Learning Resources Botley 2.0 Activity Set – Best coding robot for ages 5 and 6
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The Learning Resources Botley 2.0 is the latest generation of award-winning programmable robots and offers endless programming fun for children.
With this robot, children from 5 years old can learn to code through 100% screen-free play.
- Different interaction options and can be transformed into different objects
- Screen-free play
- Limited accessories
- Remote control does not always work well
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From: 4 years
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Best: 5 – 6 years
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Up to: 7 years
- Material: Plastic
- Theme: Games and puzzles, Robot
- Play Mode: Cooperative
- Price at time of writing: €97,40 – $75,19
- Durability: None
- Learning objective: VOICE/ STEAM, Coding
- Storage: Normal
- Safety parts: None
- Playtime: Extended (30+ min)
- Gender inclusiveness: Gender stereotyping
- Color blue
- Complexity: Complex
- Accessories: Included
- Intensity: Active
- Sensory stimulation: Sound
- Battery: Battery required
- Movement: Motorized
- Interactivity: Controller
- Noise level: Medium
- Cultural representation: None
When rating toys like this we use our “Edu score”. This is based on the following components, each with its own weight.
- Educational value (55%)
- Replayability (15%)
- Play value (10%)
- Price/ quality (10%)
- Awards (10%)
The educational value is by far the most important here. How good is the toy at teaching skills. Replayability, play value and value for money are also important. If a child does not want to play with the toy, it may be educational, but it will not provide many educational benefits.
From toddler to toddler activity book collection
Educational games and coloring pages for 3 to 6 years
Your toddler and preschooler will love this e-book, along with the accompanying printables. He or she can play with it at every stage of development, together with mom and dad.
Buy at Bol.comWhat we discuss in this comprehensive post:
How educational is the Botley 2.0 toy robot?
The Botley 2.0 has multiple ways to program and learn from it. Programming is done using the supplied controller, so the child can learn sequences and even start learning loops.
Botley does not actually learn to code, after all, the programming is done on a controller, but they do learn the basic skills of thinking like a programmer, and is therefore also a robot for 5 to 7 years.
The 78-piece activity set allows young programmers to build coding sequences of up to 150 steps.
The Botley 2.0 not only helps children learn coding, but also encourages important STEM skills such as science, technology, engineering and math by counting and measuring everything correctly. And even the light sensor that makes Botley glow in the dark is educational, but also just fun.
It's a very educational toy robot that also has its limitations. Although it's well played with, it has not yet been used entirely for its intended purpose, which is to teach you to think about sequences and then to code them out.
The screen-free learning is mentioned as one of Botley's advantages, but this is also its weak point. You can't see what you're coding and that almost makes it more of an RC toy than a toy robot.
The fact that the controller always remembers the last sequence is also a bit annoying. It's probably useful if you try to complete the same course a few times, but you forget to clean it too often, so that Botley repeats the previous actions first and then starts the new one.
This has led to frustration on several occasions.
Is Botley 2.0 fun to return to again and again?
There is a lot going on here and that is good for the versatility. You can really do anything with it and that also makes it easy to combine with other toys such as Duplo that you have lying around or to build something from magnetic tiles that it has to go through without knocking it over.
It is difficult to immediately see the full potential of it, so you have to persevere. The colored cards to learn the concept are actually just there and in our opinion were not necessary. The cards with black lines actually don't do that well. Then it is better to buy a specific tracer robot.
Robins Mum from England actually tells that about her experience. “I love Botley and I really hoped my 6-year-old would too, but it's not the hit I was hoping for. Botley has so much potential. The manual includes instructions, but they need to be fully understood by an adult and then translated back to the child who will be using Botley before you can really get the most out of it. Definitely achievable with time and patience, but the task did take the shine off for my 6 year old who just wanted to play. I'm still not quite sure how to get the most out of the items that come with Botley, I'm sure we'll get there, but I definitely recommend reading the manual carefully before giving this as a gift!”
Bob from Canada said the same about his daughter, plus the instructions are clear with plenty of ideas for challenges.
In the meantime, we continue to invent play options, and Botley is certainly one of the favorite robots in our toy rotation.
The included extras certainly make it a fun set to play with. Getting the balls into the goal is a favorite and the flags are a nice addition too.
After some explanation and a bit of demonstration, he's starting to see the possibilities of the set more. What he likes most at the moment is to come up with a very difficult course, together with the building blocks and sticks that come with it. Then I or my wife have to try to solve it.
He also likes to first lay out the supplied cards and then type the pattern on the controller, without having a very clear goal.
It's played with for about 30 to 40 minutes per play session, so that's quite a lot. We do have to play along every time, so it's not a toy to let them play with themselves. At least not at this age.
It's being played with about 3 times a week, so that's about 105 minutes a week, or an hour and 3 quarters.
How fun is Botley 2.0 to play with?
The play value is very high because Botley has been made so interactive. In addition to coding, it has 16 fun interactions that you can activate with cheat codes. For example, he acts like a train, police car, ghost and more. In addition, children can test their memory with the game “Botley Says” with lights and sounds.
Botley was a lot of fun to play with, but the play value could have been higher if the ease of use had been better. My son is now 5 years old and having the patience to play with it properly is sometimes difficult. I also think playing with it under 5 will be a challenge.
Udesh from America also says this in his review: “A child of around 5 needs some guidance to get started. Parents should have an idea of what they are dealing with and come up with ideas to keep motivation high.”
It was a bit awkward at first, it's still a new way of playing, although my son has already played quite a few coding games on the iPad. But toys that you don't crash with or even move yourself are still a new concept.
What is the price-quality ratio of Botley 2.0?
It is a fairly pricey toy, but in the world of coding robots the price is not too bad. The materials used are very sturdy and the traction of the wheels is especially good. You also get a lot of accessories for your money and they really make a difference.
Another negative point is Botley's gender stereotyping. It's clearly a boy. There are different fronts, blue and orange, but the other color does nothing. It has no extra function and is actually a bit of a waste of the plastic used.
Hopefully they can make a front with a girly look for Botley 3.0 that actually adjusts the robot's voice when it is clicked on.
Has Learning Resources won Botley 2.0 awards?
Learning Resources is a brand that wins awards time and time again for their toys, so it is a brand with an extremely good reputation.
Botley 2.0 has also won several awards, including Innovative Toy of the Year, Best of CES from Reuters and Best Toy of the Year 2018 from Parents magazine.
Best coding robot for ages 5 and 6
With this robot, children from 4 years old can learn to code through 100% screen-free play with multiple ways to program.
Conclusion
Botley 2.0 has what it takes to become an educational favorite, if you take the time to help out bit by bit and come up with new challenges together. It's a toy that allows you to learn together with your child.
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.
