Sphero INDI Home Education Kit

Sphero releases a new education robot kit intended to teach STEAM at school and in the home call the INDI.

As a GeekDad I have been buying my children Sphero products for years so when I learned about the new Sphero INDI I could not want one to test out soon enough. Being ten years old my son is no longer in the sweet spot for the INDI and has already learned a lot of programming from his own Sphero. Luckily for me, I have nephews and nieces who are also GEEKS in training (GITs). The most recent additions to the family are prime to use this tech and it gives me a great chance to get them some educational gifts that are not entirely screen-oriented.

What does STEAM mean in education? STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. Sphero products are geared toward this modality of learning and the INDI is especially focused on it.

How to use the Sphero INDI

Step 1: Discover how indi reacts to each color card.

This may be the basic and yet most fun part of having your child experiment with the indi. My nephew Hunter was filled with wonder learning and understanding that each card and color had a different effect on the indi car. To the young and uninitiated it seems almost like magic. On the most basic level, it works as a memory exercise as he must retain the actions each color initiates so that he could make it to the next level.

Step 2 Create mazes with endless combinations of color cards.

So the next step for my nephew Hunter was to combine the different cards to create his first maze. He gave a huge Oh! face when we were able to string together a bunch of maneuvers out on the living room floor and got a little too excited. He started flinging around cards so I had to reel him in a bit.

Step 3 Strengthen problem-solving skills by navigating the challenging puzzles you build.

One of the things that were most enjoyable when teaching my young nephew how to use the indi by Sphero was the process itself of memorizing what each color did to the robot and then creating some basic play setups to experiment with. After I initially showed him how the cards worked he eventually just wanted to take over the process and learn by trial and error. You could see the joy building up in his face as he was able to control the robot car through the color card system.

What’s included in the indi At-Home Learning Kit:

1 robot
1 charging cable
30 color cards (colored cards that instruct indi how to move and operate)
2 decorative sticker sheets to customize indi
1 Beginner’s Guide to Programming booklet
500+ individual pieces of adhesive tape to secure color cards

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

The INDI at-home kit is another phenomenal product made by Sphero. I cannot imagine any parent not wanting one for their toddlers at home. The INDI perfectly marries the concepts of fun and education for children. Learning should not feel like a burden and the people at Sphero have done the heavy lifting to make education smoother and more enjoyable for children. For the investment of $99 you can get your family off on the right foot and well established into the STEAM learning system. The indi is almost a must pickup for the upcoming holiday season and is sure to be on many wish lists of both children and parents out there.

A sample of the Sphero INDI was made available by the manufacturer.

Opinions expressed in this article are the authors alone and not that of the manufacturer or editorial staff.

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This post was last modified on October 13, 2021 1:00 am

Ricardo Rebelo