Reviewed: 26 Incredible Coding Toys That Every Kid Will Want
In this article, the author discusses 26 coding toys that kids will love, as well as their parents! The article reads:
“Parents and teachers alike want toys that teach kids computer-and technology-related skills, both for their future employability and for being a citizen in a society built on 1’s and 0’s.
One emerging trend is toys that teach kids how to write computer programming code. Coding is becoming essential knowledge because the world runs on computers, and computers themselves run on code. As a person with a degree in a STEM field, I had to learn how to code later in life, and it was a miserably long learning curve (even if it’s one of my favorite things to do now). So, naturally, these coding toys aimed at kids piqued my interest.
I (with the help of some curious kids and parents) investigated 26 toys and games (covering an age range from 3 years old to adulthood) that claim to teach coding skills in fun and novel ways.
What they say about KIBO
“A toy that is an art project and a robot at the same time
Children not as inclined to explore the coding aspect can contribute to KIBO’s antics artistically; while in KIBO 21 (the most complex kit), there’s a stage and whiteboard included for decorating purposes, anyone can easily attach drawings or pipe cleaner creations to KIBO at any time.
Our experience: Mitch Roseberg, Co-founder of KinderLab Robotics (the makers of KIBO), told me that the motivation behind creating KIBO was to encourage all kids to become STEM-literate by making robotics and programming universally accessible and fun: “KIBO is the only robot kit on the market that enables young kids to build, code, decorate, and run a robot—with no screens, keyboards, or help from adults.” With its simple materials, straightforward coding process, and emphasis on imagination and art, KIBO is meant to appeal to all kids, including those that identify as “STEM-oriented”, and those that do not. Our testers couldn’t help but agree.
The bottom line: Whether they prefer drawing or playing with numbers, every kid can find something fun to do with KIBO.”
Check out the 26 coding toys!