Robotics for Kids is a website designed to get parents and students engaged in robotics and STEM. It contains information on buying a robotics kit, a host of curriculums, new articles about robotics, and more.

Continue to experiment with each piece and see what they do. Think about how they can contribute to a larger robot.

Given the young age, it's not run like a traditional competition. Teams select one “competition” (aka expo) where they present a poster of their research conducted and their final robotic project. Projects are typically simpler, perfect for young children with no robotics experience.

You will have to program your robot using the color sensor and ultrasonic sensor to approach each “banana” (you can use a wooden block or something similar), pick it up, and put it to the right if it is ripe, or put it to the left if it is unripe. The picture below will help you visualize how to …

The brick is like the brain of your robot. All the motors and sensors that you use will connect to the brick with wires.

Because of the different roles, robotics attracts students with all different interests to form a diverse team. Your child will be able to pursue their own interests while being exposed to things outside their comfort zone.

The EV3 Mindstorm software and the WeDo software both go over what certain programming blocks mean. Confused? I was too. No worries. In case you are struggling, I have descriptions of what the most important programming blocks do and how to use them.

Rollercoaster: Design a rollercoaster with construction paper and other materials you find around the house. Try and make your rollercoaster as sturdy as possible. Use a marble or something similar as your person. See how much weight your rollercoaster can hold and what things make it …

I help to mentor two younger robotics teams at my previous high school, Dwight Englewood, and I currently coach 4 FLL Jr. teams that I founded. I have taught many robotics workshops at local libraries in my area, and I devise curriculums and tutor children from ages 6-12.

If you are looking to learn how to code separately from LEGO Robotics programming, here are a few links to get you started: Code Combat teaches the coding languages JavaScript and Python through the format of video games.