Welcome to Robotics for Grade 1! This page is designed to help you and your first grader explore robotics from home with simple, engaging activities using the Vex 123 kit. Even if your student isn’t quite ready for our Vex GO Spark class, these activities and resources will help build foundational skills and spark curiosity in robotics!

1. Getting Started with Vex 123 Kit

• Consider purchasing the Vex 123 kit 

• Video Tutorial: How to teach with Vex 123 Kit

• Recommended App: Download the Vex 123 App (link to the Vex 123 app, if available on Google Play and App Store) which provides easy controls for your child to interact with the robot.

2. Explore Coding with Hour of Code

• Hour of Code Activities - Try simple coding exercises that introduce basic programming concepts suitable for young children.

• Teachers Pay Teachers also has many great activities that integrate literature and coding like this Fairytales Coding Activity

3. Beginner Robotics Activities

• 9 Week Scope and Sequence for an Introduction to VEX 123

• Basic Commands and Movements:

  • Teach your child how to make the robot move forward, backward, and turn. This can be a fun challenge where they try to navigate the robot through a mini obstacle course. Meet Your Robot Lab 1

4. Challenge Activities for Hands-On Practice

• Create a Maze: Use household items (like books or toys) to create a small maze. Challenge your child to program the robot to navigate the maze using basic movements.

• Storytelling with the Robot: Program the robot to go on a ‘journey’ by creating a story with different movements. For example, the robot could ‘visit’ different parts of the house or a homemade map on paper.

5. Additional Resources and Support

• Vex 123 Stem labs -  a library of simple one-page exercises designed for young ones to engage in robotics inquiry and problem-solving