Prashant Pundir
Top 5 Reasons Why Every Child Should Learn Robotics
Update: This article was last updated on 26th August 2022 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
Children as young as 4 years old can build and program simple robotics projects, according to a report by Tufts University.
If we look at the statistics of the robotics industry, it is more than promising. The market for professional service robots, which perform useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial automation applications, reached a turnover of 6.7 billion U.S. dollars worldwide, reports the International Federation for Robotics. Another report shows a record of 3 million industrial robots operating in factories around the world.
Robotics has taken over repetitive jobs and, in the future, they will assign more mundane jobs to robots. Therefore, the future belongs to problem solvers and creative thinkers.
What is Robotics?
Robotics is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and operation of robots.
In simple language, a robot is a programmable machine or a gadget automated to follow input commands or a set of instructions to reduce human tasks. Robots consist of sensors and processing units that help them perceive their environment, and the actuators and motors help them to move their legs and limbs.
Health Care, agriculture, food, manufacturing, and warehouses are some of the industries utilizing robots in big numbers for efficiency and ease.
Why Should Every Child Learn Robotics?
Robotics may sound too heavy and challenging for young learners, but getting into robotics can help in developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, says the report. And of course, it exposes them to abstract ideas at an early age.
That’s not all! Robotics is one of the best ways to develop problem-solving skills, creative thinking, programming, and, last but not least, science and math concepts in children.
Here are the Top Five Benefits of Learning Robotics –
1. Robotics Facilitates STEM Learning
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Currently, the spotlight is on STEM education because it exposes children to science and mathematics concepts.
With a focus on hands-on learning and real-world application, STEM education fosters an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset in children. Undertaking the creation of a robotic program requires interdisciplinary knowledge.
The process makes children work with circuits, sensors, and motors, and write codes to create a robot to perform certain tasks. Educational institutions have already started integrating robotics as a subject in their curriculum.
2. Robotics Enhances Creativity and Problem-solving Skills
Robots excite children and pull them into creative processes such as brainstorming, innovation, etc. to solve a particular problem around them. While creating a product, they learn to control their actions using sensors, motors, etc.
The lesson learned through hands-on learning stays with them for a longer time. As we know software controls robots, so they learn to code to make their robots perform tasks.
3. Robotics Teaches Science and Math Concepts
Mathematics and science are not everyone’s cup of tea. But robotics helps in learning addition and subtraction to more advanced geometry with ease. Children learn the use of electricity to generate power, concepts of force and tension, and various geometric shapes as they attempt to assemble a robot.
4. Robotics Paves Way for Programming
Robots perform tasks normally performed by humans and that is achieved with the help of programming. Programming helps us in controlling robots. Robotics helps children learn the basics of programming and summarizes the functioning of how everything around them works.
Robotics makes the tricky subject fun and easier. Children create physical robots and learn for themselves what can or cannot go wrong, and how to create the exact instructions to make a robot work.
5. A futuristic skill
The data and statistics are enough to tell us that the future belongs to robotics as more and more jobs will be automated. Robotics boosts creative thinking skills and problem-solving skills, improves social skills, teaches teamwork, and most importantly, it helps them to focus.
They say we should not believe in hearsay. Similarly, for upskilling children and prepare them for the future, indulge in learning solutions provided by various organizations, experience them, and then decide.
A lot of online edtech courses offer trial sessions, which take you through the entire learning module. Your child may or may not show interest, but there is no harm in trying.
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My child is not good in mathematics, will he still be able to excel in robotics?
I registered my child a year ago in a robotics class and observed a positive change in his behavior as he was a shy child. And the reason is teamwork, at least I felt it.
I feel that through robotics my child has developed a mindset of problem-solving which is very beneficial.
Being a school teacher I have noticed that robotics develops teamwork and collaboration skills in students, should definitely add this point in your article.
I want my son to learn robotics for the betterment of society, one of the most astonishing examples is by using robotic surgery, surgeons can perform delicate and complex procedures that may be difficult or impossible with other methods.