We have spent great amount of timeCoding Robots is a great way for kids to learn coding in a fun and engaging way.
The robots use square shaped tiles that teach kids to code in an organized manner. The company behind Coding Robots, Botley is also designing a coding robot for adults who want to learn the basics of coding.
Best Programmable Robot — LEGO Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor Kit
Best Programmable Robot
LEGO Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor Kit
This brilliant toy will be equally fascinating to kids and adults alike. Its five robots are a true engineering marvel, but wait until you start coding! The more you tinker with it, the more you’ll want it.Check Price
After seven years of waiting, the new LEGO Mindstorms 51515 iteration is up and running!
And it’s hands down the most formidable robot kit this year. With nearly 1,000 pieces, the kit includes in-app instructions for building five robots. There’s Blast, a missile-firing humanoid robot; two cute little bots Charlie and Tricky. You’ll also get to make the powerful M.V.P. and Gelo that walks on four legs. All of them are customizable and expandable, with detachable robotic accessories.
LEGO never disappoints when it comes to sensors. This kit includes color, distance, gyro, and Bluetooth sensors. Kids can remotely control the robots via the Scratch based app. Once they boost their coding skills, they can ditch the remote control. It’s possible to automate many functions fully!
However, 51515’s greatest asset is its sophisticated and powerful coding environment. Beginners can use Scratch programming language, which is block based, visual, and easy to grasp. Once they master it, they can enter the never-ending world of full-blown computer science with the line based Python.
Like all the previous Mindstorms editions, the 51515 is excellent for teaching robotics in the classroom and at home. If you can’t decide between Boost and this Mindstorms edition, check out our in-depth comparison!
Best Budget Option — 4M Tin Can Robot
Best Budget Option
4M Tin Can Robot
With this set, children will get a chance to tinker and create. Plus, they will learn about green life and repurposing! A used tin can and this kit are everything you need to build two silly little robots!Check Price
Our next robot kit for the junior high school student is the 4M Tin Can Robot. All you need to provide is an empty can, and the fun can begin! Not only is the final product adorable, but it also helps teach about recycling.
It’s one of those robotic kits suitable for even younger kids. But we feel that it also makes for a fun and inexpensive project for middle school students. Making this robot can inspire your son or daughter to think outside the box about designing other robots from recycled materials.
It is also customizable, so there are plenty of opportunities to make the tin can robot uniquely their own. Furthermore, children need zero experience to begin, as there are in-depth instructions to handhold them along the way!
LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox
This kit includes 847 LEGO pieces to build five multifunctional robots. It includes color, tilt, and distance sensors. Students can make Vernie the Robot that dances, the Guitar 4,000, Frankie the Cat, Autobuilder, and Multi-tooled Rover 4. It comes with an instruction app that can be downloaded to a phone. It requires six AAA batteries not included. This kit can be combined with other LEGO robotics kits.
Age: 7 to 12 years
Skills developed:
- Coding
- Electronics
- Programming
- Loops and variables
Best Solar Robot — Sillbird 12-in-1 Solar Robot Toy
Best Solar Robot
Sillbird 12-in-1 Solar Robot Toy
This unique robotics kit includes 190 pieces for 12 robots. Great for fostering mechanics and engineering skills, from entry level through intermediate.Check Price
Who says that propper robotics kits for kids have to cost hundreds of bucks? Say hello to the fun and very affordable 12-in-1 Education Solar Robot Toy from Sillbird.
This kit allows your child to create twelve unique robots with just a single kit. It provides hours of entertainment for a great price – ideal for beginner robotics enthusiasts! We recommend this kit from early middle school. However, each robot has a different level of complexity, so it grows with your child’s ability.
This kit is also solar-powered, which will add another layer of science to the experience. They will learn more about robotics while exploring renewable energy sources, which is a hot topic today. The kit comes with guides for each robot. But with 190 pieces, your child could also design variations on the robots. With a bit of imagination, they’ll be able to think of many tweaks and options!
Note that there is a newer model of this product. However, we still prefer the old one as it employs more sophisticated mechanics. Gears, screws, and bolts are so much fun! Plus, it offers more room for growth. But if your kid is into space robot aesthetics, feel free to consider the newer model too!
Sphero Mini (Green) App-Enabled Programmable Robot Ball
The Sphero Mini is a tiny app-enabled coding robot for kids that is lots of fun.
With this neat robot kids of all skill levels learn important coding skills while programming the robot to do cool things like roll into tunnels and power through traffic cones and bowling pins. (Included in kit.)
It comes with features like a joystick module and a slingshot mode.
After kids learn the basics of coding, they can move onto more advanced projects like working with block-based coding and Java Script.
The Sphero Mini runs for one full hour on a single charge, too. So, your child stays engaged and learning without needing to constantly charge it.
Check it out: Sphero Mini (Green) App-Enabled Programmable Robot Ball
ClicBot Coding Robot
The ClicBot Coding Robot is a super fun STEM toy that comes with a wide range of fun games.
This robot kit can perform over 200 unique commands, which makes it a lot of fun for kids. The games and various antics that can be programmed get kids interested in developing their coding abilities.
It can easily be constructed in a variety of fun ways. The drag and drop interface is also very user-friendly, which lets kids easily program it for fun activities.
This coding robot toy is serious fun that will keep kids busy and having fun for hours on end, all while helping them develop important STEM skills.
Check it out: ClicBot Coding Robot
ELEGOO Penguin Bot
If your child has tinkered with Arduino circuit boards before, they will flip over the ELEGOO Penguin Bot. This robotics toy is based on Arduino circuit board concepts.
This cool-looking educational robot has lots of neat features your child is going to love. It can be programmed to follow you and even to avoid bumping into things.
Another cool feature of this robot is that it is assembly-required and comes with step-by-step instructions. This helps kids develop basic skills like fine motor and critical thinking.
This is a fun coding kit that will keep your child busy and your whole family having fun.Related Post: 15 Best Educational STEM Toys for 5 Year Olds
Check it out: ELEGOO Penguin Bot
TOYTRON Coding Pet Milky
The TOYTRON Coding Pet Milky is a fun and cute way to enhance your child’s STEM skills while having them engage in some really fun activities in coding.
This robot toy comes with dozens of fun coding cards, several coding boards, and a free coding app.
The TOYTRON is the perfect introduction to coding for kids ages 5 and up, as it’s easy to use, fun, and has kid-friendly coding activities.
Kids develop STEM skills and problem-solving skills with this toy while they engage with this friendly robot in actual coding activities – very cool.
Check it out: TOYTRON Coding Pet Milky
Educational Insights Artie 3000
The Educational Insights Artie 3000 is a cute robot that helps get kids familiar with coding games.
This coding robot for kids gives kids a creative coding experience through programming the Artie 3000 to draw cool art projects. Kids can program anything from simple designs to more advanced art projects.
It comes with markers, an application, activity cards, and an easy-to-understand guide.
This is a great STEM toy for beginners, as it is easy to use and comes with pre-programmed activities.
Check it out: Educational Insights Artie 3000
Best for Total Newbies — 4M Table Top Robot
Best for Total Newbies
4M Table Top Robot
It’s a silly little robot crab that’s agile enough to move over the tabletop yet smart enough never to fall off! A simple build for dipping your toes into robotics.Check Price
Not all kids will have a penchant for complex tasks that take hours and hours of play to get them right. That’s why there are straightforward robotic kits such as the 4M Table Top Robot. It’s a silly little robot crab that can scuttle across the table, avoiding obstacles. It won’t fall off the tabletop either!
It won’t take more than an hour or two to assemble the crab. With an AAA battery, you’ve got all it takes to get it moving! There’s no coding involved. And it doesn’t have to be a downside. Not everybody is a coding enthusiast! With this toy, children will get their share of hands on engineering. If they like it, you can always raise the game to another level with a more complex toy.
Conclusion
We have spent great amount of time researching and testing the perfect coding toys for the classroom. To find you a small selection of top toys that really help kids learn to code. Finding these toys has been a difficult task since most toys available in the market do not let kids program them or add any extra layer of creativity in their learning. Instead, kids need to follow a step-by-step guide to make a robot dance or make it move in a certain pattern. Our goal is to provide you with the best coding robots in the market right now which let your kid be inventive and creative when he is using his toy.