Cubetto

What is it

Cubetto is a playful wooden robot powered by the first programming language you can touch. It’s a Montessori approved, LOGO Turtle inspired, award-winning coding language that allows children to learn and explore real programming through storytelling and hands-on play, no screens required.

The set includes:

• Cubetto – Made of tactile and hard-wearing wood he’s your child’s guide into the world of coding. Screenless, friendly and ready to play.

• Coding Blocks – A coding language you can touch and manipulate. Each block is an action. Combine them to create programs.

• Control Board – Place the blocks on the board to tell Cubetto where to go. Hit the blue button and Cubetto executes your very first program.

• Maps and Story book – Expand play time with world maps, educational story book and challenges that take your child on epic coding adventures.

Requires 6x AA batteries.

What our experts think

Our little testers were fascinated to see Cubetto wheeling around on the floor and they soon picked up the basic idea that the blocks controlled the robot. Older children were even more transfixed and thoroughly enjoyed seeing what they could make Cubetto do with each program they designed. As well as learning the basics of coding, children will improve their logical thinking and problem solving skills in order to make their programs successful.

With computing a large part of the world our children are growing up in and a growing topic within the National Curriculum, it’s never been more important to teach children the key foundations of programming. Cubetto is a wonderfully crafted teaching aid that introduces children to coding in a way that is familiar and fun to them – through hands-on play! The working robot really brings coding to life in front of children’s eyes, and we love the way programming is turned into a story to help engage children in learning. The board is easy to use, with no prior understanding needed.

It would be even better if...

The lesson plan included was too complicated for three year olds, although with lots of support they were able to grasp the concept that the blocks made the robot move. It would be really helpful if the lesson plan was stripped right back to basics, with more focus on helping children get a foundational understanding first. We suggest helping younger children freely experiment with Cubetto to start out, which is much more enjoyable for them and will help little ones really master the concept of what the blocks do, allowing them to approach coding confidently when they reach school.