ABSTRACT
KIBO is a robot kit specifically designed for children ages 4–7 years old. Young children learn by doing, thus KIBO provides opportunities for doing different things. Designed with a playground approach, KIBO supports children in making almost anything: a character from a story, a carousel, a dancer, a dog sled. KIBO has a "plug and play" connection system. The design of KIBO is aimed at shifting the problem-solving focus away from low-level problems towards high-level problem solving. KIBO involves children in making their own robots and programming their behaviors. The engineering design process required for building and the computational thinking involved in programming foster competence in computer literacy and technological fluency. Adeline Yeo, senior manager of Education/Sector Innovation for Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), after visiting a Learning Festival organized by one of the operators who has implemented PlayMaker and KIBO in preschool centers, shares how impressed she was to see the children and teachers's effort.
