A number of these activities would be best suited for motivated or gifted learners, but with support could be modified to the typical learner. Scroll through and see what might ignite a passion in your child and see where her interests lead her!
Build Your Own Robot: Try this fun and easy way to create your own robot. Practice storytelling and literacy skills by having your child write or narrate an adventure it takes. Clicking the print button on this activity will let your child give the robot a name and type a story about it. Can your child design a habitat for the robot to survive in?
Robot Repair: Robot fun and games, along with problem-solving, can be found here at PBS Kids.
Robots and Computers: Your child will use logic, strategy, thinking skills, and the online guidance provided to program his own robot to run the obstacle course. Do it as a team with your child! There are at-home activities to explore as well.
Twitch: This is a fun interactive activity where Twitch the robot must use the principles of physics to find the spare robot parts that are spread throughout the museum. Your child will create simple machines along with adorable Twitch and use thinking skills, strategy, logic, inference, and problem-solving to collect parts and stay out of trouble.
Rube Goldberg Inventions: Named for the man who took a simple process and made it mechanically complex, this activity will allow your child to tinker in his footsteps. From here, encourage your child to make his own at home with marbles and paper towel rolls, or develop your child’s visual motor, visual tracking, and oral motor skills by taping some track with colorful tape on the floor and having your child blow pompoms along the track with a straw. Explore other Rube Goldberg-inspired projects and inventions with your child as well, such as building a roller coaster or paper bridge!
Gadget Maker: Using these sites, your child can create a simple or complex gadget he can name, describe, or tell a story about! Try this invention tool or check out these games.
Robots That Fly and Cooperate: Watch this innovative and mesmerizing TED video on the creation of tiny, independent aerial robots that can serve many functions, such as being first responders to a disaster. The video is not geared for kids, but you and your child are likely to both be amazed!