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How Do I Choose the Best Robot for Kids?

Tara Barnett
Tara Barnett

Choosing the best robot for kids depends on the age of the child and the purpose of the robot. There are many educational robot kits that teach the basics of robotics, but there are also toy robot kits made purely for enjoyment. Some older children may be best suited to robot kits made for adults if supervision is available. When choosing a robot for kids, it can be helpful to consult with the child to determine which type of robot will provide the most enjoyment.

A robot for kids can be a toy purely for enjoyment, or it can be educational. For fun, there are many different types of robots that can be suitable. Some robots can follow simple commands or interact with the child in interesting ways, while others move according to a pattern and involve little interaction. Most robots move or perform a function that can be interesting to a child. It is important to make sure that the robot does not include any parts that could be dangerous for children.

Most robots move or perform a function, which can be fun for kids.
Most robots move or perform a function, which can be fun for kids.

It is also possible to find an educational robot for kids that teaches the basics of working with robots or another valuable skill. Robots with interchangeable parts or those that involve basic programming teach children to look at how the robot works, which can be valuable when helping children learn science and logic. Many robots of this type use components that are easy to understand and customize, and some robots can incorporate additional parts as the child learns how to work with the toy.

One highly interesting type of robot for kids involves building the robot entirely from a kit. This is usually more appropriate for older kids, as this type of project may involve soldering or other slightly advanced craftsmanship. Assembling this type of kit often involves adult assistance or supervision, as the directions can be quite complex, but the learning experience is applicable to many different fields. When looking for a project to work on in groups, kits can be highly effective.

The best robot for kids depends entirely on the child in question, and allowing the child to have a role in choosing the robot is important. Some children might be more interested in a robot that moves, while others might find a robot that talks more stimulating. For children who are interested in fighting robots, for example, kits that teach the skills to construct these robots as well as strategy might be the best solution. Kids are often highly specific in their interests, and choosing the robot together can be a very interesting part of the experience.

Discussion Comments

lluviaporos

@pastanaga - I always thought I would get robots for kids to build if I had children in order to encourage them to start making up their own designs. I remember watching a TV show called Battlebots when I was a kid where people would make their own robots and have them fight in an arena.

That seemed like it would be a fantastic project to do with a kid, or even with a classroom of students.

pastanaga

@Fa5t3r - It's also important to make sure you get robot kits for your kids that they are going to be able to use properly. Remember, if they are under a certain age then they probably won't be very good at reading instructions and if it is a project that you basically have to complete for them, then they aren't going to enjoy themselves.

I have a friend who always buys two sets, one for him and one for his daughter, so that they can each do one. That way he doesn't constantly want to interrupt her process in order to do it the "right way" and she also gets to see an example of what it looks like when everything goes to plan.

Not that he always manages to get it to go to plan. But they've built some pretty cool robots over the years.

Fa5t3r

Something to keep in mind is that just because it seems very advanced to you, doesn't necessarily mean that your kids won't be able to use it. Students are taught all kinds of things about electricity and robotics in school these days which they might not have learned back when you were a student.

And robotics for kids is fantastic for teaching them all kinds of skills for engineering and mathematics as well as construction and so forth.

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    • Most robots move or perform a function, which can be fun for kids.
      By: Elena Kolchina
      Most robots move or perform a function, which can be fun for kids.