Tech Toys for Kids

Inspired by a WSJ article, Tech Toys to Make Children Smarter

          An article written in the Wall Street Journal recently describes some new technologies being innovated to try and counter our phone and tablet mesmerized youth.  These new smart toys have a common theme, where children are able to create smart toys similar to the technologies around them. Some of these smart toys resemble simple buildable robots and can range to customizable computers. They can understand how the individual components of a robot can play a role in its actions. These toys enable an outside of the box view of how technologies around them are functioning. The article brings a series of different technologies that are the future of this smart toy generation.

The first smart toy is called Cublets made by Modrobotics that fit the ages from 4 to 10. These modular robotics come in a six pack for $159.95, kind of expensive in my opinion. They’re pretty much sensors in the shape of cubes that connect and navigate with sensors, it’s a pretty basic smart toy. Now Modrobotics makes another toy called MOSS. Moss consists of a series of structural pieces and modules that resembles Cublets just more complex. MOSS would be in a more advanced age of smart toys, it recommends from 8 and up because it requires a basic level of programming to control. It uses very simple “scratch blocks” which are basic puzzle piece like versions of lines of code. This makes it very easy to introduce programming to younger minds. For more advanced programmers you can also able to control the robot using C code. The basic MOSS 16 piece kit which can build multiple variations of robots cost about $200.

 Another smart toy that the article discussed goes by the name of Littlebits. Littlebits is also a modular based toy but can be modified much more than the Modrobotics by far. The one thing that sets Littlebits apart from the competition is the multiple kits they offer. The base kit is $100 and is perfect for younger ages, they offer kits with more modules for more customization as well. Some kits that are offered that I feel can be very beneficial are called the student set (26 modules) and the workshop set (100 modules). These kits are perfect for class projects and introducing circuits, module interaction, and at some levels programming. Other kits that Littlebits offers are the smarthome kit and the synth kit. The smart home kits provides you with the modules to interact with objects around your house such as your lamp, coffee maker, and I've even seen an automatic shade shutter. The synth kit enables you to create your own synthesizer so you can produce your own music.

These products that these companies have been creating are a great step in the future for providing our upcoming generations with knowledge of technology. I would like to see more products like these being brought into the classroom that introduce robotics and programming at a young age. These devices are just the start of electronics in the classroom and I’m looking forward for more innovations to come. 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/tech-toys-to-make-children-smarter-1418753372?mod=ST2