Today at the 2018 NAEYC Annual Conference, KinderLab Robotics, the creators of the KIBO™ robot kit, announced changes to two of their introductory robot kits. The entry-level KIBO 10 is now $199, while the KIBO 14 has been replaced by the new KIBO 15 kit—with a lower price and a set of add-ons to introduce young learners to sensors and outputs.
KIBO is a playful, educational robot toy that engages children in active science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) learning. Children ages 4–7 can create, design and decorate their own robot without requiring screen time. Young learners create a coding sequence using the wooden programming blocks, scan their sequence with the barcode scanner built into the robot body, press KIBO’s button, and watch their creation go.
Changes to the KIBO product line include:
The KIBO 10 Robot Kit introduces young children to coding with basic programming and motion commands. The KIBO 10 kit has been repackaged without the custom, reusable plastic bin in order to reduce the cost of both the kit and its shipping. The kit is now priced at $199 (a price reduction of $30).
The KIBO 15 Robot Kit includes everything in the KIBO 10 and adds an introduction to sensors and conditional programming, plus increased art capability. In addition to a sound sensor, a light bulb output, and additional programming blocks, KIBO 15 includes an art platform that children can decorate with arts and craft materials. The new KIBO 15 robot kit (which replaces the KIBO 14 kit) is priced at $299.
The KIBO robot is based on more than 20 years of research in learning technologies and child development at Tufts University, including testing with thousands of children, teachers, and parents.
The redesigned KIBO 10 and the new KIBO 15 are available for purchase on the KinderLab Robotics web store, along with the KIBO 18 for $399 and the KIBO 21 for $499.
For a complete rundown of the features of each KIBO, see the KIBO comparison chart.
