big part of robotics. Teamwork: Each member of a robotics team has a unique skill set, making collaboration a key to success. Teammates must communicate and truly work together for their robot to function properly. Confidence: Every STEM project will have its ups and downs. Overcoming the downs and struggling through it will make the ups that much more of a victory. Knowing that hard work pays off instills resilience and perseverance in students—they feel well- deserved pride! So… why try out robotics? This extracurricular or hobby encourages out- of-the-box thinking in kids. Encouraging naturally curious kids to continue asking “Why?” and “How come?” will yield adults who are creative problem solvers who think critically and work together. Confident adults will succeed in any career field they choose, STEM or not. So, never stop asking ‘Why’—stay curious and keep learning, readers; there is a pretty amazing world out there to discover.
can try out the LEGO League Teams, middle schoolers can take on the Tech Challenge Team, and finally, grades 9–12 can join or start a Robotics Competition Team. Those who wish to start their own team can do so with the help of a variety of resources available at firstinspires.org/start-a-team. The Many Benefits of Robotics Learning while having fun is probably the top reason why curious kids should give robotics a try. Beyond that, there are a myriad of reasons how robotics can positively impact young learners, including building: Creativity: The sky is the limit when it comes to robotics. From choosing the design to the tasks it will complete, there is a lot of room for thinking outside the box when it comes to robotics. Problem-Solving Skills: Science is all about trial and error. When something goes wrong, the issue has to be identified and analyzed before finding a solution. Critical Thinking Skills: ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ are questions often asked in robotics, and the students are doing the answering! Making hypotheses and predicting outcomes is a
Little ones can learn about different simple machines and STEM principles with the Build Box ($27.45 per box with an annual plan). It ships monthly and is perfect for kids ages 8–13. Teens and adults would be best suited for the Hack Pack ($66.65 per box with an annual plan); it ships every 2 months and has multiple bots featured in the first few boxes! Learn more at crunchlabs.com - STEM Discovery Boxes Each box includes three experiments that focus on STEM learning for youngsters. Topics covered include electronics, chemistry, hydraulics, physics, engineering, astronomy, and robotics. Subscription levels vary from 1 month ($30), 3 months ($28 per box/$84 total), 6 months ($27 per box/$162 total), or annual ($25 per box/ $300 total). Investigate past projects by heading to stemdiscoveryboxes.com School-Aged Roboticists FIRST recommends those looking to join a robotics team to “contact local schools, libraries or youth organizations that may have a team in place” and to do a simple online search for FIRST teams near (my town). Elementary and middle schoolers
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