If you are a parent or teacher and you’re looking for a way to engage teenagers at home or in the classroom, consider purchasing a programmable robot! These robots are an excellent tool for teaching STEM concepts and can provide hours of fun. Programmable robots can help develop the next generation of scientists and engineers by providing them with an exciting, hands-on project that will teach them about robotics.
Below you’ll find our top recommended Programmable Robots for teenage kids
1) Sphero BOLT: App-Enabled Programmable Robotic Ball
This transparent 3” rolling robot has been designed to teach teenagers and grown-ups how to code using the related Sphero Edu app
What’s new in this version of Sphero Bolt is a transparent sphere, crammed full of different types of sensors. In addition it comes with a very bright 8×8 LED display which can be used to show messages, show animations, change colors or respond to input from the on-board sensors. This is a nice feature that was absent in its predecessors. However it does not have speakers, so the sound is handled by the app.
Its working range is about five meters. It can detect luminosity through a light sensor built in it and can know which direction it is going because of the built-in magnetometer.
Teens or adults with advanced coding knowledge can also use comparators, if/else statements, and multiple types of loops to create more complex programs. Even custom functions can be coded to use them across multiple programs.
The app is available for iOS, Android and Amazon devices in addition to a desktop version for PC, Mac, and Chrome.
2) LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 31313 Robot Kit for Programming and Learning coding
This kit includes Lego-based bricks, a programmable EV3 “brick” that serves as the brain, 4 sensors, a handful of motors, and several more pieces.
The EV3 “brick” consists of a built-in display which shows the wireless connection, battery level and what the robot is currently doing.
It can be programmed by using the LEGO Mindstorms Ev3 software for PC. The commands can be downloaded to the robot using a USB cable, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.
5 programming “missions” are provided by the software to help your teenage kid start using icon-based programming blocks. Apart from the desktop version, LEGO also provides a programming app for mobiles.
3) Ultimate Coding and Circuit Kit for Teenagers Includes Sensors, LCD Screen
“Let’s Start Coding” is a desktop app that aims to teach older kids the basics of computer coding.
Other than the software, there are related physical code kits, which look like printed circuit boards shaped like a car, a rocket, or a piano.
The Ultimate Coding and Circuit Kit consists of 14 sequential lessons and 60+ example projects. The kit includes an LED flashlight, LED strip thermometer, Four note piano, Night-sensing nightlight, ‘Clapper’ light switch, and Mini ‘jump man’ video game.
If you really want the budding engineer to get ahead with his or her coding skills, this Ultimate coding Kit is the all-in-one product you are looking for.
