Coding is a skill that is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, and it can be challenging for children to learn—especially when, like myself, you want to try and keep control over your child’s screentime.
The Makeblock mTiny Robot Kit is a coding kit that lets kids code their own robots using tangible blocks, which are easy to manipulate with their hands. This allows them to effortlessly grasp how algorithms work and solve problems when they come up.
By teaching young learners how to code through play, you help them acquire and equally develop valuable skills like problem-solving and critical thinking at an early age. When they get older, these skills will serve as an excellent building block for the future.
So, let’s take a closer look at our mTiny Robot Review
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At a glance
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1-Minute mTiny Robot Review
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is perhaps the epitome of integrating coding knowledge into children’s real-life education without relying on a drawn-out learning centre or school environment. The Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit contains an adorable robot, a rechargeable tap pen controller, and various resources that all work concurrently to develop a multi-faceted skillset in younger learners.
With the complex and intricate number of combinations that a child can perform with the map pieces, the limits and learnings are guaranteed to be holistic. At the same time, it might not be as cheap as other options that tackle the same multi-dimensional learning concept in the digital age, but its quality and overall utility more than make up for its initial cost and lack of ongoing purchases.
Overall, considering its ease of use, safety, and general performance, the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is a beast that has just begun to bear its fangs – a lodestone pointing towards the future of coding education.
- A Rechargeable tap pen controller
- Sturdy and durable construction
- Compelling and entertaining for children
- Develops problem-solving abilities, math skills, and music interest
- Screen-free learning
- Steep price range
- Limited purposes once the storybook challenges are completed
- Less attractive for older children
- Replacement parts are hard to find
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Let’s take a closer look – full review
How the Makeblock mTiny Coding Robot works
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is a device specially created to translate computer programming, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills into fun games that preschool-aged children or even older adults could enjoy.
The entire package is separated into two boxes. The mTiny coding kit contains the cute device that performs various programming processes and the tap pen controller, while the other kit contains multiple resources such as coding cards, interactive map pieces, modular map cards, a highly interactive storybook, and other adorable materials, all designed to enhance your child’s learning experiences.
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Robot’s screen-free approach can deliver various skills by integrating a simplified coding tool in each of its activities. Apart from its adorable look that encourages children on the get-go, the coding robot can translate the codes being read by the tap pen controller. The tiles indicate a specific movement – all of which the mTiny identifies accordingly.
To develop a child’s problem-solving abilities, they are challenged to make the device move a certain way by arranging the tiles accordingly. In addition to that, adding the map – another coded piece that produces a particular movement that the robot performs as it passes – also ties in the role of the storybook to create picture-book-based challenges that essentially bring computer programming in early childhood education.
The learning opportunities seem simple initially, but more complicated movements are created as these young learners adapt and develop. The discovery of more sophisticated challenges becomes stimulating for the same skill that functions and responds during programming and coding.
Performance and Development of Logical Thinking
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is a holistic way to introduce specific STEM skills such as problem-solving skills and problem-solving abilities, logical thinking, computational thinking, basic coding concepts, and social skills while remaining screen-free in the middle of the digital age. With the standardized method of the early-year curriculum in various schools, it is efficient to have such an avenue of support learning that is just seamless and safe in all aspects.
Coding
For the coding aspect of the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit, its performance is pretty much decent in the sense that the scanned modular map pieces, in addition to the various themed map blocks, are effectively translated to the appropriate action, expression, and emotion in the cute tiny device for the most part.
With the interchangeable map pieces and the endless creativity of younger children, the entire Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is sufficient to keep your child’s attention for a good few hours before they start hitting some bumps in exploring different levels and new learning experiences.
Construction
On the one hand, the device and the tap pen controller have a robust construction and sturdy material that can withstand the impact of several bumps, which is by no means a given with children growing up. With the widespread fragility of items in the digital age, this is perhaps another efficient way to ensure that unnecessary expenses due to the damages are avoided. With the tap pen controller being rechargeable, new learning opportunities are always right around the corner whenever the inspiration arises.
Limitations of its Fun Interactive Games
Being an “early childhood education robot” from its advertisement to its product label, the interactive map, the coding tool, the multiple characters provided with the changeable clothing, and its various coding games are limited by its lack of complexity in the later progressions. Sure enough, the combinations are nearly limitless for younger children growing up. However, as they discover their intellectual capabilities, the robots become less exciting, and the storybook becomes a limitation to what they could do.
Exploring various combinations and challenges is the core quality of children. While these resources might be sufficient to impart young learners with modern educational philosophies, the fact remains that the mTiny coding kit and its amazing maps are still designed for younger audiences. As a rule of thumb, the mTiny coding kit motivates children below the age of five. In consideration of the foregoing, while older children could construct unique maps with intricate complexity, it might not be long before they completely lose attention.
Ease of set up and use
There is not much to unpack regarding the setup of the mTiny Coding Kit as the product mainly revolves around coding cards, the tap pen controller, themed map blocks, and other fun games incorporated into its various resources. Upon opening the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit, you will be presented with the following materials:
- Cute mTiny Coding Kit Robotic Device
- Coding Cards
- Highly interactive and various themed map blocks
- Tap Pen Controller to read coding cards
- Storybook
- Flags and Flagpole for coding
- Gamecards
- Destination cards
- Emotion cards
- Music cards
Its utility is commonplace as the entire thing relies on the child’s own way of discovering their challenge of interest and target movements for the device itself.
While the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit Robot is heavy by itself, no heavy lifting is also really necessary for your child. When it starts moving, all that is left to do is discover the movement that they have created and explore how the coding could control various aspects of its development. It certainly brings computer programming down to an achievable level for many.
Extra Purchases and ongoing costs
Considering that the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit is an integrated set that includes math, visual, and problem-solving skills in its own set of available physical resources, no additional add-ons are necessary to make its fun way of learning even more stimulating and attractive.
Also, due to the sturdy and durable development of the mTiny coding kit, damages are far from being a considerable risk. Oh, and since the tap pen controller is likewise rechargeable, perhaps it justifies its initial steep price range with the lack of ongoing costs that the mTiny coding kit entails.
A couple of alternatives to consider
If your budget is still a little loose and you could still spare a few more dollars on your child’s early childhood education, perhaps the Ruko Interactive Smart Robot is an ideal option for making their development lean more towards emotions, social drive, and motor skills.
With just a simple input, emotional responses are translated and displayed on its LED screen. From making learning fun to being convenient enough to exhibit how coding can be translated to actions, this option is sure to pique your child’s and their friends’ interest.
On the one hand, if you are set on the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit’s versatility and limitless options (or perhaps less on the robotics aspect of coding), then the Botley Coding Robot is a great budget option to go with.
Cute enough to make learning fun, this tiny device could translate your kid’s interest – whether it is music, math, basic control coding – into subsequent movements, much like how several mTiny sets do! And the exciting thing here is that it sure does come with a couple of add-ons to add some flair and style to robotics for an early childhood education robot.
FAQs
Does the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit need batteries for its initial setup?
Fortunately, it already comes with included batteries. Plus, it is rechargeable, so there is no need to buy new ones.
What is the indicated age range for the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit?
The indicated age range is 4+, but the recommended age range for maximum learning and translation in your children’s real-life is from 3 to 5 years old. Older kids might have problems with focusing on the complexity of the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit.
What is the distance range for the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit?
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit could operate in an open area radius of approximately 10m.
Is there any risk of swallowing certain parts of the toy?
While there might not be significant risks of swallowing the map pieces, always be on the lookout for possible risks nonetheless.
How do you troubleshoot specific problems on the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit?
If there are specific problems with the Makeblock mTiny Coding Kit you purchased, you may send an email to [email protected] to be assisted by their personnel.
Final thoughts
The Makeblock mTiny Coding Robot is undoubtedly a great way to circumvent conventional learning and turn coding introductions into more fun and conducive activities for younger learners. While this product might have certain flaws that are not a fault of the product design by any means, it more than makes up for it with the various avenues that it provides for the learning of your young treasure.
After all, what makes the Makeblock mTiny Coding Robot so attractive is its versatility – a concept that younger learners need more than anything in their primary learning setup.
Emma Marie is a valued writer at the Little Robot Shop. She studied robotics and deeply understands technology, which shows in her writing. She consistently produces high-quality content, making her a perfect fit for the Little Robot Shop team.
While not writing, Emma works in a popular electronics retail chain. Emma also enjoys running and has two dogs with whom she loves spending time.
