Summer STEM Fun with the VEX Robotics Arm
Summer has just begun, so having a lot of free time to play is still a bit of a novelty for my kids. Right now they’re having fun staying outside and enjoying the weather, but I know it won’t be long before the boredom sets in. You don’t need me to tell you about that; all parents are familiar with that particular summer problem area!
All year round I look for toys that have educational value (especially in the STEM areas), but I think they’re especially important for those summer months when school is out and “formal” learning takes a back seat. To make sure my children are still exercising their minds, I’m encouraging them to play with their new VEX Robotics Arm. And it doesn’t take much encouragement: they really love this thing!
The VEX Robotics Arm is a new robotic toy that your kids can build themselves to learn about robots and engineering. This smaller model of real-world industrial robots features four points of motion, and it gives you the ability to raise objects up to 14 inches off the ground. It also extends out to 10 inches. The claw helps you pick up many common household objects, and the crane rotates 360 degrees. This robotic arm really does work like full-sized robots. The ways your family can use the VEX Robotic Arm go as far as your imagination will take you!
Just a note: assembly of the robotic arm will definitely require adult supervision and help. It consists of over 350 parts and will probably take you a few hours. Even older children will likely need some assistance. It’s a small challenge, but it’s definitely worth the process.
My kids have been incredibly creative with how they use the arm, from incorporating it with other toys to using it as a tool to help them clean their rooms and pick up around the house. They really love the claw and the satisfaction they get when they’ve successfully moved an item to its new location.
What I really love about the VEX Robotic Arm is the educational value, which is plentiful. By assembling and using the arm, they’re learning how to carefully follow instructions, how to engineer (and reverse engineer) to get their desired results, how certain parts work together in concert to make up a robotic machine, and how to use their imaginations to find creative uses for the arm.
This has been a really fun item for them to use, and I can already see they’ll be returning to it again and again. It’s rated for ages 8 and up, and it’s the kind of toy that can “grow with” them as they learn more ways to use it in the future.
If you want to grab one for your own kids before the summer blues hit, the VEX Robotic Arm (along with other VEX robotic toys) is available to purchase directly from hexbug.com, and can also be found at BestBuy.com.
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
-36 Comments-
Now, that would be pretty fun to play with! It’s a bonus that they might actually learn something, lol.
My nephews would flip over this robotic arm. It would be great to play around with.
I wonder how my nephews would use this? They might try playing baseball with it, lol. I wonder if it can pitch.
It’s a great idea to use ‘play’ as a way to interest kids in science, tech, etc. These types of ‘toys’ are really super fun, too.
The idea of keeping the learning going in the Summer with ‘play’ is a good one. This looks like a lot of fun to me.
What a neat Robotics Arm! I love that the kids are able to put it together!
This looks like so much fun! The kids will love it. I think big kids like me would love it too!
I’m not sure if the kids or my husband would like this more!
It seems science subjects are the hardest to get kids interested in, so this would be great for that.
This is brilliant! It’s wonderful that there are things like this available for kids (and whichever parent gets stuck on assembly duty).
I love that this would combine learning and fun! But it might be even more fun for me!
I think I might take this away from my nephews & play with it myself, lol.
Forget the kids! I want to play with this myself!
What a great toy–the kids probably don’t even realize how much they’re learning while they’re having fun.
I can see my nephews using this in all kinds of ways. It looks like a fun way to learn something, lol.
I’d love to try this thing out, lol. It’s a great way to interest kids in science/tech.
This really looks like fun to me. Kids will learn, and I think adults will learn too. I think I have found my inner nerd! I want this!
I agree that a little learning in the Summer can help a lot. I saw a study recently that pointed out how much knowledge kids lose over Summer vacation just because they are not actively trying to learn.
This looks like so much fun! I love when something educational is fun too!
I think kids would love using this! It’s always good when you interest them in a serious subject through play.
I love that kids are becoming more involved in STEM. This is a great project for them!
What a great item! I am not ashamed to say it! I want to use this myself!
This is a great way to keep kids learning during the Summer vacation. And they’ll never know, lol. It’s just fun to them.
Wow!! This is so awesome! I love STEM learning and think its so important for developing minds! My son would get a kick out of this!! HUbby too 😉
This is incredibly fascinating to me. It will be great for the kids but great for adults too!
I’d love to see my nephews with something like this. I bet they would get a real kick out of it.
I am thinking I need to purchase this for a Christmas gift. I know a little boy who would love it.
Hmm, I wonder if the kids around here would ever get to play with this? The adults might take it over, lol.
My oldest nephew is 10 & I can see him loving this. It does look like a lot of fun.
I am thinking this would make the best Christmas gift ever! In fact, I know it would be!
You have hooked me on this robotic arm. I think it is a great item for learning and playing.
This is such a cool ‘toy.’ As my youngest nephew would say ‘Awesome! I need that!’
This is really an awesome learning toy. Wish there were more toys like this on the market.
In our house, the grown-ups might take this over, lol. It looks like fun.
the fact that they also put together the arm is great. The accomplishment they get from seeing something they put together function would be a huge bonus.
That is really awesome! I would love to play with it myself.