There are only 52 days left to get all the Christmas shopping done. Finding a gift that a child enjoys and that offers them more than temporary entertainment is not an easy task. Fortunately, UBTECH has you covered with both the JIMU Robot BuilderBots Series: Overdrive Kit and the AstroBot Series: Cosmos Kit.
UBTECH Robotics has come out with a novel way to make learning STEM skills fun. Their Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit is a complete robot design kit in a box. We are talking hours of fun in a fairly average looking package. Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit allows your child to build multiple different robot models from a modular collection of parts much like the Lego Technic line of years ago but far superior in the level of engaged learning. Much like Legos, these robots can follow the same building patterns as supplied or you can modify them to make different designs and variations. Then Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit takes the learning farther with a programmable interface using block coding to allow your child to make their robot “do something.” This hands-on style of learning is one of the best methods for helping children retain the coding concepts that they practice.
Recommended Age
The best age range for the Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit is 8-14, just like the JIMU Robot BuilderBots Series: Overdrive Kit, but this kit is aimed at kids with prior kit building experience. You can look at it as the sequel to the JIMU Robot BuilderBots Series: Overdrive Kit.
This kit is made of 384 snap-together components. This is key because it means that the kids can simply get right to work on it with no special tools required. Included is a selection of LED lights, Bluetooth speakers, and digital servos to help with movement. To ensure that any child can build something fun right out of the box, Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit includes instructions for 3 different configurations in their app. This allows you to view each step with a 360-degree view of the model, allowing even the most spatially challenged of us to follow along.
UBTECH really takes the experience to the next level, challenging kids without overwhelming them. The iOS and Android app has a simple block programming language much like you would see on something like Tynker for programming the robot. If you are not familiar with this type of interface, it uses interlocking code blocks that look like puzzle pieces to ensure that the functional components are placed in the required logical order to complete the project properly. It draws from several different programming concepts such as loops, conditional statements and mathematical functions. This allows for intermediate level programming of complex sequences such as move 3 steps, wait, turn right, and do X.
With the Christmas season just around the corner, this is an excellent idea for getting your future scientists and engineers a head started on the fun journey of STEM fields. This hands-on exploration provided better engagement that sitting in a classroom, and offer the rewarding experience of creation. The Astrobot Series Cosmos Kit offers hours of creative fun time while still stretching those creative and technical neurons. Remember: 52 days left until Christmas; I’d make sure this one is on my list.
