Get Your Kids into Robotics

Have you got kids? Kids that you know are bright, yet are bored to death with the math and science being taught in their school?  It’s unfortunate because the number of jobs that require skills in math, science and technology is growing rapidly. Who’s going to fill these sought after, high-paying jobs? Don’t let your kids be passed by, by their more educated and determined counterparts in countries like India and China. It’s a competitive, flat world now, and others are out to eat your kid’s lunch, literally.  But you can get them educated, and more importantly, excited, in science and technology by getting them into the cool hobby of robotics.

In Rochester, Minnesota, companies are helping with their involvement in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a nonprofit organization and program that matches professional engineers with teams of high school students. The teams compete to build a robot with certain design requirements. The winners are chosen by not only whose robot performs the best, but also by sportsmanship, teamwork and the ability to work under pressure. Interestingly, FIRST students are more likely to say they expect to pursue a career in science and technology, and nearly four times as likely to desire a career specifically in engineering.

But, what can you do for your kids if they are not in Rochester, and if you cannot find a similar program where you live?  Easy. Buy them a LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot building kit.  It’s the best $250 you will have ever spent on your child’s education. It’s the easiest way to start learning robotics.  A simple robot can be built in as little as 30 minutes.  Yet it’s no mere toy either.  Your child will be able to build incredibly smart and advanced robots as well. The product comes with an NXT Intelligent Brick with a 32-bit processor, servo motors, a visual sensor, a touch sensor, a light sensor, 519 LEGO TECHNIC elements, 4 input ports, 3 output ports, a display, speakers, USB 2.0 and Bluetooth support, and software that works with both the PC and Mac.

And your son or daughter needn’t work alone.  There is a huge community of kids through adult LEGO hobbyists online, and likely in clubs in your town, that are always willing to help, share ideas, and show others their creations.  Working with others, or on their own, LEGO Mindstorms NXT will inspire and educate your child while offering excitement and loads of fun.

You can easily spend $250 on a toy or electronic gadget. Don’t waste it something just offers play time, or something that just blows out your kid’s eardrums.  Buy something with some educational value that just may be what it takes to propel a child into an exciting and rewarding field of study and work.

Oh, and it’s not just for kids, mom and dad.