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From Block-Based to Python: Navigating the Coding Journey with SPIKE Prime 

Coding is seldom a “fun” subject when you’re getting started. For beginners, coding lessons take a while before they can ‘do’ or create things. Because of the steep learning curve, it's a while before it becomes interesting, and until then, you’re just learning things in the hopes that it will someday be useful. 

Adults often understand the benefits and will stick through the boring part. Kids? Not so much.

To bridge this gap, many other organisations have come up with block-based coding programs for kids.

But how do we get kids from block-based coding and visual programming to text-based coding languages? That’s where

Screen-Free Learning: Why Unplugged STEM Toys are Crucial for Brain Development

The World Health Organisation has issued very strict restrictions on screen time for kids. 

According to WHO:

• Kids under the age of 1 shouldn’t have any screentime.

What Makes a Toy Truly Educational? A Buyer’s Guide for GCC Parents 

With the new heightened increase in STEM subjects and learning toys, there are a lot of toy manufacturers that have rebranded their existing product lines as learning tools. In many instances, these toys or learning tools don’t help children learn new skills or enhance their capacity for learning.  

Some of the tools that claim to help children learn coding rarely work and may be actively harming children by promoting excessive screen usage at a young age. At the same time, the right educational toys can help students significantly understand complex STEAM concepts even at a young age.  

Educators, schools, and parents have long tried different strategies to make classrooms and lessons more engaging for students. From colourful charts and interactive board games to animated videos and VR experiences, there have been different approaches to help students have a better experience in classrooms.

LEGO Education arose from the same place: to give students a better classroom experience and keep them engaged while learning complex concepts.

But how are these LEGO kits any different from other regular toys or games, or diagrams that educators have used in their classrooms? Do they offer more for students or schools in terms of learning outcomes or student engagement?  

In this article, we aim to explore these questions.

What is LEGO Education? 

Every school that has tried to implement STEAM education understands the pressure. There is no shortage of talk about the importance of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in preparing young people for the realities of the future workforce. Every principal, curriculum director, and teacher has heard the promise that STEAM will build problem solvers and innovators who can succeed in industries that did not even exist a decade ago. This is true, but it is also incomplete.

For most schools, the shift to STEAM is not just a matter of enthusiasm or policy, but a daily struggle with real barriers that are stubborn and complex. Leaders in education are expected to deliver modern learning without a pause in daily operations, without a limitless budget, and without a staff that is always ready to adapt. The weight of this work does not get enough attention.

Key Challenges Schools Face in Implementing STEAM Education

Every challenge in

LEGO WeDo 2.0 Robotics Kit, a key tool for science and engineering learning in early years

Science and engineering have always been difficult to grasp without practical exposure as they become boring and hard to retain. There is growing evidence that children as young as 4-8 learn important science and engineering skills from play and early learning activities. These activities, when supported well, can lay the foundation for them to bloom into future scientists and engineers. Students who are introduced to practical science and engineering learning at an elementary level are able to embrace innovation, flexibility and adaptability to become successful in dynamic technology-driven workplaces.

Role of STEM in early learning