The Educational Robot for Early Learners
KIBO starts your young learner on a pathway of creative coding and robotics. They playfully discover STEAM concepts by coding with wooden building blocks, creating sequences, and learning design processes — all without requiring screen time.
Spark young learners’ interest in STEM/STEAM in an easy and fun way by integrating KIBO into existing curriculum or classroom projects, such as literacy, social studies, science, math and art curricula
Learn more about the KIBO Difference below – research, curriculum, resources, lesson plans, and our committment to ensure you are supported when integrating robotics into your early learning classroom.
Research is Behind Everything We Do
Developed by our co-founder, author, and leading researcher, Dr. Marina Bers, KIBO is based on 20 years of research in early childhood development from Tufts University, where she runs the Developmental Technologies Research Group. KIBO has been tested with thousands of children and teachers and has proven efficacy in helping kids learn STEAM.
At her DevTech Research Group at Tufts University, Bers and her team developed both the theoretical foundation and the robotic prototypes that, with the support of the National Science Foundation, became KIBO. Her research shows specific, powerful and positive learning outcomes for young learners (ages 4–7) when working with KIBO.
Her research shows:
- Improved Sequencing Ability in Early Childhood – PreK-Gr2 students’ performance on standard assessments of sequencing ability improved from 20-35% after an 8-week robotics and coding curriculum with KIBO.
- Improved Computational Thinking with Concrete Tools – Children using KIBO performed 27% better on computational thinking than children using screen-based tools.
- Counteracting Harmful Gender-Based STEM Stereotypes – After a KIBO curriculum, 2/3 of girls expressed an interest in engineering careers – a rate equal to boys. Girls who completed a 6-week KIBO curriculum were equally capable as boys at
building and programming.
Curriculum to Support the Educator Every Step of the Way
It isn’t enough to just buy an educational robot for a young learner; you need to ensure you have the right tools, currculum, and support to be successful when bringing robotics into your classroom. Our comprehensive set of curriculum materials supports you in every way with over 160 hours of standards-aligned STEM curriculum and teaching materials. Easy to implement lesson plans and fun play-based activities introduce KIBO and build students’ basic engineering and programming skills. You’ll also get support in integrating robotics into your classroom with a wide range of cross-curricular connections to literacy, community, dance, science, and more!
The KIBO Curriculum has been designed to bring together:
– Computational thinking (Programming)
– The Engineering Design Process (Building)
– Integration component (Curricular Theme)
Lesson Plans and Activities – For Fun, Play and Learning
For children in PreK-2, robotics can introduce STEAM concepts to them in a playful way, thereby encouraging them to be excited about further exploration in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. The KIBO robot can be used in so many different ways – sky’s the limit! See some STEAM activities for elementary students that truly brings out fun and playful nature of KIBO.
Resources, Resources, Resources
We have compiled resources submitted from educators near and far as well as the KinderLab team with one place to learn and share tutorials, activities, curriculum, lesson plans, videos and more about KIBO. This is the place to learn more about how KIBO can best fit into your classroom and be successful. What better way to learn than from others in the trenches!
Don’t Forget About Training and PD!
We also understand the importance of professional development when bringing new tools and technologies into your teaching. KinderLab Robotics offers a wide range of training and professional development support. From tutorial videos, to one-hour web conferences, to two-day on-site workshops, KinderLab will work with you to ensure you and your colleagues feel prepared and confident when introducing STEAM robotics to your students.
Learn the 6 Key Benefits of Using Robotics with Your Youngest Students!
Interested in learning more about how KIBO, the screen-free STEAM robot, can fit into your school or district’s early childhood education initiatives? You have come to the right place! Learn more about the importance of introducing robotics to your young learners, starting at PreK and throughout elementary school.