Robotics with Arduino for ages 8–14
Robotics only makes sense with your hands on the parts, so the kit arrives before session 1. Your child builds a two-wheeled robot on an Arduino-compatible board, makes it move, gives it an ultrasonic 'eye', and programs it to steer around obstacles. Code starts in blocks, and older children see the same program in Arduino text.
A wheeled robot they wired and programmed that sees a wall and turns away from it
How 4 sessions get there
Each session is 75 minutes, live, and builds on the last. Your child is doing something for most of it.
Meet the board, the breadboard and the wires. Upload a first program that blinks a light, and learn what 'upload' really does.
Mount the motors, connect the motor driver, and program forward, back, left and right. The robot drives a square on the floor.
Wire the ultrasonic sensor, read distances on screen, and make the robot stop before it hits a wall.
Combine sensing and moving so the robot turns away from anything in its path. Every child demonstrates on camera at the end.
What's in the Robot Builder Kit
Everything your child needs for the sessions arrives in one box before session 1, and all of it is theirs to keep.
- Arduino Uno-compatible board with USB cable
- Two-wheel robot chassis with two geared DC motors
- Motor driver module
- Ultrasonic distance sensor
- Mini breadboard and 40 jumper wires
- 4 x AA battery holder with switch
- Screwdriver and fixing screws
- Wiring cards for every session
Live with a coach, hands on the kit
Here is session 2. The coach shows one idea, the children try it straight away with the kit, and they hold their work up to the camera for feedback.
What your family needs to know
You'll need
- A laptop (Windows, Mac or Chromebook) with a free USB port
- 4 AA batteries
- A clear patch of floor
Ready if
Your child can follow a wiring picture carefully and is happy to try again when something doesn't move.
Where you come in
An adult nearby during session 1 is useful for unpacking and spotting a loose wire. No soldering and nothing hot is involved.
Reserve a seat
guru.cool will call to confirm a batch time and the fee, and where the kit should go.
About Robotics with Arduino
Is the kit safe for an 8-year-old?
What happens to the robot after the workshop?
Who runs this workshop?
What happens after I reserve a seat?
When does the kit arrive, and can we keep it?
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Ages 8–14 · 3 live sessionsRobotics with Arduino, live from home.
4 sessions for ages 8 to 14, ending with a wheeled robot they wired and programmed that sees a wall and turns away from it.