Makeblock was launched in 2013 with the goal of helping kids prepare for the digital age and learn STEM through play. Since then they’ve developed a number of amazing building and coding products and surpassed 16 million users on their mBlock coding platform. If you’re looking for a cool educational toy that can teach your kids (or yourself) how to code, you need to check out the two Makeblock build-your-own robot kits below.
mBot STEM Education Kids Coding Robot Kit
For total beginners, there’s no better way to jump into coding and engineering than the mBot STEM Education Coding Robot Kit. After building your robot according to easy-to-follow instructions, you will learn to code using Makeblock’s online tutorials and mBlockly, a graphical programming app based on Scratch 2.0, the world’s most popular beginner programming language. Then, using the included sensor modules, you can teach your robot skills, like following complex line formations and avoiding obstacles in its path, or you can engage in imaginative play using your smartphone or tablet as a remote control.
Want to get more out of your mBot after you’ve mastered the basics? There are a number of different ad-on packs that let you expand your mBot’s capabilities by adding lights, speakers, arms, and various other modules and components. There’s also a Bluetooth expansion kit that lets you go completely wireless.
The best part about the mBot STEM Education Kids Coding Robot Kit is that it is incredibly affordable, starting at less than $80. Click here to order.
mBot Ranger 3-in-1 Kids Coding Robot Kit
Need something for kids (or adults) who already have some coding experience? Then you need to check out the more advanced mBot Ranger 3-in-1 Kids Coding Robot Kit. As the name implies, this kit features a robot that transforms into three different vehicles: a robot tank, a self-balancing robot, and a race car. With a powerful Arduino Mega 2560 CPU and 6 different types of sensors, including light sensors, a gyroscope, and a temperature sensor, the mBot Ranger can do almost anything your imagination cooks up, whether you control it with the MakeBlock app or program functions using Scratch 2.0 or Arduino C.
With its rugged all-terrain construction, the mBot Ranger is perfect for kids who like to take their imagination adventures outdoors. And when you’ve done all you can do with the basic kit, ad-on packs with additional modules are available so you can expand mBot Ranger’s capabilities even more.
Still, as with the more basic mBot STEM Education Coding Robot Kit, the best part about the mBot Ranger 3-in-1 Kids Coding Robot Kit might be the price. With this kit, you’re getting three different robot configurations for less than $140. Click here to order and kickstart your child’s STEM education TODAY.
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