As a kid, I didn’t grow up using technology like the kids do today. I didn’t use a computer until 7th grade and never used them on a regular basis until college.
Now fast forward many, many years later and technology is part of everyone’s daily life. Our kids don’t think twice about it. They aren’t as afraid of “breaking” something as I was when I started using computers.
It makes sense in today’s world to introduce our kids to different technology. Here is where the Ozobot comes in.
In my previous article, Resources to Teach Coding to Kids, I discuss several ways to go about teaching coding. (Coding is another way of saying computer programming.) The Ozobot is a fabulous way to introduce kids to coding.
What is the Ozobot?
The Ozobot is a little robot, and I mean little, that teaches kids coding with the use of colors. There are two types of Ozobots: Bit and Evo. We have the Bit Bot so I will be sharing this with you.
What the Bit Bot Comes With
There are several things that come in the box.
- The Bit Bot
- USB charger
- Stickers and other accessories to personalize the bot
- Markers
- Manual that explains how to use the Bit Bot and the key of color codes
- Practice sheets with codes on them
- Challenge pages
- Reusable stickers with codes to use on the plastic sheet provided
- Dice to make with a different set of codes on each side
It has everything you need to get started.
How The Coding Robot Works
The Bit Bot teaches kids a computer language with colors. Kids use different colored markers to program commands for their robots.
To give commands, kids do the following
- using the markers draw a line on a piece of paper for the bot to follow
- use different colors and color patterns to tell the robot what to do
- place the Bit Bot on the line
- watch the robot travel on the line completing the codes that were drawn on the paper
It really is as simple as that!
The kit provides a key to what the different color combinations do. For example, the color combination blue, black, green, red tells the bot to zigzag. My kids love the zigzag code. They use it EVERY time.
The other cool thing is you can draw longer lines with the colored markers and the bot will do “a light show.” It changes to those colors as it runs along them.
Do you have to use special paper or markers?
NO.
You CAN use your own paper and markers. We tested it, and it worked fine. However, you need to use the same marker colors since the Ozobot is programmed to read those colors.
Using the Ozobot on the Computer
After kids have had a chance to get used to coding using the markers, they can take it a step further and program their bot on the computer. It makes things a little more challenging.
The instructions said you could download the app to use it on a tablet. I found it only wanted to connect if you had the Evo bot. I brought the website up on my tablet and went to Ozoblockly from there. It worked great. You can also use it on a regular computer, though I haven’t tried it yet.
The site provides a demonstration and tutorial on how to code your Bit Bot online. It uses connecting blocks to string codes together. Kids can adjust speed, control directions, and provide the same commands they did with the markers.
Kids will have a lot of fun experimenting with their bot. I hope to build mazes for the kids and have them create the correct code to get their Bit Bot successfully through it.
Not only can you use Ozoblockly with your Ozobot, but there are also two other apps you can use with it. One is a dance program, and the other is a game you do by placing your Ozobot on the tablet. We can’t wait to check these out.
Other Activities for the Bit Ozobot
The Ozobot comes with an activity packet. It provides practice sheets for kids to learn how to use their bot. It also has premade sticker codes kids can place on a plastic sheet to create their own paths for the robot. They also get a set of challenge activities.
My kids are excited about the dice you can make. Each side of the dice has a specific code. It is a fun way for kids to roll the dice and create a new coding path for their bot.
So What!
It sounds fun but why should you use it with your kids?
We are surrounded by technology. All our technology uses coding to tell the devices what to do. We can’t escape it, and it keeps growing more and more each year.
More and more jobs in the future are going to run on computers. Not too mention more and more of our lives will involve computer technology. If our kids understand computer coding, it can only be an asset to them in the future.
The Bit Ozobot is a great tool to use to get started in the world of coding. It is especially true for parents like me who haven’t had a lot of experience with coding. It not only helps our kids understand coding but parents, too.
More and more, it seems our kids need to be computer literate to keep up with our changing world. I love how Ozobots help kids learn about coding in a super fun way.
How do you teach your kids about technology in your home? Comment below!
Happy Homeschooling!
