ROBOTIS Play 600 Pets Kit

The media could not be loaded. I work with gifted students so I'm continually looking for STEM robotics kits that are challenging, engaging, and quality.There are several reasons why I liked this kit and invested in more kits for my students:1) It has an easy-to-read manual for step-by-step assembly. It also has a solid Robotis M-design app that allows you build from your phone or tablet. Lots of models to choose from so this isn't a one and done activity. Building on the app also turns the figure in different 3-d positions which benefits spatial reasoning.2) The pieces for the Robotis Pets Play 600 are larger than the Robotis Dinos Play 300 set. The larger size are perfect for smaller fingers that are still developing fine motor skills. If you've got a sharp five or six year old they can pretty much build these on their own. [Note: the Dinos set isn't bad. I use that set as well. The Dinos 300 set is probably better suited for ages 8+ because of the smaller size of the pieces (which is actually what the Robotis website recommends). Think of the Play 600 set as a warm-up to the Dinos 300 set - which is confusing because of the set numbers right?]3) The pieces seem to be durable. We've built several models and taken them apart again. This is usually the big test. It assembles and disassembles quickly for a fun build but not too long build and a quick restoring. Sometimes you need a little more force to take out the pieces but they give you a good tool to help with this.4) Box - It's small so it travels and tucks away well.5) The circular movement on the sides for the legs. It teaches about locomotion and logic. Kids love robots that actually move and have personality. These typically only move in a straight line when the button is pushed. But you won't mind because these little robots have character. Besides if you're wanting AI and robotic interaction, you'll need to spend more, like on a CodeyRocky or a Cozmo.What this set doesn't offer but should consider in the future:-a way to do computer coding/programmingI think the Play 700 set is app-controlled and has a line following feature. But it is also over double the price. This set, the Robotis Play Pets 600 is really reasonable for $40.-batteries - for $40 why not throw in 2 AA batteries?-more Play sets to pick from and match with. This set seems to be the most popular of the Robotis sets.

We purchased this set for my 5 year old's birthday. He is really into things that move and loves to build. The set builds three different pets, but you can only build one at a time since there is only one battery pack. My son wasn't bothered by this. He's a little young, so I assisted him in putting them together, but he did a good job finding all the pieces that were needed for each pet. It was a good learning activity for him. To see the joy on his face when we got the dog to walk and the bird to roll was fantastic! I will say though, that when we built the dog, the head, leg set or ears would pretty easily pull out. I wish the pieces would stick in better. I had to constantly put them back in. The dog was the trickiest to put together. There are no words in the instructions, just pictures, so you have to follow it very carefully and understand what the picture is trying to say, especially when it comes to aligning the legs so that he "walks" properly. Given the opportunity, we would definitely buy again! It was a pricey purchase, but overall worth it. I look forward to him being able to build the pets himself as he grows up.

This is one of the better toys to play with an imaginative little kit. It comes with a small "engine", which provides torque for a pair of wheels, and a set of "lego" like pieces. The pieces are attached using pegs of two different sizes (one connects two on top of each other, one connect three). Overall we were very pleased with the toys we were able to build. However there is a downside, the pegs are difficult to remove when you need it, and falls off easily when you don't want them to. This makes the finished toys a bit fragile, and they need constant repair.The kit comes with three projects of increasing difficulty. The "dog" you see on the picture is the medium one, while four more are provided on the web site. (Of course you can come up with further designs).It is very simple, since there is only one constant motion, and you cannot design a "robot" like the lego mindstorms, however it is also simple enough to be picked up by a much younger child. I would highly recommend it, both for your kid, and also for yourself, since it is fun to tinker with the young ones.

I purchased the Play 600 Pets kit on Prime Day 2017 when looking for any STEM related toys. My 5 year old son has taken an interest in robotics, and I was looking for a toy that would start him on the right path. The Play 600 Pets kit is fantastic. The instructions are simple to follow. If you're familiar with the Lego-style step-by-step illustrations, then you'll be completely comfortable with these. The pieces are easy to manipulate for my son, requiring me to only assist to line up a piece here or there. This is a terrific way to boost confidence in building his own creations. The kit can create 4 different robot pets with the included manual and others once you download the smart phone app. My son particularly enjoyed using the app and the toy to create new robots. He’s had it for a week now and his favorite is the Cricket. The only advice I will give is be aware that the “L” angle pieces have a long and short side. That might not be apparent at first, but is critical to putting the robots together correctly. All in all, a fantastic toy and learning experience. I will definitely be getting additional kits.

Really excited for my daughter to play with it but the motor never worked properly so the animals never moved. So sad!!

very easy to configure