Robots, Robotics and Coding Education for Kids

From smartphones to smart homes to robotic vacuum cleaners and agricultural drones, robots are becoming essential to daily life, making tasks faster, easier, and more efficient.

While robots may seem like a distant dream for many Kenyans, embracing robotics and coding is essential for our future. By equipping children with these vital skills today, we are opening doors to exciting career and business opportunities for tomorrow.

In this post, we will explore robotics and coding, why they matter, and how they can benefit your child, even in environments where resources might be limited.

What is a Robot?

At its core, a robot is a machine designed to perform tasks automatically, with varying degrees of human involvement. The first modern robot, invented by George C. Devol in the 1950s, was made to perform repetitive factory tasks, like lifting and moving heavy objects. Since then, robots have evolved, taking on roles across many sectors, including healthcare, entertainment, and service industries.

Robots can be classified into three categories based on their required human input: autonomous, semi-autonomous, and remote-controlled.

1. Autonomous Robots:

These robots can perform tasks entirely on their own without any human intervention. Examples are:

2. Semi-Autonomous Robots:

These robots can carry out tasks independently but still require some level of human supervision or control.

• Self-driving cars (partially autonomous): Some self-driving cars, like those with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), can drive autonomously in certain conditions but still need human intervention for complex tasks like navigating traffic.
• Robot-Assisted Surgery: Robots like the da Vinci Surgical System can perform precise movements during surgery, but a surgeon still oversees the procedure and makes the final decisions.
• Warehouse Robots: Robots in warehouses, like those used by Amazon, can move items around autonomously but often need human intervention to handle more complex tasks or resolve errors.

3. Remote-Controlled Robots:

These robots are directly controlled by a human operator and cannot perform tasks independently. They require constant guidance and input from a person.

• Military Drones: Drones used for surveillance or tactical operations operated remotely by human controllers.
• Bomb Disposal Robots: Robots used to safely diffuse or remove explosive devices controlled by bomb squad operators.
• Underwater Exploration Robots: Robots operated by human controllers to explore the ocean floor or inspect submerged structures.

Robotics for kids

Robotics combines engineering, technology, science, and math to create robots that can do incredible tasks. It starts with designing a robot and then building it to ensure it works well.

For kids, robotics is a fun way to be creative and solve problems. They can build their own robots, learn how different parts fit together, and use coding to control what their robot does. This hands-on experience makes learning enjoyable and helps them understand complex ideas easily.

The exciting part about robotics for kids is that they aren’t just learning abstract concepts. They are building something that moves and works, bringing their ideas to life!

Coding in Robotics

When we talk about robots, coding is at the heart of how they function. In simple terms, coding is giving instructions to a robot. These instructions tell the robot how to perform tasks and interact with the world around it.

In robotics, coding allows kids to “program” a robot to behave a certain way. For example, a child might write a program to move a robot forward when a button is pressed or pick up objects. Coding is what makes a robot work as it is supposed to.

For children, learning to code in the context of robotics provides a tangible way to see the results of their work. It’s not just about typing lines of code — it’s about making their robots do what they want, providing an immediate sense of accomplishment. The coding concepts they learn can be transferred to other areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), opening doors for future learning.

Features of a Robot

While all robots share some basic features, their specific design and capabilities depend on their purpose. However, some standard features of most robots include:

1. Mechanical Structure: These are the attachments used to build the overall structure of the robot.
2. Sensors — These allow the robot to gather information from its environment. For example, robots might use cameras to “see” or pressure sensors to “feel.”
3. Actuators — These are the parts of the robot that perform actions, like motors that help the robot move or arms that pick up objects.
4. Power Source — Robots need power, usually provided by batteries or electricity using a cable.
5. Control System—This is the robot’s brain. It processes inputs from the sensors and sends instructions to the actuators.
6. Programming — This is the software that tells the robot what to do. The programming is what makes the robot smart.

Understanding these features gives children a more rounded understanding of how robots function. When they build and program their robots, they decide which sensors and actuators to use and how to control them with code.

The Importance of Robotics for Your Child

Introducing your child to robotics and coding can seem daunting, especially considering the complexity of the subject and the cost of classes or kits. However, investing in these skills can be a big boost for your child’s future, giving them a head start in tech skills and allowing them to be ahead of their peers in university or the job market.

Robotics and coding teach valuable problem-solving skills, boost creativity, and encourage teamwork. They also prepare children for a world where technology is essential to every job and industry.

Even in Kenya, where access to these resources might be limited, there are ways to get started. Many online platforms offer free resources, and there are affordable coding kits and projects that don’t require a lot of money. STEMlens Network offers a beginner robotics class for as low as Kes 10,000. Also, check out our catalog of robotics kits for your child to play and learn with at home.

By encouraging your child to engage with robotics and coding, you give them a head start in a rapidly changing world. And who knows? The next great innovator could be your child, ready to design tomorrow’s robots.