Building robots that come alive is, for many middle schoolers, one of the coolest experiences, and many schools are beginning to see the benefit of teaching children how to code. Building LEGO robotics kits are educational and support problem-solving skills.
Creativity and inspiration should be the goal of any excellent LEGO robot kit. Growing up with robotics kits inspired many kids from the previous generation to dabble and find a career in computer science, so why not open an avenue for children early?
Here are our three favorite LEGO robot kits:
- Overall Best LEGO Robotics Kit – LEGO Mindstorms EV3
- Most Creative Robot – LEGO Boost Creative Tool Box
- Best LEGO Robot for Its Price – LEGO Technic Stunt Racer
Top 3 Best LEGO Robot Kits Reviewed
1. LEGO Mindstorms EV3
The Mindstorms line from LEGO has always been a leading producer of quality robotics kits. Their LEGO products are so good that they have earned respect in the robot community and have laid the foundation for many future robot enthusiasts.
While the LEGO Mindstorms robot inventor laid the core foundation for building robots, the EV3 has quickly made a name for itself as one of the best LEGO robot kits.
The Mindstorms robot utilized its previous successes and made a transformable and fun robot.
Overview
In this LEGO Mindstorms robotics kit, you’ll receive 601 pieces and a smartphone, tablet, PC, and macOS control. It’s an easy-to-assemble LEGO kit that can be assembled in merely a couple of hours.
With the number of pieces available in this robot kit, you can access five different robots and exciting designs with their unique robots and programming features.
The main design – SPIK3R – is a standing robot that can walk, talk, and interact with objects. Other designs of robots include R3PTAR, TRACK3R, GRIPP3R, and EV3STORM.
The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 programmable robot kits’ software comes with an advanced but understandable coding language that is simple to attain and can be done by middle schoolers – with the help of adults.
You can build and program this robot to walk, talk, roll (depending on the design), and interact with its environment. The features of this robot are truly incredible and make it seem like such a complex device when, in reality, building this robot is super easy and fun.
Our Review
This is one of the best LEGO robot kits. Customers are overwhelmingly in love with these robot kits from LEGO Mindstorms. Most who purchased the robot kit were surprised at how simple coding robots was.
Kids of all ages love this robot and will put down anything to work on the robot and play with it. The robot-building process is easy, and the building and programming instructions are simple to follow. Even the coding aspect of this robot isn’t too complex and makes kids feel as though they accomplished the process independently.
The robot LEGO kit requires 6 AAs for the body and 2 AAAs for the remote. Unlike other robot building kits, this robot is not wall-chargeable. Make sure you have a decent amount of batteries.
2. LEGO Boost Creative Tool Box
The LEGO Boost robot is like the younger brother of the Mindstorm EV3, as it is much more straightforward to operate and build. Boost has tailored these LEGO kits more towards the age range of 7-12 in terms of simplicity and design.
Building this robot is easy, and the design has a younger feel to it. If you’re looking to get your middle schooler started in the world of LEGO technic, this is a great first step to provide them.
You don’t receive many features, but this is a fantastic and fun first LEGO robot kit to build.
Overview
You might notice when accessing their LEGO product page that this LEGO Boost kit has more pieces than the Mindstorm. Despite this, the kit is easier to build and requires much less time.
Most of the extra pieces of this LEGO boost set are for the fun obstacles and to play games that you build to test your building and programming skills. Kids can build and program the robot to do a whole host of things that involve the fun toys that come along with it. Caution cones, hockey sticks, and basketball hoops are a few of the featured extras.
If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Android tablet, we highly recommend this LEGO Boost robot. The Boost robot is only compatible with those products, which will act as the move hub for the device.
You control the robot and program the robot with the LEGO boost app that accompanies it. The robot can move, react to your speech, change its expression, and even grip items. If the base model is tiring, you can select from any of the five different designs to morph into.
Our Review
Customers seem to agree that these LEGO Boost toolboxes are the ultimate toy robots for children. A LEGO Boost robot introduces them to coding skills at a very early age.
The robot enables them to want to build the device without any help from the adults. It’s a simple robot that gets them started with new technology that has never before been accessible to kids. Getting your middle schooler interested in programming and design skills becomes easy with this toy.
The Boost robot must run on an Android 5.0 or higher, and anything lower will not be compatible. Other LEGO robot kits can run on PC and Mac operating systems. But this robot cannot, which has become a con in many customers’ eyes.
If you have a newer version tablet from Android or iOS, then this will be a fantastic first-time LEGO Boost robot kit for your middle schooler.
3. LEGO Technic Stunt Racer
The LEGO stunt racer robot is on our list because the building of the device gives kids an understanding of how the motor and programming work. The LEGO Technic Remote-Controlled Stunt Racer is quite different from the first two robots we’ve listed. The robot is more of a remote control car than a robot kit.
The robot can be a significant first step for kids into the world of robotics. This set comes at the most affordable price on our list. This robot can be an excellent introduction for your child before purchasing one of the industry’s heavy hitters.
Overview
This is a remote control LEGO car that you build yourself. Even the controller – while it comes pre-assembled – the LEGO robotics kit is made out of LEGO bricks. You place the motors, the receivers, and the battery throughout the construction, which gives kids an understanding of how each functions with the other.
This robot kit is a 2-in-1 set that enables kids to change the layout between the tracked vehicle and the stunt racer.
It’s compatible with LEGO bricks from similar robot kits. You can create the ultimate design based on what appeals to you. The vehicle can overcome rough terrain and pull some incredible tricks. On top of providing kids with a first taste of building their robots, this set is a blast to play with and will keep your middle schoolers occupied for hours at a time.
This robot is an affordable and fun first step for parents and children alike.
Our Review
This LEGO robot kit is a fun and easy way for kids to understand how a motor and receiver work together while offering them an exciting stunt car. These robots are much better suited for rough terrain and can often go quite fast. Parents who have purchased this robot kit claim their children play with the robot for hours after building and rebuilding the robot.
This robot toy is an affordable and fun first step to see if your students would be interested in building a full-on robot kit.
What Makes Quality LEGO Robotics Kits for Schools
There are three things to consider when choosing the best robot kits. Firstly, the LEGO robot kits have to have a mechanical aspect to them. Secondly, the robot has to be easy to use for middle schoolers. Finally, the LEGO sets should be a fun build. It is all about creating something and enjoying the process. If the LEGO set was more frustrating than fun, we didn’t select the robot for the list.
Building with educational LEGO has already become a big part of school subjects such as math and coding. While teaching math with LEGO can already happen from the first grade, building robots are more suitable for middle school students.
When looking for educational robotic kits for your middle schooler, it’s essential to choose LEGO robot kits that you know they’ll love. Many LEGO robot kits are available, but you don’t want to choose the wrong robots and be left with a pile of bricks that don’t work well together.
Below we have three aspects that you should consider when buying LEGO robots for your middle schoolers.
Multiple Designs
Customization of the robots is critical, and having a LEGO robot kit that keeps offering you new ways to layout your robot provides many more hours of fun and excitement. Having kits that offer multiple designs of the robots is excellent and having one with many different coding and building features unique to those designs is even better. Find LEGO robot kits that enable you to learn building and programming.
Easy-to-Use Software
Although building robots is about coding and programming, they still help kids learn a basic tech understanding. That’s why it’s essential to ensure that the software of the kits is easy to use and allows for plenty of learning to occur rather than frustration.
Environmental Sensors
LEGO Robots that can interact with the world around them stand to teach children much more about the process of programming robots. The world becomes an obstacle and is something the children must overcome through the building and coding process. With a quality kit, this should be a standard feature.
Finding the best LEGO robot kit for your middle schooler or younger kids is all about knowing your children’s interests in building their own robots—the more advanced the robot, the more difficult the process.
