STEM Your Kid’s Toys: Sphero BOLT

STEM Your Kid’s Toys: Sphero BOLT

Growing up surrounded by technology, kids are often introduced to basic programming in school. 


Yes, it’s a useful, future-proof skill, but this developer makes a strong argument that you shouldn’t try to teach your kid a coding language.


Why? Because programming involves more than syntax. 


And it’s the ‘more than’ - the problem-solving, the determination to keep trying when things fail, the creativity in finding new solutions to specific issues - that applies far beyond the technicalities of being able to write lines of code. 


Programmer writing lines of code. (Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash)


With this in mind, it might be helpful to step back and think about what a ‘good’ coding toy for your child might look like. 


STEM toys cater to different age groups, interest levels and learning styles, and require different levels of supervision. 


What might work for someone else’s kid might not work for yours.


So then, how do you pick one? 


Meet BOLT by Sphero

The Sphero BOLT. (Photo by Sphero)


One of the most highly-rated coding toys for children aged 8 and above is the
Sphero BOLT, a robot shaped like a ball and connected to two applications: Sphero Play and Sphero Edu.


Its biggest value lies in its versatility.


On ‘play’ mode, it’s an intriguing toy. Kids can use their facial expressions, gestures, and drawings to drive the ball, or handle it like a controller to play games on the app. 


For children with no interest or background knowledge in coding (yet), the Sphero is still a fun, tech-enabled toy that they can do all sorts of things with, whether that’s bowling or painting or playing tag with their dog.


Kids playing with the Sphero BOLT. (Photo by Sphero)


Of course, that’s not all that the BOLT can do.


A few extra features (voice control, light and infrared sensors, and an 8x8 light matrix) are customisable through the Edu app.


That’s where STEM-related learning comes in.


Using three programming-related modes, users can program their Sphero through drawings, Scratch blocks, or Javascript. 


This allows for an easy introduction to programming concepts, with room for advancement over time. 


Kids learning coding on the Sphero Edu platform. (Photo by Sphero)


What’s more important, however, is finding problems to solve, or goals to complete.


If you’re wondering what you can do with the BOLT’s extra features, you’re not alone.


And that’s one of the best parts about using Sphero products - you’ll be surrounded by an active, knowledgeable community, from creators to educators to parents, who use these products in their own homes and classrooms.


They’ve already contributed hundreds of activities for any Sphero bot, along with a whole community of ideas and advice on the forum, blogs, and YouTube videos.


This means that you can easily access a diversity of problems to solve, challenges to face, or fun things to do with your Sphero. 


Check out the Sphero BOLT in action right here.



There’s good reason for Sphero’s reputation as one of the best STEAM-based educational toy brands around.


As your child grows through different interests and depths of coding knowledge, the potential of the Sphero grows too.


It’s a toy with possibilities limited only by what you can program.


Discover the Sphero BOLT now at Synced by District.

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