Sphero is a well-known name around here. The company specializes in making smartphone-controlled devices to teach kids how to program and learn. Well, the company is back with some new products. Leading the way is the Sphero Mini Activity Kit, which expands on the Sphere Mini app-enabled robotic ball. The announcements don’t stop there, however. Mini Soccer offers a sporty take on the Sphero Mini, giving kids a new way to learn and play. Keep reading to find out more.
Sphero’s Mini Activity Kit further expands the platform
The Sphero Mini is a cute robotic ball that kids could program through the Sphero Play and Sphero EDU apps. The Mini Activity Kit isn’t simply an expansion of the already well-known STEM toy, but a major add-on. This Activity Kit gives kids “everything needed to get rolling, coding, and playing within minutes.” It includes an exclusive clear Sphero Mini app-enabled robotic ball, buildable mazes and tunnels, pins, and cones. This lets your little ones build their own experiences, and the 15 Activity Cards offer guided instructions filled with hours of play.
The Mini is built using a gyroscope, accelerometer, LED lights, and a rechargeable battery capable of 45 minutes of playtime. With the Activity Kit, you’ll enjoy a variety of mini-games, different drive modes, and the ability to change the LED colors through the Sphero Play app. The app will be updated on September 16th with a Block Drive feature, which is a coding-based driving mode that provides users a “friendly introduction to basic robot coding, perfect for beginners.” The Movement Blocks will tell your robotic ball which direction to roll, while Light Blocks will give you colorful and playful LED effects.
The Sphero Mini Activity Kit is great for coding at any age
More advanced users can use the Sphero Edu app, which gives an even greater range of programming options. It offers the ability to draw paths, transition into “basic scratch blocks”, and even the ability to write your own JavaScript programs with actions, controls, operators, and more.
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“Mini Activity Kit takes our popular Mini robot a step further by offering an affordable at-home learning experience that mirrors guided lessons taught in schools,” said Paul Berberian, Sphero’s CEO. “We wanted to give kids and their parents even more tools to create, explore and invent. Sphero has always been about helping kids go beyond code to unlock their creative potential.”
Mini Soccer is a sporty take on Sphero Mini
If your kid is more into sports than anything else, the Sphero Mini Soccer kit is perfect for you. It offers Sphero’s popular Mini robot designed like a soccer ball plus accessories that “kick fun and learning into high gear”.
The kit includes everything you need to get the ball rolling. You’ll find the Sphero Mini app-enabled robotic ball in a custom black and white shell, along with eight cones to “inspire creative challenges”. You can sync up your Mini Soccer ball with the Sphero Play app to do a scrimmage with Kick drive, program the robot to do precision maneuvers around the cones, or step it up with Sphero Edu programming.
Pricing and availability
Sphero Mini Activity Kit will be available on October 2nd for $79.99 at Sphero.com along with select retailers. The Mini Soccer will launch September 16th for $49.99 at Sphero.com and select retailers.
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