The first time I got my hands on Cubelets was during a “Technology Petting Zoo” at the June ILEADUSA session, and they pulled together all the elements that I had learned about robotics thus far and made it easy and foolproof to snap together and create a working robot (there were also instructions available, but starting with instructions isn’t my style). I was actually giddy as I put together a motor, motion sensor, and battery to create a little contraption that would follow my hand or foot across the floor. That’s when I fell in love with them; if they could create such a spark in a seasoned librarian like me, imagine how great it would be to hand them to a child.

I’ve used Alice Shertle’s picture book All You Need For a Snowman for several years in storytimes. In it, a few materials (snow, hat, carrot, etc.) combine to create a snowman. Similarly, Cubelets are “all you need for a robot.” Snapping together Cubelets builds a knowledge base that can be used to build more advanced robots because the elements are the same: motors, sensors, power source. I’ve put Cubelets in the hands of Kindergartners and they were able to make something that goes, much to their delight, but I’d also use Cubelets as a teaching tool with older kids ready to begin building more advanced robots. I know the price tag is hefty, but these are fun, educational, and durable, which is all I could hope for when introducing robotics to children.