WhalesBot E7 Professional 12-in-1 STEM APP Coding Robotic Equipment, Scratch Programming for Youngsters, 637-Piece Instructional Constructing Set with Interactive Books & APP 3D Mannequin Steering, Toy Reward for Boys & Ladies Ages 8-12

Fun
The WhalesBot D3 Pro Coding Robot Sky Wheel is a versatile and educational 12-in-1 STEM coding kit that offers endless fun and learning for kids aged 6-8. This coding robot allows children to build and explore a variety of robots, with 12 different configurations that can be assembled to perform unique tasks and movements. It features a screen-free coding pad, making it perfect for hands-on learning without the need for a tablet or computer, encouraging kids to learn the basics of programming and robotics through play. The kit is designed to promote problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills, making it an excellent choice for both boys and girls who have an interest in STEM. Whether as a gift or a learning tool, this coding robot provides a great balance of fun and educational value, fostering skills that will benefit kids for years to come.

You can do so much!
This little robot is so cute! It has all kinds of different functions, and you can build it into more things. It honestly reminds me of the robot in the wall-e movie, my daughter absolutely loves it.

Fun and effective way to learn to code
The E7 Pro kit comes in a nice sturdy case, that also has removeable tray to organize the parts as you build, and there are hundreds of pieces. I recommend when first opening each parts bag, place the pieces in a zip lock bag so they remain organized – it will make future projects go much more quickly when you’re not hunting for parts. Initial setup took a while for the app to download, then I had to determine which kit to specify, and then update the firmware on the control unit (you’ll also need to supply and insert 6 AA batteries). Overall it was at least 15 minutes before we were ready to build anything.A few small manuals are included that explain the hardware and basic concepts, and briefly cover the corresponding the challenge projects. For most everything, you need to use the WhaleBot app on a phone or tablet. Each project is very well documented in the app, and includes a 3 model that you can rotate and zoom in on for each step. The projects start off very basic from both construction and coding aspects, but subsequent projects build on what you learn. Once assembly is complete, it walks you through using visual coding icons to code a sequence of events and conditions you the execute with the robot you built. The progressively more challenging projects makes it easy for kids to learning concepts of coding at their own pace.The pieces are high quality and snap together securely. All the sensors, motors and gears I’ve used so far have worked flawlessly, and have stood up to a few drops and minor abuse. The software is reasonably intuitive for both young engineers and their aging mentors. While not inexpensive, this toy really delivers in all aspects and I feel it more than justifies its price. Most importantly, it’s so fun my 10 year old daughter doesn’t realize how educational it is.

Perfect kit to dip little toes into the world of engineering and programming
As someone with an advanced professional degree in programming and a homeschool mom, this is the sort of toy I love to see! If you’ve jumped on the STEM bandwagon, this falls somewhere between the completely analog lessons of something like the learning resources board game and the fully digital toys that litter the field.Inside the kit, there are relatively few blocks and block toys. Although this sounds like a downside I think it’s helpful because it prevents kids.from becoming overwhelmed or focusing on the shapes. Instead, we found that our daughter quickly iterated from the suggested designs to exploring how small changes altered the shape, function, etc. The size and cliky-ness is also perfect for this age range, a touch larger and easier to disconnect than Duplos.The programming components are similarly straightforward – essentially two inputs (sensor and button), one power supply/brain, and three outputs (beep, engine, and light). The programming aspect we found to be less intuitive at first. Left to their own, the kids can follow the pictures and achieve a result; over time and with tinkering they’ll ‘get it’s spontaneously. However for younger kiddos or those with low frustration thresholds gentle guidance is helpful. On the other end of the spectrum this was a fantastic way to build confidence in the kids who are hesitant to experiment for fear of getting it wrong/breaking – you really can’t break it and there’s so few components you quickly stumble.upon a novel workable solution.In terms of educator value and classroom use – there are three books that use storytelling to motivate a design and then questions to lead the iterative development process. A few minor weaknesses of note – the kit comes with a big suitcase to store everything but there’s nothing to organize or container the components inside (divider slots exist so it should be possible). I also didn’t see an easy way to order replacement parts should the worst happen.TL;Dr: Great option for ‘the big gift’