NEWS$show=/search/label/news

Here's where you'll find all the latest news about technology for children. We love to follow cool new inventions on Kickstarter and we hunt out all the latest announcements about tech toys and gadgets for the coming Christmas holidays. You'll also get our take on children's technology stories in the media.

REVIEWS$show=/search/label/review

Our kids technology product reviews are intended to help you work out whether a toy, gadget or kit is a good fit for your child or family. There's lots of cool stuff available, but is it the right choice for the child or teenager that you are buying for? We'll help you make the right choices and get the best value for money.

GIFT GUIDES$show=/search/label/gift%20guide

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends assemble. We create gift lists to help you make good choices for kids technology which helps them develop the right skills for the future. We research the best in Coding Toys and Games, Making / Craft Tools and Kits, STEM/STEAM related gifts, Programmable Robots, Electronics Kits and Gadgets for Tech Age Kids and Teens.

PROJECTS$show=/search/label/project

Get crafty with technology. Here we'll post all our ideas and projects using technology to get creative and making with kids. You'll find anything from making a lemon battery to a glow-in-the-dark Minecraft sword. Our projects are tried and tested on our own kids or at events we run, so we are sure you can have a go at home with your kids. Some of our projects use specific tech gadgets which we provide links for you to purchase.

STEM$show=/search/label/stem

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. In recent years there is an increased focus in these areas of study. We like to include Art and Design too, so we often talk about STEAM (A stands for Art). At Tech Age Kids we believe Coding is a new literacy and children need to understand how technology works, practice making skills and grow in their curiosity to make a better future for us all.

CODING$show=/search/label/coding

Coding is increasingly being recognised as an important skill for children to learn. Some will learn to code at school or at a coding club, but it's brilliant if they get support at home too.

ELECTRONICS$show=/search/label/electronics

We think it's really important for kids to get hands-on with electronics and learn how to make circuits and write code to control hardware. Younger kids can start with conductive playdough. For kids who like to combine craft and tech, littleBits are fab. And we love SAM Labs wireless electronics components for making it easy for kids to make Internet of Things inventions. Lots of electronics kits for kids have support for the Arduino microprocessor environment. The DuinoKit Jr is one of our favourites. Arduino is a fab skill for older kids and teens to develop.

ROBOTICS$show=/search/label/robotics

We love robots at Tech Age Kids, especially programmable ones. We've got lots of them and write reviews and projects that use them. Our programmable robots for kids buying guide is a good place to start if you're not sure what's available. Roby the mBot Meccano robot dog is one of our popular projects and has been with us to lots of events. Our Ozobot LEGO trailer is fab for kids who love LEGO and robots.

MAKING AND CRAFT$show=/search/label/making

We're advocates of the creative use of technology, but this needs to be balanced with developing physical skills such as papercraft, woodwork, clay modelling, technical drawing and soldering. If children don't develop these skills as they grow up then physical making projects can become frustrating rather than fun. The Maker Community uses the term 'making' as a broad term to include all sorts of artisan skills or craft activities. Being able to make things can lead to life-long hobbies or even careers. It's a great feeling to be able to take a project from an idea in your head to a real object that does something. We're particularly interested to explore products that combine maker skills with tech skills such as electronics but others focus purely on the physical making skills that are still important to modern making.

My First Real Robot - Dash & Dot Review

makewonder dot dash review

When Tracy and I started working together in the summer, I didn't know much about robots, but my knowledge grew quickly and recently we bought our first robot for the family. Dash and Dot are two adorable robots created by Wonder Workshop and are perfect "first programmable robots" for families with young children. There is so much to explore with Dash and Dot, so we'll cover the basics in this overview post and I'm sure we'll write many more on our adventure with our robots.



Naturally I was interested in getting a robot which will allow my kids to learn to code, have fun and be creative at the same time. Wonder Workshop caught my eye, as they have a similar vision, to empower kids to question, think and create.

I totally fell in love with Dash and Dot and we decided to get the "Wonder Pack" which includes two robots, and large selection of accessories to attach to the robots. Take the adorable Dot robot out of its box, charge it up with the supplied USB charger and hold it in your hands, and when it blinks at you and says "I love it when you hold me", tell me you don't love it too!

The Wonder Pack is fantastic, but you don't have to own both robots to be able to do things with them. And at a price of $49.99, Dot makes a brilliant first robot for any child.

I would say Dash is probably better for younger kids because there is so much you can do straight out of the box and the Go App for Dash is specifically designed for non-readers.

Saying that my teen liked them too and quickly got the hang of programming them, whilst my younger two watched the robots interact and zoom around the kitchen floor.

The Box


The Wonder Workshop boxes are beautifully designed (there goes the designer in me again). Dash and Dot each come in a heavy duty box, firmly packaged for safe travels, with a special name tag around their neck. (I loved the attention to detail.)

The robot boxes are great for storing the robots when they are not in use. It's a good practice to teach kids to look after their tech toys, especially with expensive robots and good storage is key.

Each accessory came in its own box and clearly states which are compatible with each robot.

The Wonder Pack would make an impressive Christmas package, which lots and lots of boxes to unwrap.

Plug and Play

Unlike some programmable robots, like the Meccanoid which we reviewed, Dash and Dot come ready to play out of the box. There is no building requirement. Simply charge for a bit using the Micro USB charger and switch them on. They immediately respond and start to interact.

However it is very important to note the robots require a mobile or tablet to play and programme, and it is worth checking whether you have a compatible device for them. We're planning to test Dash and Dot out on some popular tablets and devices and will post again in more detail about that.

Unfortunately, our iPad was just too old (the robots utilises Bluetooth Smart 4 / LE connectivity) but they worked with my Andriod mobile.

The Robots

Dot

The name basically describes the robot. Dot is a circular robot with a single eye made up of 12 LEDs which are all programmable.

She has a number of other lights and sensors, including distance sensors, transmitters and detects robot receivers, which means Dot and Dash can interact.

Once fully charged Make Wonder claim Dot will last up to 5 hours. We're usually in the habit of charging our robots directly after play, so they are ready for the next time we get them out.

Dot is described as the brains. She comes with 3 preloaded games, Magic Dot Ball, Dot of Music (Sound of Music) and Light Sword, which are activated by pressing the orange buttons on her head. Of course you can then use the apps, Blockly and Wonder to create your own games and follow activities to learn coding with her.

Dash

dash building connectors makewonder
Dash with his "Cool Cap"
Dash, as the name suggests, moves. based on the circular design of Dot, he has wheels which allows for movement in all directions. Dash is bigger and heavier and my boys call him the big brother. They really have personalities.

Dash has similar tech to Dot and they both also have speaker and microphones to allow you to record your own sounds. He can move his head in a wide range and looks very cute when he cranks his head up at you and blinks his LED eye!

Dash works with all the apps and all the accessories fit on him. We had lots of fun with the Xylophone, making music with Dash.

Dash also comes with two building connectors in his box. (My 5 yr old made a "cool cap")

The Apps

There are several apps for Dash and Dot all designed for specific learning and play style, and age ranges. The apps are available for iOS, Andriod and Kindle, but not all applications are necessarily optimised for your device. Check your device on Wonder Workshop's compatible device list.



Here is a breakdown of all the apps currently available:

Go
For all ages. The perfect app to just play with the robots, change LED colours, record your own sounds, drive Dash and get to know your new robot.
Path
For all ages. This app uses a graphical interface to teach kids the concepts of robotics and coding before they can read. It is very visual and tactile as your kid draws a route for Dash on the tablet and gives commands.
Xylo
For all ages. Turn Dash into a musical maestro by attaching the xylophone accessory. There are prerecorded nursery rhymes and songs to start and then you can create your own music.
Wonder
For ages 8+. (Recommended by Wonder Workshop) The Wonder app is a lab where you follow missions to help you learn to code and once you unlocked all the missions you can use your skills to create your own missions. The app also has a "free play" area which allows for similar play as the "Go App".
Blockly
For ages 8+. (Recommended by Wonder Workshop) Blockly is the coding app, where you drag block and connect them to make Dash and Dot do things. Learning to code with a physical robot is fantastic, as you get immediate feedback on what you just created. Blockly is very similar to Scratch, so if your child is familiar with the concepts, they'll easily get on with the Blockly App. There are also pre-programmed games and activities to help you learn and which you can then modify yourself.

The Accessories

As I mentioned we purchased the Wonder Pack which included all the accessories plus we got the Launcher for free on a special offer. All the accessories packs are available to purchase separately so you can build up your collection over time. They are well made and fantastic colours. The accessories click in easily in their circular slots on the robot's heads. My 5 year old can easily clip them on and remove them.

Accessories Pack

This pack comes with some fun items, like bunny ears and tail, a tow hook, and bulldozer bar. We also received a mobile mount for Dash.

Dash's Xylophone

The Xylophone is fantastic and attaches to Dash only. It works with the Xylo app and my kids spent hours listening the the pre-recorded songs and then making up their own songs. I could just leave them with Dash and they managed to figure it out all by themselves (they are ages 5 and 7.)


Building Brick Connectors

There are 4 connectors in the pack and they clip onto the robots and then you can build whatever your imagination allows using LEGO, Technics, Mindstorm and Hero Factory bricks.

Launcher

The launcher, like the Xylophone, is a programmable accessory that works with Blockly app.


Conclusion

We would definitely recommend Dash and Dot as a starter first programmable robot for families with young children. They are adorable and loveable characters, robust enough for play and clever enough to grow with your child.

If you are still wondering what to get the kids for Christmas, the Make Wonder Robots will definitely have the WOW factor.

We still have much to explore with Dash and Dot and will continue to write about them. For this week, we are taking the Hour of Code challenge at home and will help Dash fulfil his mission to find Dot in a maze of cups.



24 days of Scratch coding book cover and cute penguin
Name

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Tech Age Kids | Technology for Children: My First Real Robot - Dash & Dot Review
My First Real Robot - Dash & Dot Review
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Tech Age Kids | Technology for Children
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