Media Coverage

eCampusNews: Getting Pre-service Teachers Comfortable Using and Teaching with STEAM Tools

Christine Maier, assistant professor of early childhood education and coordinator of student teaching at Dean College, describes bringing STEM robots to her pre-service students, who are training to be early childhood and early elementary teachers. She sees that her students often see STEAM as intimidating. Christine shares with her students how working with hands-on with robots shows them how much they already know about using STEAM with young children and helps the class build confidence in teaching STEAM concepts.

“When my class, who didn’t see themselves as STEAM teachers, had the freedom to tinker without a fear of failure, they became far more eager (and better equipped) to teach those concepts in their own future classrooms. By starting with hands-on learning and building confidence first, I believe we can transform how the next generation of educators approaches teaching STEAM–and how future generations of students will learn these concepts as well.”

The article reads in part:

“I instructed my pre-service teacher students to play and explore. When the class expressed hesitation, I challenged them by saying, “If three-year-olds can do it, you’re going to do it, too.” I recognized that their intimidation did not come from the technology itself, but rather from a lack of confidence. By implementing this hands-on approach, I hoped that the students would not only deepen their own STEAM understanding, but also gain the confidence and inspiration to effectively teach these critical subjects to their future students.

To build up the students’ confidence and skills, I started by having them program and design the KIBO robots on their own. As the lessons progressed, we explored various uses of KIBO in the classroom. In one lesson, we transformed KIBO into a snowplow by designing a plow for the front of the robot and programming it to clear snow (or cotton balls). In another lesson, we used KIBO as a bowling ball to strategically knock down plastic bowling pins. We would conclude each class with an observation/ feedback session, allowing the pre-service teachers to share their experiences and learn from each other.

Thanks to the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Grant from the Massachusetts teachers early childhood program, the center was able to buy the KIBO curriculum and various attachments for deeper exploration as well. I had the students look through the written curriculum with young students in mind and find a plan that they thought would work best for the children. The goal of this lesson was not perfection, but rather for my students to learn what works and what doesn’t through the lens of young minds, and how to adapt their teaching approach to a given curriculum. I told the class, “It doesn’t have to be completely successful. Let’s just give it a try and see what happens. We will learn a lot from this!”

Building skills and confidence

As I had hoped, the class learned more efficiently and enthusiastically about STEAM topics through this hands-on learning approach than they would have from my standard PowerPoint presentations and lectures. Through their work with KIBO, the pre-service teachers discovered they already had more STEAM skills than they had initially realized. Designing their own lessons with KIBO included integrating robotics into a specific subject matter, incorporating arts and crafts, and developing sequences with KIBO’s programmable  wooden building blocks, and helped them exceed their own expectations by engaging with coding, robotics, and other STEAM concepts they had found intimidating at the start of the semester.

For this class, we focused on introducing robotics to four- and five-year-old children. However, I believe even younger children are capable of engaging with these STEAM concepts. Research has shown that young children’s brains are primed for this kind of hands-on, exploratory learning. This is a key consideration as I continue refining my courses for future educators. After a semester where I threw out the syllabus, I was left with an inspiring question: How can I make my future courses more practical and still keep the academic writing and the academic requirements intact?

Looking towards a play-filled future

My parting advice for colleagues who are teaching the next generation of teachers: Let them play! Let them have a good time. Once they find some enjoyment in what they’re doing, then you can layer on all the pedagogy they need to understand. If you free your pre-service teachers to play, they’re apt to do the same with their students. When my class, who didn’t see themselves as STEAM teachers, had the freedom to tinker without a fear of failure, they became far more eager (and better equipped) to teach those concepts in their own future classrooms. By starting with hands-on learning and building confidence first, I believe we can transform how the next generation of educators approaches teaching STEAM–and how future generations of students will learn these concepts as well.”

MEDIA COVERAGE Archives

Flipboard EDU Podcast

Flipboard EDU Podcast: Unlocking STEM for Young Minds

Wlliam “Coach” Jeffrey of Flipboard EDU Podcast met with KinderLab Robotics’ CEO, Mitch Rosenberg, while at the ISTELive 24 Conference. Listen in on the interview about Mitch, KinderLab’s orgins, it’s

eSchoolNews: FETC 2024 Wrap Up

The Future of Education Technology® Conference (FETC®), which took place January 23-26, 2024, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, shares key takeaways and an FETC 2024 show wrap

Engineering Gift Guide Seal

Purdue University: 2023 Inspire Engineering Gift Guide

Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look to the 2023 Purdue Inspire Engineering Gift Guide, which includes only extensively reviewed products to ensure thoughtful, engineering-inspired holiday presents. The KIBO robot

Defined: Diving into STEM

The KIBO robot has been included in this article about incorporating STEM activities within the classroom to promote collaboration and develop essential 21st-century skills. Rachelle Dené Poth writes in part:

Tech&Learning: ISTELive 2023 News Roundup

We were excited to see that we were included in the Tech&Learning ISTELive 2023 roundup. About KIBO, they said: KinderLab shared a preview of their new AI curriculum for early

ZDNET: The Best Robot Toys for Kids

The KIBO robot is included as one of ZDNET‘s best robot toys for kids! The author researched STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) kits and toys that can ignite a

SmartBrief: You Can’t Teach Robotics without SEL

Two of our KIBO Ambassadors, Megan Bounit and Barbara Tennyson, feature KIBO in this SmartBrief article about how students can learn social-emotional skills and STEAM concepts at the same time.

Try Engineering: The Best STEM Toys

KIBO is included in IEEE’s Try Engineering list of “Best STEM Toys”. We are honored as we were reviewed by the writer and approved her three children! The article reads in

Nature: Coding for Kids – Books in Brief

Nature reviewed our co-founder and chief scientist Marina Bers’ new book, Beyond Coding – How Children Learn Human Values through Programming and included the book in a round up of

AI: Top 10 AI and Robotics EdTech Companies

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eSchoolNews: 4 Education Predictions for 2022

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NPR: Teaching Matters – Science and Imagination

In this NPR Podcast, Carmello Piazza, the Executive Director and Education Director at the Brooklyn Preschool of Science discusses his approach of inspiring his learners. In addition to using the

Edutopia: Screen-Free Computational Thinking

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EdTech Digest: Cool Tools – KIBO

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Learning Counsel: App of the Week – KIBO

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eSchoolNews: Teaching Preschoolers to Love STEAM

In this eSchoolNews article, the team at Brooklyn Preschool of Science describes how they use KIBO within their centers. The preschool believes in hands-on learning, rooted in inquiry and discovery.

eSchoolNews: 29 K-12 EdTech Predictions for 2021

eSchoolNews asked edtech executives, stakeholders, and experts to share some of their thoughts and predictions about where they think edtech is headed in 2021. Kinderlab is included in the discussion,

This Mama Loves: Gift Ideas for Kids

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SC Living: Technology for the Holidays

SC Living provides its 4 choices for technology gifts to give for the holodays, including the KIBO robot kit! About KIBO: “Give the gift of innovative fun with the KIBO

Medium: The Best Gifts for Everyone in 2020

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Finding Debra: Gifts for Kids 2020

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Language Magazine: ISTE Playground

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Thrive Global: Start with a Strong, Clear Vision

As a part of the series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech,” KinderLab’s co-founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers, was interviewed. Some highlights from the

SmartBrief: Connecting STEM and Ethics

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Noggin: Yes, Your Kid Can Code!

In this Noggin article, our co-founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Marina Umanschi Bers, describes that coding isn’t just a STEM skill; it’s about playgrounds and literacy. The article reads in

eSchoolNews: Using Robots to Bring Science to Life

In this eSchoolNews article, two elementary STEAM educators of young children, Katie Blagden, from Beverly MA Public Schools, and Barb Tennyson, from Needham MA Public Schools, share how, using the

ISTE: 6 Reasons for Coding in K-5 Classrooms

In this ISTE blog discusses reasons to start coding early. We couldn’t agree more! 6 Reasons include: 1. It sparks interest 2. It opens up a new domain of knowledge 3. It

How to Learn: Holiday Gift Guide 2019

In How to Learn.com’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 they compiled innovative gifts ideas for kids – Toys, educational items, and just plain fun ideas (including KIBO)! About KIBO: KIBO is

Purdue University: 2019 Engineering Gift Guide

We are honored that the KIBO robot is included in the 2019 Engineering Gift Guide from Purdue University after extensive testing. KIBO is included in the Coding category for kids

Urban Mommies: Gifts for Discerning Kids

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Hanging off the Wire: KIBO Review

Hanging off the Wire checked out KIBO and wrote the following: “Introducing the KIBO robot kit, from KinderLab Robotics – a unique robot toy that engages even the youngest children

Mothering: Best Robotic Kits for Kids

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eSchoolNews: Three Key Trends in Robotics Education

eSchoolsNews describes how spending on K-12 robotics is expected to more than quadruple in the next four years and the reason why. The article (including KIBO!) continues: “K-12 educators turn

Tech & Learning: Best of Show at ISTE

We are thrilled to learn that KIBO was included in Tech & Learning’s awards program that honors nominated products at the annual ISTE conference that took place in June 2019.

The Toy Book: Breaking Down the ABCs of Toys

In this article, Dr. Marina Bers, our co-founder and Chief Scientist was interviewed to discuss the importance of STEM toys. The article goes on to read in part: No doubt,

EdTech Digest: Ba-Boom! EdTech!

Mark Gura, from EdTech Digest, came by to get a first hand look at KIBO during the ISTE Conference. He included his visit to our booth in the ISTE EdTech

Getting Smart: Thinking With Your Hands

In this Getting Smart article Cate Heroman of the Knock Knock Museum in Baton Rouge, Louisiana discusses how she integrates hands-on STEAM learning at the museum. They encourage kids to

JCDS Nitzotzot: Coding – The New Literacy

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THE Journal: Teaching STEAM without Screens

See the article entitled, “Teaching STEAM without Screens”, where Kitty Rea, from Ms. Kitty’s Harmony Road School, shares how she taught her K–4 students STEAM without using screens to learn

BBC: RoboLife Documentary

In this BBC World Programme Documentary, RoboLife, the reporter, Mariko Oi investigates the use of robotics with young children and the elderly in Singapore and Japan. She sets off to

Boston Parents Paper: Rise of the Robots

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Tech & Learning: What’s New

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eSchoolNews: 96 EdTech Predictions for K12 in 2019

In this article, eSchoolNews asked 49 EdTech executives to share their thoughts on their predictions for 2019. Jason Innes, KinderLab’s Manager of Curriculum Development and Teacher Training, joins other EdTech

Tech&Learning: Companies to Watch in 2019

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TWIT: Triangulation Netcast with Jason Innes

Watch this in-depth one hour Triangulation interview with Jason Innes, our Manager of Curriculum Development and Teacher Training. Jason speaks with Jason Howell, the show’s host, about teaching STEAM concepts

Thanksgiving: Best Holiday Gifts for Kids

KIBO is included in the list of Best Holiday Gifts for Kids from Thanksgiving & Co. The article reads in part: “It can be tricky, finding your tykes toys they

The Gadget Guru: Kids Tech for the Holidays

KIBO is included in The Gadget Guru’s “Kids Tech for the Holidays” gift guide. “From toys to science and math tech to drones and computer-related items. Kids have it made

Engineering for Kids: STEM Holiday Gifts

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Nothing But Geek: Holiday Guide Guide

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The Mac Observer: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide

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eSchoolNews: 3 Ways to Tell Stories with Robots

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Report Consultant: Global Cognitive Robotics Market

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SmartBrief: Grow SEL Skills Through Robotics

In this SmartBrief, Inc. article, “Grow SEL skills through robotics“, Bryan Flaig discusses how Computer Science and SEL skills go hand-in-hand. Bryan states, “When working with robotics, I also see

Simba: KinderLab Introduces Robots at an Early Age

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New York Family Magazine: Crack the Code

New York Family checked out the KIBO Robot and included the review in their New & Noteworthy section. The article reads: “Children have to obediently follow instructions at home and

Edutopia: Computational Thinking for Kindergartners

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TTPM: KIBO 21 Robot Kit Review

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EdWeek: Coding as a Literacy for the 21st Century

In this article “Coding as a Literacy for the 21st Century“, Marina Umaschi Bers, our co-founder, Professor at Tufts University, and director of the DevTech research group. describes the new

THE Journal: Finding Funds for Coding Programs

Katie Blagden, one of our customers from the Ayers Ryal Side Elementary School in Beverly, MA, participated in the THE Journal article about acquiring funding for coding products. Read on

Lille Punkin: Review of KIBO Robot for Kids

In this review, Linsey Knerl and her two little boys put KIBO through its paces. “While I understand that screens have a role, I was really happy to learn about

American Scientist: STEM Wish List 2017

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Educational Tech Videos: Holiday Gift Guide

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KMAX: KIBO Appears on Good Day Sacramento!

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Savings with Denise: KIBO 21 Robot Kit

Savings with Denise reviewed KIBO: “The wonderful world of engineering with children and inspiring them to continue their STEM education. We are always drawn to tools that make teaching engineering

STEAM Universe: Using Robots to Inspire Creativity

Chani Lichtiger, Director of Technology at Yavneh Academy in Paramus, NJ, shares how her school uses robot-based lessons to inspire collaboration and creativity among her youngest learners. Using KIBO, Chani

The Edvocate: What Robots Can Teach Kindergarteners

Hear from Hannah DeRusha from the Acera Elementary School of Science, Creativity and Leadership in Winchester, Massachusetts, where she describes how she worked with her kindergartners and first graders to

5 Reasons to Include Robotics in Early STEM Education

“During the foundational years of early childhood, children need a playful and tangible way to engage with the technology and engineering concepts of their STEM development. Robotics and computer programming

Should Children Be Taught to Think Like Computers?

“In a kindergarten classroom at the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School, in Medford, Mass., pupils arrange wooden blocks imprinted with bar codes into a sequence that instructs a robot to spin, shake,

How to Prepare Preschoolers for an Automated Economy

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RC Judge: Best Educational Robot Kits

The KIBO robot was included in RC Judge’s Best Educational Robot Kits Guide. About KIBO: “KIBO is a spectacular choice for young children looking to get their creative skills rolling.

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Robots, Computers, Experts, and More!

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Hour of Code: Learn to Program with Robots

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PLTW: Super STEM Gifts of 2014

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Holiday Gift Guide Issue 3

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Forbes: Why Kids Learn Better Playing with Robots

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Fablevision: KIBO How ‘Bots Can Teach Tots

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TuftsNow: Coding in the Playroom

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