Warning Will Robinson! Warning!

September 27, 2005 4:06 AM

My 6 year old daughter wants to build a robot. So I looked for easy to build (and cheap) robots, and easy to learn programming languages for kids. [more inside>
posted by Outlawyr (12 comments total)

So I looked at Squeak (close to what I was looking for), StarLogo (too advanced for her, but I had fun), and Kids Programming Language (I didn't even download, it looked to advanced). I also dug out her Thinkin' Things 3 game, which has a very easy programming section where she can drag arrows onto a bar and hit play, causing a marching band to march around a football field. We also checked out a lot of how to build a robot books from the library. This has given both of us some good ideas for when the Legos Record and Play arrives (2nd link in FPP).

If you've got any other ideas I'm all ears.
posted by Outlawyr at 4:16 AM on September 27, 2005

I didn't realize there was a junior version of Mindstorms, neat.
posted by oddman at 4:32 AM on September 27, 2005

As for actually building a robot, if you don't go with something like Mindstorms, I noticed the other day that Radio Shack has a new line of robot kits and parts.
posted by Happy Monkey at 4:47 AM on September 27, 2005

B.E.A.M., for when she's older.
posted by sonofsamiam at 5:37 AM on September 27, 2005

Ask MeFi?
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:40 AM on September 27, 2005

Just one robot, right? Not a whole army or anything.

Just checking.
posted by CynicalKnight at 5:49 AM on September 27, 2005

I'd second ZenMasterThis on the proper location for this post.
posted by thanotopsis at 5:52 AM on September 27, 2005

MSWLogo is simpler than StarLogo, and the site lalso offers a kid-friendly guide, The Great Logo Adventure.
posted by Jatayu das at 6:00 AM on September 27, 2005

You know, I looked at MSWLogo, but that screen shot was a real turn off. I'll have to take a second look.

As for where to post this, I was sharing the results of my search so far, and also looking for any other ideas. Ask MeFi seems only to be questions, not links. So it's a hybrid post. Try to be more flexible.
posted by Outlawyr at 6:35 AM on September 27, 2005

Lego absolutely rocks as a robot building tool (Self link)
posted by magullo at 6:37 AM on September 27, 2005

As for where to post this, I was sharing the results of my search so far, and also looking for any other ideas. Ask MeFi seems only to be questions, not links.

"I'm looking for X. So far I've found Y and Z. Does anyone have other suggestions?"

Hey presto, it's an Ask MeFi question with links.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 6:53 AM on September 27, 2005

I prefer this in the blue. The post is more informative than inquisitory.
Anyway, try Tab Electronics. They have several books and kits.
posted by rocket88 at 7:05 AM on September 27, 2005