CES 2017: Endless play

17 : 01 : 2017 Lego : CES 2017 : Coding

Las Vegas – Lego has released Boost, a coding kit that aims to introduce young children to programming.

  • Builds are constructed around the central Move Hub, a battery-powered Lego brick with a built-in tilt sensor
  • With its simple, functional design, the Boost kit is aimed at young children
Boost by Lego, Las Vegas Boost by Lego, Las Vegas
Boost by Lego, Las Vegas Boost by Lego, Las Vegas
Boost by Lego, Las Vegas Boost by Lego, Las Vegas

Building on the success of Lego’s Mindstorms EV3 robot kit, the Boost kit enables young children to add specific functions to their Lego creations using an app. While the Mindstorms kit is aimed at children above the age of 10, the Boost kit is designed for children aged seven and above.

Five different builds are available, including a guitar, a dog, and a robot that is capable of building miniature Lego creations. Users connect their builds to the Move Hub power source and add motors and sensors, including one that detects colour and distance, to bring their machines to life. An accompanying app provides instructions and teaches basic coding commands.

‘We are focused on younger children so the coding is easier. There is less complexity behind the sensors and blocks, as well as the models they are building,’ Simon Kent, design director at Lego, tells LS:N Global. ‘We think of it as the baby brother of Mindstorms, and it is a great gateway to that product as they grow up.’

The Big Picture

Lego’s latest kit is part of a wave of innovation in coding for young children. Toy manufacturer Technology Will Save Us presented its programmable wearable device for children at CES 2017. For more from the show, see part 1 of our review.

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