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.

Discover More Daily Signals
Under Armour backs the rise of the women’s sports economy

Daily Signals

Under Armour backs the rise of the women’s sports economy

American athletic brand Under Armour has unveiled Click Clack: The Next Era, a new campaign reimagining its original Click-Clack football advert fr...
Sport : Womens Sports : Football
Levi’s launches Wear Longer Project to teach Gen Z clothing repair skills

Daily Signals

Levi’s launches Wear Longer Project to teach Gen Z clothing repair skills

Levi’s has unveiled the Wear Longer Project, a new education initiative designed to equip young people with practical skills to repair, refresh and...
Sustainability : Fashion : Levis
Stat: Britain’s stiff upper lip still shapes modern masculinity

Daily Signals

Stat: Britain’s stiff upper lip still shapes modern masculinity

A new YouGov study of 4,403 UK adults highlights how attitudes to crying are still deeply gendered in Britain.
Health & Wellness : Masculinity : Statistic
Chevrolet revives its ‘See the USA’ jingle to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial

Daily Signals

Chevrolet revives its ‘See the USA’ jingle to celebrate America’s semiquincentennial

As the US celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026, Chevrolet is inviting Americans to hit the road with a new ad campaign that reimagines its icon...
Mobility : Branding : Advertising
How Spotify’s book strategy signals the return of intellectual culture

Daily Signals

How Spotify’s book strategy signals the return of intellectual culture

Audio streaming app Spotify is deepening its push into publishing with two updates designed to make reading more fluid across formats.
Spotify : Books : Technology
Stat: Why skill investment is lagging behind AI ambition in the workplace

Daily Signals

Stat: Why skill investment is lagging behind AI ambition in the workplace

Almost three-quarters (74%) of businesses say they are prioritising investment in technology, data and platforms over spending on workforce develop...
Technology : AI : Statistic
Why James Turrell is designing for awe in an age of attention fatigue

Daily Signals

Why James Turrell is designing for awe in an age of attention fatigue

ARoS Museum of Art in Aarhus will unveil As Seen Below on 19 June 2026, the largest Skyspace artist James Turrell has ever created within a museum ...
Design : Architecture : Art
F1 team names Anthropic's Claude as Official Thinking Partner

Daily Signals

F1 team names Anthropic's Claude as Official Thinking Partner

AI company Anthropic has announced a multi-year partnership with Atlassian Williams F1 Team, naming its AI model Claude as the team’s 'Official Thi...
AI : Sport : Technology
Stat: E-commerce enters the age of spontaneity as AI reshapes discovery

Daily Signals

Stat: E-commerce enters the age of spontaneity as AI reshapes discovery

A new consumer survey by AB Tasty highlights five e-commerce trends set to define winning strategies in 2026, pointing to a more spontaneous, AI-le...
Retail : Ecommerce : Online Shopping
Heineken leverages the power of fandom to spark friendship between strangers

Daily Signals

Heineken leverages the power of fandom to spark friendship between strangers

International brewer Heineken has launched Fans Have More Friends, a sponsorship platform built on the idea that shared passions are one of the fas...
Fandom : Sports : Drinks
You have 1 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN