Skip to the main content
PeabodyMake a free story

🧸 Early learning (ages 2-6) · 💻 Coding · 🤖 AI robots, toys and kits

KIBO

By KinderLab Robotics. Visit KIBO

Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.

KIBO is a screen-free robot kit for young children. Kids build a robot from parts and sensors, decorate it, then line up wooden programming blocks to tell it what to do, without laptops, tablets or the internet. Teachers use it for art, story, science and geography projects as well as coding. KinderLab says it suits children from age 4 to 5th grade, and sells classroom packages and Home Editions.

Our take: A well-researched, data-free coding kit for ages 4-11 that suits schools and committed families; the price is the main barrier.

The facts
Ages it suitsabout 4-11 (pre-K to grade 5)
What its terms say about ageNot stated in terms; the robot works offline with no account or app. (terms)
PricePaid. KIBO 10 Home Edition $270, KIBO 15 Home Edition $400; school kits $310 (KIBO 10) to $820 (KIBO 21) (Oct 2026)
Works onA device
AccountNo account needed
AdsNone
In-app purchasesNone
The AI in itNo AI.

What's good

  • Screen-free and offline
  • Research base from Tufts DevTech
  • Open-ended building and art projects
  • No account or data from children

Watch for

  • Expensive for a home purchase
  • Research is mostly by the creator's lab
  • Many small parts to keep track of

Data and privacy

KIBO runs offline without laptops, tablets or the internet. The privacy policy covers only website and store data such as orders, cookies and payment details; nothing is said about the robot because it does not connect. Read the privacy policy.

Does it work?

KIBO grew out of more than 20 years of research by Marina Bers's DevTech group at Tufts, with peer-reviewed papers on young children learning sequencing; note the research comes from the inventor's own lab.

In the Big Index

Alternatives to KIBO

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Arduino Education

    Arduino S.r.l. (owned by Qualcomm) · ages about 7-18+ (varies by kit)

    A strong choice for schools and teens serious about electronics; younger kids or tight budgets may start with a micro:bit or Circuit Playground.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot

    TTS (RM Educational Resources) · ages about 3-7 (Blue-Bot also used into Key Stage 2)

    A proven, privacy-light first robot for ages 3-7; older kids will outgrow it quickly.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Botley the Coding Robot

    Learning Resources · ages about 5-9 (grades K-3)

    A good first coding toy for kindergarten to second grade, especially for families avoiding screens; kids already coding on tablets may find it too simple.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Casio Moflin

    Casio · ages Marketed to adults; not designed for children

    An adult comfort gadget that families might share, but parents should know Casio does not intend the app for children and it teaches nothing.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set

    Learning Resources · ages about 4-8

    A good first coding toy for ages 4-7 who learn best with their hands; older kids who already code on a screen can skip it.

  • Desk researchPaidNo ads

    CrunchLabs

    CrunchLabs LLC (Mark Rober) · ages 6-10, 8-13 and 14+ by box

    A strong pick for kids who love Mark Rober's videos and building things; families wanting deep coding should weigh Hack Pack's price against a plain Arduino kit.

Every product in early learning (ages 2-6) →

Where these facts come from

Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.