Building robots may seem like a technically challenging task, but educational kits have made it a surprisingly easy activity for kids.
Building a robot can enhance a child’s motor skills and help foster their imagination and design skills. Programming a robot improves creativity, problem solving skills, engineering thinking, and many other mental skills. Running a robotics programming camp will tap into both of these useful and educational activities.
The STEAM community has seen a surge of growth in the popularity of robotics. There are many ways to learn about robotics and to have time to play with a robot, one of which is to host a robotics camp. Organizing a robotics camp usually requires two main activity buildings and a few robots that participants can code to control.
Planning a camp for kids with different levels of knowledge and experience is an important consideration. You should be prepared to switch activities depending on the level of interest the kids exhibit.
Preparing multiple themes/programs in advance will help accomplish that goal. For example, RoboGarden offers journeys with many different themes such as a space theme that focuses on the moon, a party theme, a volcanic island theme, and a theme that focuses on golden mountain worlds.
A camp should have two main characteristics: highly engaging activities and enthusiastic teachers. If students spend the first day learning through worksheets, many of them won't return and could even be turned off to STEAM.
Students usually learn best when they are doing the talking and exploring, so it is important to provide them with adequate learning materials that will fulfill that role. RoboGarden’s journeys will ensure that students get to try again after they fail, and that they will eventually succeed with little to no help from teachers.
Having an opportunity to just be curious, to have fun, and to learn to work together in an environment that is neither demanding or threatening is the perfect recipe for enthusiastic learning. With a bit of a competition and teamwork, you can keep students are kept interested and that they won’t be able to wait to return the next day.
Make sure you have all your materials ready to go and that the students are organized before they come into the room so you can use the time in the best way possible. Be flexible in a camp setting, and not only in response to varying student interest. Since summer camps are not mandatory, you might have some absences. Being flexible for that is important, too.
