Giving a child for their communion is not always easy. They have everything and they get bored with everything. It is not clear what they like at that age or what they will not get bored with. But giving away a robot is a good idea. They are versatile, allow hours of play, improve creativity and will help the little ones become familiar with new technologies. But if you have doubts, we explain why you should do it.
Taking children away from new technologies is a mistake at a time when they live surrounded by them. Helping them make good use of them and learn to take advantage of them, educating them in their use, is a much more correct way of facing a reality in which everything is “smart”. Faced with the inactivity of the little ones in front of the TV (and the use of it not recommended) there are many ways to bring them closer to technology. And using robots is one of them.
Why you should give away a robot
Gifting robots to children has become popular and they have many advantages. Many of the models on the market allow you to assemble them piece by piece. Some even allow you to design them however you want and then start programming , as is the case with LEGO. They improve motor skills and concentration thanks to the fact that it is essential to master these fields to be able to fit small pieces and make it work. But not only the process of creating them is important. Also the use given afterwards.
But they also allow them to become familiar with the programming, to help them make decisions. What these toys achieve is not that the little ones achieve programs, not in the strict sense of typing code in front of a screen, but that it helps the children of the house make decisions and be able to interact with a machine. As Steve Jobs explained in his day “programming helps to think”. And always at their level, adapting the game and the content to their age. They help them think. The use of robots as toys help to think and find solutions. And starting from a young age helps to normalize this dynamic and integrate it into the day to day.
Although there are many types of robots and much debate around their use, there is something that all the experts agree on: they are recommended as long as there is supervision and active participation by an adult who helps guide and control.
What types of robots are there
There are many types of robots and it depends on what we are looking for or want us to choose one or the other. There are those that are linked to a screen: we use programming systems such as Scratch to create a circuit or give some orders and the robot will automatically do them physically.
But there are other simpler and more basic ones for all ages. Toys for children with less dexterity, six or seven years old, that they can use through cards or buttons such as the Learning resources brand programming range in which we will create routes for different animals making them turn, turn around, etc. . They are designed for children of seven or eight years but it depends on each one, their tastes and what they are capable of doing.
For children of nine or ten years we can buy other toys and robotics kits that are totally recommended. The LEGO Mindstorms range allows them to build their own robots and androids and then control, upgrade, etc.
LEGO MINDSTORMS 40413 – Mini Robots
33,7 EUR54,49 EUR
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Whatever the age of the boy or girl and what you are looking for, there is an interesting robot that we can give away and that will bring many advantages and learning.
How to choose and which robot to buy
How do we choose which one is the most appropriate and the one that best suits the boy or girl who is going to receive it? Taking into account a series of fundamental aspects that will help us choose well…
- Age: That it is appropriate for their age is important so that it is striking and practical, but without getting frustrated by not knowing how to use it. It will depend on the specific child, but we must look at the recommended age of the toy.
- To build or not: There are those that come already assembled, but there are other robots for children that we must build. It will depend on your skills or your tastes if you want to build your own robots or just play with them.
- Theme: There are so many models on the market that we can choose the theme that the person who is going to receive it likes the most. There are dinosaur robots, for example. Or unicorn-shaped robots. Adorable humanoid-looking robots and much more serious ones. Also from sagas or movies known as Star Wars, for example.
- Screens or not: We have to decide if we want the robot to be linked to a screen or for its use to be independent. It will depend on whether we want the boy or the girl to spend time with the tablet or the phone or we consider it better to keep them away from them.
recommended robots
Although it will depend on tastes and all these criteria, there are some models that we can take into account and that are an excellent option for gifts.
Clementoni’s Super Doc from five years old and that we can control with cards included in the game. It can be freely programmed or using the included cards. It is indicated for the little ones and is an entertaining and very basic option.
Clementoni – Super Doc – educational robot from 5 years old, toy in Spanish (55379) –
39,99 EUR
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Cyber Talk by Clementoni and Evolution Robot. A programmable robot with all kinds of elements that we will have to add as we build it. A robot from eight years old that, once assembled, can be controlled from a tablet or smartphone to make it walk or move its arms, for example.
Clementoni – Evolution Robot – robot to ride and play with app from 8 years, toy in Spanish (55191)
59,99 EUR
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Basic and easy to use are the Learning Resources MagiCoders. A unicorn, a dinosaur, a dragon and other animals available. All of them have a different design but the same idea: we can give orders through cards that function as commands and through which they will go around.