Coding Toys for an Aspiring Coder in 2019
Coding toys are all the rage these days. You can find them at any retail store and just about anywhere on the web. But what will your kid enjoy and play with again and again? The tools below are ones that we’ve either used in our classes or with our own kids at home.
Coding Toys for Ages 3-7
Sphero Ollie ($79.99)
This bot is super fast and rugged (which makes it great for K-2 coders). Your students can use the Sphero Edu app to control and program Ollie to perform various tasks. Plus, the pill shape makes it much easier to tell which direction the robot is facing.
LEGO® Education WeDo 2.0 Core Set ($197.95)
We use these same sets in our K-2 classes. Build robots and control them via an app on a tablet. Your child will be able to learn how to manipulate the robots using loops, sounds, and events.
Coding Toys for Ages 8-12
Sphero Bolt ($149.99)
These tough, round bots are a step up from the Ollie’s above. They’re not quite as fast but have tons of sensors and customization options. We’re also excited about the Sphero RVR, but we haven’t used it yet.
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 ($349.99)
These robots are like the ones we use in our classes! They take a little more effort than some of the other items in this list, but they offer great variety in the different things you can do.
Gift Idea for Teen Coders
We once wrote a post about purchasing or selecting a refurbished laptop for your child. This is a great idea if your son or daughter has never owned a computer before. Computers allow your child to use advanced programs like Unity, build websites, or do more complex computer programming.
Hint: they can also build robots and code them with a computer too.
Have a happy holidays!
