Botley is the new Learning Resources’ robot designed for children to take their first steps in coding. We really like it because you don’t need any screen to program it. It comes in a set with many accessories and with a guide with evolving challenges. Let’s analyze it!
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Who do we recommend Botley for?
We believe that it works excellent in a wide age range, between 5 and 9 years. The robot is specially oriented for children without programming experience (or with very little experience). It’s that first educational coding robot that we’ve been asked for by email.
We love it at home, but we have the feeling that it can be a perfect companion for toy libraries, libraries and preschool/primary classrooms. On the Learning Resources website there are already several classrooms resources. If you are interested, you can adapt the available resources and use them at home.
Open the Botley box and … Start coding!
No assembly manual is needed. You just have to open the box and start playing. Well, you’ll need a star screwdriver and 5 AAA batteries: 2 for the remote and 3 for the robot.
Yes, you’ve read it: remote. It’s one of its big differences compared with other screen free robots like Code & Go Robot Mouse, since Botley it’s not programmed directly into the robot. It includes a remote controller with the ability to program up to 120 steps where loops and conditions can be created. When finished, the steps are sent by infrared to the robot that will execute the program. It’s that simple and practical.
The Botley Robot
Botley is a blue robot with two immense round as a pancake eyes and two large wheels to move. It moves gracefully, has sound and it includes two modes: it can follow a black line, or you can program it to dodge objects.
The controller is quite large, perfect for children’s hands. Botley includes sound and distance sensors, and a sensor on the bottom used to follow the black line.
Botley is great because you can also share tasks and collaborate with each other. One of them prepares the challenge and the other codes it. Or you will discover them talking about what is the best scenario to solve a problem. Or the older sibling teaching the younger one to code every step.
Code without screen
As we have told you before, Botley is in the small group of ”Coding educational screen free robots” (other similar robots are Code & Go Robot Mouse, Cubetto, Matatalab or new Duplo Coding Train). Your kids can learn to code and do it completely screen free – no phone or tablet required.
If you don’t like to share your mobile or don’t want to suffer your child’s tablet not being compatible with a particular robot, with Botley you don’t have to worry, because it doesn’t need any external device.
Botley Activity Set
Botley is sold in a complete set of 77 pieces to have all the material to create the challenges and code. In addition to the robot, the box comes with:
- Removable arms.
- A remote controller.
- 6 double-sided tiles.
- 27 obstacle building pieces (2 cones, 12 cubes, 2 flags, 8 poles, 2 balls, 1 lens and some stickers).
- 40 coding cards.
- Starter guide with 10 evolving challenges.
Other Botley sets and complements:
What can children learn with Botley?
- Coding concepts including loops and conditions (with the object detection button).
- Share and collaborate with a brother, neighbor or schoolmate.
- Creatively take advantage of their time.
- Develop critical thinking.
- Decision taking.
- Develop patience (they will have failures to overcome when learning).
- Playing with no screens.
- Developing creativity: creating challenges and looking for solutions.
- Mathematics, Language, Engineering, Art (the famous STEAM). An educational robot is a complement to any other activity or project, be it at school or leisure.
Conclusion
Botley is among the coding educational robots for less than $80. It’s not the cheapest, nor the most expensive.
For us, it has a proper price due to its features and the ease it provides to learn coding and robotics. In addition to offering more advanced programming possibilities in the segment of screenless coding toys.
Has your child never done any coding and you aren’t the best at it? Botley adapts to the rhythm of each child and it’s also fun. The coding cards also make it much easier to use with the little ones.
It’s available on Amazon when you save more than 20% from the regular price.
