Many school students love building things, and many parents value it. A short, well run robotics or project class can be a strong addition to a computer centre, whether at your centre or in a school. The key is simple projects, careful safety and finishing what is started.
Decide whether to offer it
Only add these classes if you or an instructor genuinely understand the basics and enjoy teaching them. Start with a small pilot batch before you advertise widely. Ask the head office what support is available. If you are unsure, begin with software based projects and add hardware later.
Choose a level
- Younger children: simple circuits, paper and cardboard models, block based programming and short guided activities.
- Middle school: basic electronics with a battery, a switch and a motor or a light, and an introduction to a microcontroller board.
- Older students: working models and projects for school exhibitions and science fairs, with a report and a clear explanation of the science behind them.
Use the free guides
The site has detailed project guides with diagrams, a larger list of project ideas and a kids library for younger learners. Use them to pick a project that fits the time you have, the materials you can get and the age of the group. Read the whole guide and build the project yourself first, so that you know where students will get stuck.
Plan a session
- Start with the question the project answers, in one sentence.
- Show the finished model so everyone knows the goal.
- Explain the parts and what each does.
- Build in small steps, checking each step before the next.
- Test it, find what does not work and fix it together.
- Let each student explain their model to a neighbour in their own words.
Safety first
- Use low voltage battery supplies for children, not the mains.
- Teach the use of a soldering iron only to older students, with close supervision and ventilation, and keep it away from young children.
- Provide safety glasses where cutting, drilling or soldering is done, and keep long hair and loose clothing tied back.
- Keep a first aid box and know where the nearest doctor is.
- Count and store tools at the end of every session.
- Store batteries safely and never short circuit them.
Materials and cost
Prepare a materials list for each project and buy what you need before the session. Keep spares of small items that are easily lost. Decide with parents who pays for the kit and what the student takes home, and write it down. If you wish to buy ready made kits or components, the Amazon store linked on this site lists science project items.
In a school or at the centre
In a school, agree the room, the timing, the group size and the supervision with the principal beforehand, and bring everything you need. At the centre, keep a separate bench or table for hardware so that computers stay clean and dry. Either way, keep groups small enough for you to reach every child.
Show the results
Hold a small display at the end for parents or for the school. Let students present their own work. This is the best advertisement for your next class, and the students will be proud.
Be honest in your promises
Do not promise prizes, rankings or admissions. Say what children will make and learn, and let their work speak.
This guide is general advice for planning. It states no membership fee and promises no income, student numbers or acceptance of a certificate by any employer. Ask the head office for the current fee and terms in writing, and check local rules and tax with a professional. Use the planner to test your own numbers.