Everything you need to know about this early learning tool

indi Robot by Sphero Review

Kids are always full of surprises! They are little balls of innocence trying to discover the wonders of the world through their intensive curiosity. They ask “what’s this and what’s that” and a whole lot of whys. While they are in this phase, parents can help them develop and enhance computational thinking skills. It will teach them how to create, innovate, and solve problems on their own.

But for kids to learn effectively, the materials or tools they use should also harness the power of fun and play. Learning coding, the basics of programming, or computer science principles at an early age may be a little too advanced for children ages 4 and up. Gladly, with modern evolutions, there’s a way to make them understand the coding concept, the easy way!

indi Robot by Sphero is a learning tool that teaches children the basics of coding, STEAM, and computer science principles minus the screen (well, at first)! It encourages open-ended play that will deliver hours of enjoyment for young learners. The company is focused on inspiring the creators of tomorrow by providing educational tools that push their imagination and perseverance to the highest limit.

My kids love the idea of programming, and we’re fans of Indi Robot too! To give you a better glimpse of what this learning tool has to offer, continue reading for our full review.

indi Robot by Sphero Benefits & Drawbacks:

Here’s a list of advantages and disadvantages of Indi Robot:

indi Robot by Sphero Benefits

• A robotic toy that teaches coding with screen and app-enabled options
• Encourages kids to design and build mazes
• Inspires open-ended imaginative play
• Develops and encourages computational thinking and problem-solving skills
• Fun and educational at the same time
• Comes with decals to decorate the robot

indi Robot by Sphero Drawbacks

• The battery cannot be replaced

My indi Robot by Sphero Review

To see how cute and exciting the indi Robot actually is, here’s our review of the indi Robot by Sphero At-Home Learning Kit.

What is indi Robot?

indi is a learning robot designed for children ages 4 and up that encourages open-ended, imaginative play-based learning. This is perfect for early learners as it encourages creative play and is a great way to introduce children to the fundamentals of computational thinking and computer science principles.

You can also purchase this robot with the Sphero indi At-Home Learning Kit for $100 on Amazon! It’s a blue car-shaped robot that features a colorful light-up face and sturdy wheels. It also comes with a charging cable, which you can use to recharge once the robot’s battery runs low. Our four-year-old has no problem charging it all by herself.

TIP: If you’re looking for a discount on the indi Robot, there aren’t any coupon codes. However, if you purchase it on Amazon with your Amazon Prime Visa, you’ll get 5% back in rewards.

Sphero, as a company, is really experienced in creating coding robots – they also make the BOLT and RVR for older kids (which we purchased several years ago on Kickstarter). My daughter was really interested in these, so when Sphero reached out to us for a review, this was a no-brainer. We’re already fans and our kids love programming robots!

What comes with the indi Robot?

Color cards are used to control indi, with each color corresponding to a different action. For example, yellow cards make the robot slow down, while green cards make the robot start or go faster. There are also other actions that can be performed using different colors, such as turning left or right or stopping.

Sticker packs are also included in the indi Learning Kit to add personality and fun to the robot. There are flat white tapes to hold the cards down, but we found we didn’t need to use these, even on a hard floor. Too much rearranging to do!

The beginners’ instruction manual was easy to follow, and my kids got started right away. Aside from the instructions, there are also fun visuals, tips, and tricks on how to get the most out of the indi Robot. Adhesive tapes are also provided to put the color cards in place.

Learning STEAM with indi

After we finished setting up the robot, my daughter was ready to play. She had so much fun programming the robot so it can perform the various actions. She also enjoyed creating mazes for the indi robot using the colored cards. Using all of the tools in tandem was a great way to encourage creative play while simultaneously teaching coding principles such as sequencing, timing, and logic. Her favorite is the purple celebration card – the robot spins and plays a little song! As my daughter played, she kept experimenting with different ways to set up the cards. If she forgot the directions for a card, she conducted an experiment to determine what happened. I found this even better than the logical learning of coding – experimental learning is so exciting!

When the kids become familiar with screenless programming, it’s time to move on to the Sphero Edu Jr app. In this kid-friendly app, they will be introduced to basic block coding concepts, and they will also learn how to reconfigure how indi reacts to the colors. The app features a highly-visual interface that makes it easy for young children to use even without adult assistance. It’s available on both Android and iOS.

Is The indi Robot by Sphero Worth It?

Overall, I was really impressed with the indi robot and what it has to offer for early learners. It’s a great way to teach coding basics, computational thinking, and problem-solving skills in an engaging and creative way. It really encouraged my daughter to engage in a screenless activity, which is always a bonus in my book. It was also a great way to spark kids’ interest in computer science at an early age as indi introduces them to STEAM concepts through playful learning. At $100, the Sphero indi At-Home Learning Kit might be pricier than other educational toys, but it’s well worth the investment, and she’s returned to it often in the 2 short months that we’ve had it. I feel that it’s an excellent value for the money and can be used to teach a variety of skills in a fun and engaging way.

All About indi Robot by Sphero

Coding is an essential skill for the future, and indi Robot by Sphero is a great way to introduce children to the basics of coding. It offers a fun programming experience where kids can use the onboard color sensor to program their robot without any screen required (at least in the first stage).

How does Indi Robot by Sphero work?

indi Robot by Sphero is not a subscription – it’s one and done! All you have to do is buy the Sphero indi At-Home Learning Kit, and it’s for your child to keep and play with forever. The toy has a color sensor, coding concepts, Bluetooth communication, LED lights, a USB charging port, and an onboard speaker that adds to the fun! It offers both unplugged and connected coding experiences for Pre-K to 2^nd-grade aged kids.

Young learners can design and create a maze while sharpening computational thinking skills. They will learn how to drive and control the robot, either screenless or through the app. Kids can also learn basic programming skills with the new drag-and-drop blocks on the Sphero Edu Jr App. The Indi Robot also fosters creativity as children can express their creative side with the included stickers to design the toy car.

The kit comes with different color cards that will determine how the robot will move: Green to go faster, Yellow to slow down, Red to stop, Purple to celebrate, Pink to turn 90° left, Blue to turn 90° right, Orange to turn 45° left, and Teal to turn 45° right. The robot’s eyes will turn blue to indicate it is charging and turn off when fully charged.

There is also a one-year warranty on the product, and they’ll honor repairs considering it meets their terms and conditions (visit their website for complete details about the warranty policy). And if there’s any reason you aren’t satisfied with the product and want to return the item, you can reach out to them within 30 days of the delivery date. 

How much does indi Robot by Sphero cost?

Sphero indi Robot At-home Learning Kit costs $100 (+ shipping and taxes). It includes the robot, 30 color cards, two decorative sticker sheets, a charging cable, and a beginner’s guide for easy operating the car toy, plus 500+ pieces of adhesive tapes to secure the color cards. They also offer the Sphero indi Educational Robot Student Kit for $125, to engage 1-3 students at a time and the Sphero indi Education Robot Class Pack for $1200, which includes 8 indi Robots, color tiles, storage, a charging case, and standards-aligned lesson plans in their indi Educator Guide Book.

You can also purchase the Sphero Care extended warranty, which provides coverage for accidental damages for 1 year ($61.99), 2 years ($81.99), or 3 years ($109.99). The company also offers accessories, such as an indi Charging Case ($200), indi Color Card Kit ($19), indi Durable Color Tiles ($49), indi Educator Guide Book ($35), indi Student Carrying Case ($25), and an indi Class Pack AC Power Supply Adapter ($35).

Where can I buy the indi Robot by Sphero?

The indi Robot is available for purchase through Sphero’s official website. They also have authorized resellers where you can buy an indi Robot – Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Apple. Add the Sphero indi Robot At-Home Learning Kit to your cart, then wait for it to show up at your door!

Where and how does indi Robot by Sphero ship?

indi Robot by Sphero ships worldwide, including US military addresses. All orders ship from their warehouse from Monday to Thursday, which is located outside of Dallas, Texas. Most orders are shipped via UPS or USPS. You also have the option to choose the delivery speed that works best for your schedule – next day, 2-day, 3-day, and ground shipping. Orders are shipped within 24-48 hours after the order is placed. Once it has shipped, you’ll receive an email with tracking information.

How is indi Robot by Sphero packaged?

The indi Robot by Sphero comes to your door like a subscription box. It is packaged in a mailer box with Sphero branding. The robot is nestled in a cardboard tray and protected with plastic films and wrapping to prevent it from getting scratches and scuffs while en route. All other inclusions are neatly organized in the box just below the robot.

What other products does Sphero sell?

Aside from the indi Robot Kit that Sphero sells, you can also purchase separate accessories for your robot like a charging case, color card kit, durable color tiles, educator guide book, student carrying case, and a class pack AC power supply adapter.

There are also other versions of coding robots offered on their site. First is the Sphero Mini, a beginner-friendly bot great for driving, gaming, and teaching the basics of coding and computer science. The Sphero BOLT is their best-selling bot with endless possibilities for creative expression, great for beginner to advanced coders. There is also the Sphero RVR, which is highly customizable with 3rd party hardware compatibility and can go anywhere with its all-terrain treads.

You can also purchase ramps and obstacles to make the power play more exciting and fun! Accessories for robots other than indi are also available on their website, including batteries, code mats, and more.

Is the indi Robot by Sphero a perfect gift choice?

A lot of parents think it’s one of the best gifts to give to little ones. It’s fun and educational, creating hours of non-stop, open-ended imaginative play! Gifting the robot kit is easy too! Simply add it to your cart, address it to your giftee, provide them with your payment details, and your gift is good to go!

You can find indi at Sphero or on Amazon, for a quick and easy gift! What do you think of the Sphero indi Robot?