Institute of ImaginationRobot LabRobot Lab

Make a robot

Robot Lab

Eight activities to build a robot: four for its body and four for its brain.

For children aged 7 to 11, and their families.

Choose an activity
  • A paper cup robot with a blue tape sail on a stick, turned by a servo inside the cup, with a micro:bit in its servo board in front
  • A tall robot made from white boxes and brown paper tape, with a cone nose, card wings and a micro:bit on its chest
  • A cardboard kaleidoscope cube with a round window and holes in the top
  • A paper boat on paper waves in a box, moved by a wire crank

Activities

All eight activities

  • Build a body

    Make it roll!

    A box that rolls on bottle cap wheels when you pull its string.

    • About 40 minutes
  • Build a body

    Kaleidoscope boxes

    Fold card squares and triangles into a 3D shape with glowing coloured windows.

    • About 45 minutes
  • Build a body

    Kinetic shapes

    Card strips and shapes joined with split pins so they swing and wave.

    • About 40 minutes
  • Build a body

    Matchbox automata

    Turn the handle and your character rides up and down.

    • About 45 minutes
  • Give it a brain

    micro:bit name badge

    Code a micro:bit badge that plays an animation and shows your name.

    • About 45 minutes
  • Give it a brain

    Build a cardboard robot

    A box robot that waves or spins its arms when it senses you.

    • About 1 hour 30 minutes

Your robot

Body and brain