The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Student's First Robot
Coding and Robotics - there are a myriad of reasons to expose kids to them. From thinking skills (analytical, critical, computational, creative), to failure, iteration, and perseverance, all the way to collaboration and communication. On top of this, when you add on the opportunity for language acquisition, learning through play, innovation and practical applications, it becomes clear that the list truly goes on!
Robotics are such a ubiquitous part of life and there are new videos coming out daily detailing how the technology is advancing. Gone are the days of coding exercises on devices that look overwhelming and scary… learners really need the hands-on aspect of Maker Education to make their instructions come to life. Kids also need exposure to this technology early so they grow up with the mindset of using it productively. But that begs the question of where to start?!
So let’s talk about how to choose a student’s first robot.
We want something that will grab a youngsters attention, be easy for them to hold & handle and perform actions (move, light up, make sounds). We also want something that is already built, not a kit, and has a comfortable pricepoint.
A robot that is easy to code is also a requirement, whether it is screen-free or using icons arrows; you definitely want to be thinking about robots that offer screen free coding/computational thinking exercises when it comes to our youngest learners.
Both Botley 2.0 and Edison meet the above criteria. They are rectangular prisms that can be held in a hand (or two) and are around $50-65.
AAA batteries are required, they both use icons (like arrows) to code, and they both have a screen free option.
Take a look at Botley 2.0 responding to arrow commands in the video below.
Edison comes equipped with printable barcodes that it can scan, while Botley is programmed via a handheld controller with no other device needed.
Take a look at the video below, which shows two Edisons being programmed to sumo wrestle each other! You'll notice that the robots know to avoid any other obstacles other than each other.
As you can see, they move, they make sounds, they can detect distance, and they can track lines.
Both have lights to program, Botley are multi-color neopixels and Edison are just red (although we wish it had neopixels).
They both also have online resources and activities, though Edison has more than Botley.
Additionally, Edison also has the capability of adding Legos to it to build out the contraption, in addition to block and text based coding, so you can progress through levels of coding with the same device.
Let us look at some of the features in a chart:
So let's break down all the reasons for choosing each robot...
Reasons for choosing Edison:
- Great price-point
- Fits in your hand
- Can progress through 3 levels of coding on one device (icons, blocks, python)
- Coding is browser based, so all devices with an audio output will work
- Variety of sensors/outputs
- Add Legos to build
- Screenfree (bar codes)
- Combine with other Edison robots to make different contraptions
- Online resources/activities
- Good for all ages and levels
*(One potential drawback - some devices have gotten rid of audio output)
Here is a video walking you through Edison and how to get started with programming.
Reasons for choosing Botley 2.0:
- Great price-point
- No other devices needed
- Screenfree (handheld coder)
- Icons for littles
- Variety of sensors/outputs
- Colored eyes (neopixels)
- Accessories for play
- Good for non-readers/beginners
Here, you can find a quick video describing how to get started with Botley 2.0.
The bottom line is that you can’t go wrong with either robot, which is why we at WhyMaker recommend both. You can find even more information to make your decision on both Edison as well as Botley 2.0 in our store. Happy coding!
Written By: Paul Shircliff