# Best way to foster 1st-grader's interest in robotics? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897 "2013-03-14T05:37:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/1 "2013-03-14T05:37:50Z")
My middle son has expressed an interest in building robots. It has always been my policy to encourage my boys to do whatever interests them, provide them with materials and equipment, give the appropriate level of supervision/help, and see what they do. He loves science and is starting to like math, so I really want to nurture this interest. I know about Lego’s Mindstorms sets, which seem like a good starting point, but they’re A) kinda pricey; and B) not… robot-y enough. I’d like to show him something a little more serious, that won’t end up in the toy box at the end of the day. I’ve got a pretty well-equipped workshop in my garage (mostly for woodworking, but there’s a soldering iron and some basic electrical tools out there), and know a little about metalwork and electrical stuff. I’m not very well-versed in electronics, so there would be learning for both of us to do. Any suggestions for entry-level robots? Experience with the Lego components? Good reference books? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/2 "2013-03-14T05:41:01Z")
I came across this recently, a sort of snap-together electronics set for kids. It’s not specific to robots but it looks like you could build some simple robot-like things: > **[STEM Kits & Robotics for Kids | Inspire STEM Education with Sphero](https://sphero.com/)** > > As a leading STEM learning company with interactive robotics & STEM education kits, Sphero teaches kids to code at home & in classrooms. Order online now! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/3 "2013-03-14T08:11:45Z")
> [@History\_Geek](#): > > Any suggestions for entry-level robots? Experience with the Lego components? Good reference books? I’ve got one of the older Mindstorms sets and it’s pretty awesome - the key benefits are ease of compatibility with other Lego parts and the simplicity of the programming language - it’s a sort of drag-drop-connect language - actually, building a program for Mindstorms is a lot like building with Lego bricks (I’m sure this is no coincidence). Another thing I’ve played with is the [OOPIC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OOPic) - again, it has a sort of modular object-oriented programming metaphor, with ready-made objects for controlling stepper motors, servos, sensors, LEDs, etc - which means you can focus more on the actual build/design of your robot, and less on grinding out and debugging code - if that’s what floats your boat. ETA: I see OOPIC has actually ceased production - shame, but I guess it’s been vastly overtaken by things like Raspberry Pi. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/4 "2013-03-14T13:59:18Z")
Don’t sell the Mindstorms stuff short. It sounds like _you’re_ a bit more interested in the “building stuff” part of robotics, but the programming part is just as important. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/5 "2013-03-14T14:17:18Z")
Another vote for the Mindstorms set. I think it’s more impressive than you’re giving it credit for (and not something you’d put in a toy box in any case). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/6 "2013-03-14T14:20:32Z")
How about getting the kid involved in the [FIRST LEGO League](http://firstlegoleague.org/) (although it’s meant for kids 9-14 years old)? Edited to add that they have a [junior program](http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/jr.fll/us-and-canada-contacts) for kindergarteners through third graders. ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/7 "2013-03-14T15:19:12Z")
The FLL season is in the Fall for schools, but the high school FTC are in competitions this month and next – [here’s a list](http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/regional-events). They are free to come watch, and you can wander out back to the pit area and see robots up close and personal. Quite impressive for the little ones, especially if you find a team that wants to show off while waiting to get on the field. At some events a team may bring the FLL table to show off, and you can ask questions there to see if its fit for you. I’m not quite sure what type of “robot-y” robots you’re looking for – googling “[lego mindstorms projects for adults](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=5&gs_ri=psy-ab&gs_mss=Lego%27s+Mindstorms+r&cp=24&gs_id=2l&xhr=t&q=lego+mindstorms+robots&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.dmQ&biw=1083&bih=793&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=EuFBUZG2MorL0wHgy4CIBw#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=lego+mindstorms+projects+for+adults&oq=lego+mindstorms+projects+for+adults&gs_l=img.3...502225.507879.0.508119.19.13.0.6.6.0.218.1152.11j1j1.13.0...0.0...1c.1.5.img.XCAjXkL2wQk&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.dmg&fp=b226445012508407&biw=1083&bih=793)” gives plenty of robots. I grant you it’s a cost to buy in, but Mindstorm (and other kits) do give you a good starting platform to build on, and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel (and deal with the mess of cutting parts and soldering) to get up to programming all the actions to drive it. However, if it is traveling the road and not the destination that interests you and your son, there are websites that have the parts and you can do the rest. (I don’t have a list handy.) ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/8 "2013-03-14T17:00:22Z")
I’m under the impression that there is a Lego set that would be appropriate before getting into Mindstorms. Mindstorms would be the final step, there is something in-between (I think). The reason I think this is because last December my Mom bought my nephews something at the lego store. The explanation was that this was the buildup to mindstorms. I think it is legos with actuators, but not all the programming stuff yet. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/9 "2013-03-14T17:08:34Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > I’m under the impression that there is a Lego set that would be appropriate before getting into Mindstorms. Mindstorms would be the final step, there is something in-between (I think). > > The reason I think this is because last December my Mom bought my nephews something at the lego store. The explanation was that this was the buildup to mindstorms. I think it is legos with actuators, but not all the programming stuff yet. Probably Lego Technic [http://shop.lego.com/en-US/TECHNIC-ByTheme/?CMP=KAC-SAHGOOGLEUS&HQS=lego+technic&OVMTC=Exact&site=&creative=24118411921&OVKEY=lego%20technic&url\_id=37471379&adpos=1t1](http://shop.lego.com/en-US/TECHNIC-ByTheme/?CMP=KAC-SAHGOOGLEUS&HQS=lego+technic&OVMTC=Exact&site=&creative=24118411921&OVKEY=lego%20technic&url_id=37471379&adpos=1t1) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/10 "2013-03-15T08:57:49Z")
If you can, though, get hold of some of the old-style Lego Technic from eBay (or even from when it was called Lego Technical) - it’s much more reusable and reconfigurable in a general sense - it’s more like a Lego version of Meccanno/Erector. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/11 "2013-03-15T13:37:12Z")
I doubt he’ll find any Lego _Technical_ sets. They haven’t been sold in nearly 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/12 "2013-03-15T14:09:28Z")
That’s a good set of recommendations. Plenty to get us pointed in the right direction. Thanks, folks! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/13 "2013-03-15T14:38:13Z")
As for fostering interest, how about watching “Robot Combat League” on SyFy together? Some pretty impressive looking robots and the action may hold the attention of a 1st grader. It may generate questions in his mind that would foster more research. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/14 "2013-03-15T15:03:15Z")
Based on my limited exposure to 1st graders, I suspect the best way to foster an interest in robotics is to tell him he’s too young to learn about robotics. ---
**Author:** ![60wag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/7ba0ec/32.png) [@60wag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/60wag)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/15 "2013-03-15T17:34:13Z")
Here is an interesting alternative to the Lego system > **[Cubelets robot blocks - Modular Robotics | Cubelets robot blocks](https://modrobotics.com/)** > > Cubelets Cycle is your in-school robotics field trip. Just reserve, receive, and return. It’s not cheap but it is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-foster-1st-graders-interest-in-robotics/652897/16 "2013-03-15T18:19:23Z")
Be sure to show him the beginning mini-series of the re-imagined _Battlestar Galactica_ so he understands the potential risks of advanced robotics. All of this has happened before. All of this will happen again. 😃