Right before summer started, I reached out to a friend who is a school psychologist. I was having difficulties with my oldest daughter and her temper, and wasn’t sure about how to handle her mood swings. My friend suggested something very simple – a reward chart with expectations on her behavior. She would earn stars towards a reward, usually of her choosing. She did really well on it and within a week earned a trip out for ice cream. The following week she earned a trip to her favorite toy store. Each time she earned something, she would write something new on her board. One week it was an Ozobot Bit. I was completely stumped. What is an Ozobot, how much is an Ozobot, and what is the purpose of an Ozobot? She heard of the Ozobot through an online commercial and knew it was something she HAD to have.
So, we research Ozobot but I felt that it may be beyond her age range right now. Then I received an email that we would be testing out an Ozobot Bit for review purposes and I figured it would be a great way to get acquainted with this little robot. In this new world our children are growing up in, technology is everything. Sure, we get outside to play often and unplug from our devices multiple times throughout the week, but the fact that their lives are technologically based shows that there really is no escaping it. They will need a strong technological background for whatever path they choose in life. Ozobot Bit reinforces this technological learning by teaching kids the basic concepts of coding. They learn this by playing and teaching a little spherical robot how to move and what commands to follow. All this is done on the whichever device you choose, as Ozobot Bit is compatible with various devices, such as iOs devices. Ozobot Bit retails at $60 and I’m guessing it will be a hot item this holiday season, so be sure to keep it on your radar!
The Ozobot Bit comes with a usb plug to charge it up on your computer, instructions and setup information, a small egg-shaped plastic cover to protect it when not in use, and a plastic helmet to keep it protected when it decides to follow a line right off the table and onto the floor.
Ozobot reads color coded commands that tell him to perform various actions, such as following a straight line, turning left or right, zig zagging and more. You can create your own track with Crayola Washable Markers in designated colors that your Ozobot will recognize. It will look like your child is playing, but they are being introduced to the world of coding, and an essential skill in today’s world. Find out more by visiting Ozobot
Since the theme of this review was technologically based, I decided it was time to get our video feet a little wet. So, as a family we dusted off the movie camera and put together a video review of the Ozobot Bit. Be nice, it’s our first time! I hope you find our Ozobot Bit unboxing video helpful, and once you are done watching that, you can also view our Ozobot Bit coding, troubleshooting, and trial video.