This year, one of the popular items on many kids Christmas list are robots. These are such a great way for kids to experiment with coding and robotics while having a lot of fun! We were sent the Dash robot from Wonder Workshop to try out and my boys have really enjoyed playing around with it and exploring all of the possibilities.
Dash is an interactive robot suitable for ages 6+, which comes ready built, so all you need to do is connect it via Bluetooth to your phone or tablet with the compatible (free to download) apps and the kids can get into playing and experimenting straight away. There are multiple apps to allow the children to explore different things, and give more variety to playing with Dash.
I found that the apps and Dash itself are all user friendly and intuitive to use, so I was able to let the boys lead their own play and didn’t need to help or guide them in using Dash. They would go into one of the apps, play around a little while and then come and show me something new that they had discovered how to do with Dash. This is great for children of this age who are interested and confident with technology as Dash is helping them to understand the basics – and then the not-so-basics – of robotics, coding and programming while they play and have fun.
One of the first things the boys experimented with was movement as Dash has wheels allowing it to move across the floor in any direction, and this is really easy to code. You can set Dash to move along certain pathways, going a set amount in one direction and then turning and so on, and it can move quite fast!
Once Dash was on the move, they soon moved on to programming Dash with voice recordings, making different patterns light up in Dash’s eyes, and programming Dash to react after they clap their hands, and more. There were lots of laughs as they programmed Dash to come into a room and loudly play a voice message that they had sneaked off to record.
There are set programmes with challenges that you can follow within the Wonder app, or go into Free Play mode and discover new things on your own, and the boys enjoyed playing with Dash in both the free and more structured ways.
Dash is really well made, and seems to be able to handle a little bit of rough and tumble (our toddler took a liking to grabbing it too, and it has survived!) and is pleasing to look at with all of it’s smooth curves. Both futuristic and cute, it should have a wide appeal.
There is so much to explore and learn with the Dash, and it definitely kept the attention of my boys with all three of them ages 7, 8 and 10 enjoying and engaging with it. It’s something they’ve been excited to play with, and it’s great to see them independently developing their skills at the same time, so definitely a worthwhile toy!
Dash is just one of a variety of robots available from Wonder Workshop. Here’s an overview of the CleverBots range from Wonder Workshop…
Meet Dash:
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6+ Age range
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Sophisticated responsive and packed with learning designed to delight
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Dash brings the magic of coding and robotics to every child
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Works in tandem with a tablet or smartphone
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Dash makes interacting with difficult computer science concepts as easy as finger painting.
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Dash – £154.99
Meet Cue:
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11+ Age Range
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Cue is funny, clever and a little bit sassy
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Cue is a witty robot with attitude.
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Its new AI engine was designed to engage users emotionally
Meet Dot Creativity Kit:
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6+ Age range
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Dot has been designed for adventure.
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Projects range from crafting, active play, and code breaking, to storytelling and construction.
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Dot Creativity Kit presents an enjoyable and cost-effective way to give your children the edge when it comes to STEM learning.
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DCK – £79.99
Visit the website to find out more
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
This is a great toy for teaching a kid very basics of programming. My niece has both Dash and Dot. Although, it has a very limited set of functionality. But, it is still good enough for young kids.