NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--littleBits, the technology startup that makes it easy and fun to invent with electronics, today launches its highly anticipated new Code Kit for grades 3-8. The littleBits Code Kit is the brand’s second product to be designed specifically for use in STEAM classrooms, and the first kit to combine the magic of hands-on invention, the power of coding, and the fun and engagement of games. Each littleBits Code Kit includes all of the materials needed for up to three students to invent and code simultaneously.
The littleBits Code Kit is available starting today from littleBits.cc or Amazon.com for $299.95, with a 5 percent discount for educators. It is also available through our education specialists via education@littlebits.cc or (888) 593-6008, and through our education resellers including Best Buy Education, En-Net Services, Learning Labs and others.
Designed with Educators for Educators
To ensure the Code Kit is accessible yet challenging right out of the box, littleBits enlisted the help of 29 educators from across the country. STEAM Educators helped create the curriculum that accompanies the Code Kit and provided feedback to the overall design and application of the product in the classroom. This extra step has led to early praise for the Code Kit from both teachers and students.
“In classroom after classroom, we saw how powerful littleBits can be as a tool for STEAM learning, and we wanted to apply that to coding,” said Ayah Bdeir, founder and CEO of littleBits. “We also know that by empowering kids to create games that are actually fun, they will stay engaged and continue learning, collaborating and problem-solving on their own.”
From the students’ perspective, the littleBits Code Kit is fun, pure and simple. Willy Kjellstrom, Learning Technology Integrator at Albermarle County Public Schools in Virginia said, “The kids told me that they would much rather miss recess to work with the Code Kit!”
Unlike any other coding products available for classrooms today, the littleBits Code Kit is the first kit to combine block-based programming with real-world engineering using littleBits electronic building blocks, empowering students to create their own games. The accompanying app, available for PC, Mac & Chromebooks, guides students through the fundamentals of coding through video tutorials and step-by-step inventions.
According to Kelly Knight, a STEAM Coordinator at Riverside Presbyterian Day School in Florida, the littleBits Code Kit teaches students that coding is a creative tool to power invention. “My kids are going to be so inspired, entertained, and engaged with these inventions. I see the potential for a lot of growth and remixes after they build the confidence,” Knight said.
To make for the best experience teaching with the Code Kit, littleBits has also developed robust educator resources including introduction videos, an implementation checklist, lesson plans, invention logs and class handouts. littleBits has made these accessible via Google Docs to enable teachers to customize and tweak the resources for their particular classroom needs.
The littleBits Code Kit, compatible with Mac, Windows and Chromebook, includes:
- Four game-based inventions: Tug-of-War, Ultimate Shootout, Hot Potato...of Doom! And Rockstar Guitar
- 100+ activities and lessons for grades 3-8 tied to Next Generation Science Standards and computer science standards
- Quick-start guides for students and educators, a Bit index and a classroom poster, making it easy to get started right out of the box
- An interactive online teacher’s guide that allows educators to import lessons directly into Google Docs or Slides
- 16 Bits including the all-new codeBit and LED Matrix
- A rechargeable battery & 30 accessories
- The littleBits Code Kit app, featuring approachable drag-and-drop block programming based on Google’s Blockly
About littleBits
littleBits is the New York-based hardware startup that is empowering kids everywhere to become inventors. Through its innovative platform of easy-to-use electronic building blocks, littleBits allows anyone to create and prototype with electronics, independent of age, gender or technical ability. As the leader in STEM/STEAM learning, littleBits believes in self-directed exploration and driving excitement for what it calls “invention-based learning,” a concept evolved from project-based learning, which is a trusted and proven approach to teaching in classrooms. The company is also dedicated to successfully bridging the gender gap with its gender-neutral platform, attracting 30-40 percent of young girls to invent with littleBits. By embracing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics), both girls and boys can invent solutions to the problems that matter to them. littleBits has received several awards including CNN’s “Top 10 Startups to Watch” and one of the CNBC Next List. littleBits is sold in over 150 countries and used by more than 12,000 educators across the world as an engaging tool for making STEAM more accessible to all students and preparing them for the jobs that haven’t been invented yet. For more information and inspiration, please visit http://www.littlebits.cc/about.
The company was founded in 2011 by MIT Graduate, TED Senior Fellow and Cofounder of the Open Hardware Summit, Ayah Bdeir, and has grown to be a global leader in hardware. Bdeir was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, one of Inc.’s “35 Under 35” and "Entrepreneurs to Watch," one of Entrepreneur's "10 Leaders to Watch," one of Popular Mechanics’ “25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream,” and one of MIT Technology Review’s “35 Innovators Under 35.”