Meet DASH! A Robot that Makes STEM Learning Fun
I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. We have affiliate links for Best Buy in the post. There is no charge to you for using them & our family receives a small commission from purchases made through them.
If you pay attention to education at all, you’ll recognize that STEM Learning is a key focus for many educators. As a family where both parents have degrees in the sciences, it is a key focus for us as well. The challenge is in finding ways to engage the kids so they have fun and want to learn more.
Meet DASH! A Robot that Makes STEM Learning Fun
DASH is a robot from Wonder Workshop. He is a real robot, fully charged and ready to go out of the box. Your child can get him to respond to voice, navigate objects, dance, and sing. All without using a book or attending a robotics camp!
The tripod build makes him sturdy. His ‘wheels’ on each ‘leg’ allow him to move at speeds up to 3.3 ft/second.
When you purchase a DASH Robot, you’ll receive:
1 DASH
1 Charging Cord (bright orange to make it easy to find!)
2 Building Brick Connectors
Getting Started Guide
You use an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet to program DASH. Wonder Workshop offers several different apps to control DASH’s behaviors. Three of them are easy enough for a preschooler to use while the other 2 are meant for ages 8 and up.
By purchasing different attachments, you can expand the abilities of DASH. Right now, they offer a launcher, xylophone, bulldozer bar, smartphone mount, and bunny ears in addition to building brick connectors like the ones which come in the base kit.
What Our Family Thinks of DASH for STEM Learning
I could make a blanket statement and just say that DASH is fun.
Or, I could go a step further and say that DASH is engaging.
However, what I will say is my 1st-grade son quickly become obsessed with DASH.
He’s wake up wanting to turn DASH on and then starts talking to him. “Here, DASH!” “Come to me, DASH!” “That’s a good boy, DASH!”
I think the fact said son does it in a sing-song voice many take up with infants or pets is what drives my 8th-grade son a little crazy. That doesn’t stop him from enjoying his own use of DASH driving the robot through the house and making him say silly statements.
Yeah, I guess you can say DASH is a hit in the house.
That’s something which brings a bit of joy to this homeschool mama’s heart.
I want the boys to like STEM subjects. I know that they won’t love every one of them. However, I can take steps to make the process of learning those topics more interesting. Adding DASH to the house is one of them.
Watch Our Unboxing and Initial Use of DASH for STEM Learning
Using DASH as part of a technology-focused course is definitely a great step in the right direction. I give it a thumbs up and say it will make a great addition to any house with preschool through middle school students. Whether given as a gift (birthday or holiday) or bought for a homeschool, I suspect your child will love it. Most of all, they will be actively learning in an engaging and playful manner.
How do you approach the STEM subjects in your homeschool?
Are robots like DASH a part of technology learning in the home?
What feature(s) of DASH would your kids most enjoy exploring?
