A Parent’s Guide to Getting Their Kids Started with Robotics
At iRobot SPARK, we often hear from parents who would like to get into robotics with their children but aren’t sure how to get started. To help get you going, we’ve pulled together the most frequently asked questions and a few suggestions for activities you can do with your school-aged child. Remember, the first and most important step is to have fun. Robots are a great way to spent time with your kid and to explore the worlds of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
What is a robot? At a very basic level, a robot is a machine that senses the world, processes the sensor information with a computer and then does something in response to that information (such as moving or turning). Robotics is a multi-disciplinary field; it takes a lot of different expertise to design, build and program a robot. Often mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, computer scientists and industrial engineers are all involved.
Many people assume all robots are characters in science-fiction movies like the Terminator or R2D2 in Star Wars. In fact, robots are in your every day life, right now! They build cars, clean houses, help soldiers and doctors, are played with by kids and explore other planets. They just may not look like the robots we see in the movies. Robots can also be very powerful tools for learning. Kids all over the United States are using robots in their classrooms and out-of-school to help them learn STEM topics in new and innovative ways.
What are some of the benefits of working with robots? Robots are a great way to get kids excited about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts and help them learn STEM subjects. This is particularly important because the US is falling behind in STEM education. According to a 2008 congressional report, a recent assessment of 15-year-olds showed that US ranked 28th in math literacy and 24th in science literacy. We rank 20th among all nations in our proportion of college graduates earning STEM degrees. In order for the US to remain competitive in technology and innovation, we need more students entering STEM careers.
Robotics can be used to teach concepts from distance and proportion to physics and programming. It’s extremely compelling for kids to be able to build something and then see it operate in the real world. Robotics provides kids with a different learning experience than traditional classroom instruction and it has the potential to appeal to kids who have a variety of learning styles. Beyond technical skills, robotics helps kids learn teamwork, problem solving, logical thinking and gives them opportunities to express their creativity.
What are some of the ways I can get my elementary, middle or high school student involved in robotics?
Here are some suggestions for elementary school students:
- Visit a science museum or science center – our interactive map may help you find one nearby. Many science centers have exhibits focused on robotics, including the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, the Museum of Science in Boston, the St. Louis Science Center, and The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. Some museums also offer robotics workshops for kids to do hands-on activities.
- Other out-of-school activities you can look for include robotics summer camps and after-school robotics clubs (see Things to Do). You may also want to contact Computer Science or Engineering departments at colleges or universities near you; often colleges run outreach programs geared towards younger students.
- There are many robotics competitions going on all over the country that welcome spectators. Robotevents.com is a great way to find an event near you. Take your child out to a competition – besides watching cool robots, they will have the chance to meet other students who are excited about science and technology.
- There are a couple of competitions that are specifically for elementary school students. Participating in FIRST Junior LEGO League or RoboCupJunior is a great way for your child to get hands-on robotics experience.
- Scratch is a free software program developed at MIT that’s designed to help kids get started in programming. Kids can make and share games and animations through the Scratch website. If your child enjoys using the computer, Scratch is a way to turn that time into a more educational experience.
- If you feel comfortable with technology already, or if you’re interested in learning with your child, the best way to get started with robotics is to build something together. Instructables and Make offer child-friendly projects. We also list a number of projects on SPARK. Many companies sell robotics kits, including some that don’t require soldering (here are some good kit sites). For beginners, we are particularly excited about 4M robot kits, which are recommended for children eight and older.
Here are some suggestions for middle school students:
- Visit a science museum or science center – our interactive map may help you find one nearby. Many science centers have exhibits focused on robotics, including the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, the Museum of Science in Boston, the St. Louis Science Center, and The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. Some museums also offer robotics workshops for kids to do hands-on activities.
- Other out-of-school activities you can look for include robotics summer camps and after-school robotics clubs (see Things to Do). You may also want to contact Computer Science or Engineering departments at colleges or universities near you; often colleges run outreach programs geared towards middle school students.
- There are many robotics competitions going on all over the country that welcome spectators. Robotevents.com is a great way to find an event near you. Take your child out to a competition – besides watching cool robots, they will have the chance to meet other students who are excited about science and technology.
- There are several national robotics competitions that are open to middle school students: Botball, FIRST LEGO League, or the VEX Robotics Competition are all great ways for your child to get hands-on robotics experience.
- Storytelling Alice is a free software program for middle schoolers that was developed by Carnegie Mellon University. With Storytelling Alice, kids get to make their own 3D animated movies—like Pixar—using characters from The Sims. This is a wonderful way to encourage your child’s creativity and logical thinking skills at the same time.
- If you feel comfortable with technology already, or if you’re interested in learning with your child, the best way to get started with robotics is to build something together. Instructables and Make offer child-friendly projects. We also list a number of projects on SPARK. Many companies sell robotics kits, including some that don’t require soldering (here are some good kit sites). If your child is just getting started as a robot builder, we are particularly excited about 4M robot kits. For more advanced kids, we’d recommend LEGO Mindstorms.
Here are some suggestions for high school students:
- Visit a science museum or science center – our interactive map may help you find one nearby. Many science centers have exhibits focused on robotics, including the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, the Museum of Science in Boston, the St. Louis Science Center, and The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. Some museums also offer robotics workshops for kids to do hands-on activities.
- Other out-of-school activities you can look for include robotics summer camps and after-school robotics clubs (see Things to Do). You may also want to contact Computer Science or Engineering departments at colleges or universities near you; often colleges run outreach programs geared towards high school students.
- Alice is a free software program for high schoolers that was developed by Carnegie Mellon University. With Alice, kids get to make their own 3D animated movies and games—like Pixar—using characters from The Sims. Alice helps high school students start learning programming and computer science concepts in a fun and exciting way.
- If you feel comfortable with technology already, or if you’re interested in learning with your child, the best way to get started with robotics is to build something together. Instructables and Make offer child-friendly projects. We also list a number of projects on SPARK. Many companies sell robotics kits, including some that don’t require soldering (here are some good kit sites). If your child is just getting started as a robot builder, we are particularly excited about 4M robot kits. For more advanced high school students, we’d recommend LEGO Mindstorms or VEX Robotics.
- Encourage your child to write an article on robotics for the school paper. This helps improve critical thinking and research skills, writing skills and offers a way for your child to communicate his or her own experiences with technology.
- There are several national robotics competitions that are open to high school students. Participating in BEST, Botball, one of the FIRST competitions, or the VEX Robotics Competition is a great way for your child to get hands-on robotics experience.
Robotics is a wonderful educational tool that helps children develop skills that they can use throughout their lives. Have other questions or suggestions for robotics activities? Feel free to post them on the forum.
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