LEGO Mindstorm

[little_bopeep]

Has anyone bought any of the Mindstorm kits? I have an incredibly bright 12-yr-old, and I think he'd be great at building them. But I'm wondering about the kits themselves and if they're worth the huge pricetags.

[Aubergine]

oh, geez, i didn't know about this....i just bought a gift for a terribly bright 12-y-o, something called "Mayan Quest" (i think). how expensive are these Legos?

need help here, b/c my DS stopped legos at around 7 (i think)

[badunnin]

I used to work with FIRST robotics, and their division for younger kids, FIRST LegoLeague. Mindstorm is *awesome*.

Aubergine - the NXT set goes for $250, and 2.0 goes for about $200.

[little_bopeep]

Here's (http://search2.lego.com/exec/?q=mindstorm&pt=initial&lang=2057&cc=US&u=)
one page I found. They're robotic LEGO kits. Rob doesn't build with the little blocks much any more, but he creates huge and intricate Bionicles.

[jmarie]

My son would have loved those at 12 years! I say go for it! The more complex the lego, the more he wanted it. He could build those intricate pieces just looking at the picture! And then go on with his own designs! He would have loved that kit! Probably still would :D
Joyce

[Chefzhat]

Susan, Patrick LOVES his. He got it for Christmas over a year ago - he's gotten lots of use out of it.

[little_bopeep]

Ya know, Debie...I was thinking of you and your Rob when I posted this! Glad to know that Patrick loves his. Remind me how old he is?

[Chefzhat]

He got it when he was 12. Now he's 14.

[Beth]

My 12 yr old did the First Lego League competitions for 2 years using the Mindstorm kit. They are expensive, but you are paying for a programmable robot (CRX), the software and some unique cables and such. Beyong that, the kids can use the Lego peices thay have to build whatever their imagination and the limits of the CRX will allow. The software is pretty simple t use, but they have to think about how to build and sequence their program. They learn about the different sensors. I think one or two come witht he set and there are additional ones you can buy.

This past year, my son worked with another student to build a robot from scratch (anyone remember me pulling my hair out because they hadn't gotten their motors in December when they were supposed to have them not later than October?). They were not allowed to program in this competition -- it had to be run by a hard wired remote control box, but what he learned with the Lego competition really helped them. They won third place with everything going against them! :eek:

So I'd say yes -- they are worth it.

[Aubergine]

my heavens, how times have changed!!! perhaps not for the better. tx for the info. gee, when i was 12....

[Chefzhat]

my heavens, how times have changed!!! perhaps not for the better. tx for the info. gee, when i was 12....

Meaning what, exactly??

[stefania4]

Um, am I going to be the only one to say that my DH really thinks they're great?

[gertdog]

Um, am I going to be the only one to say that my DH really thinks they're great?

I can't say that my DH has experience with them, but the museum where I worked for a few years used to have parent-child Robotics workshops and sometimes it was awfully hard to tear the adults away at the end of the session. I know I spent an afternoon totally engaged in building a simple robot and then programming it. After that I was in awe of some of the kids' creativity and skill!

[little_bopeep]

Um, am I going to be the only one to say that my DH really thinks they're great?

No, mine would be right there with him . :D

[Beth]

my heavens, how times have changed!!! perhaps not for the better. tx for the info. gee, when i was 12....

Yes, and when I was 12 (no one had a home computer and it would take a room or two to house what is in that CRX) and when my parents were 12 (they didn't have a TV, much less dream of a home computer or building robots for school) ..... but if I tried to keep my kids where I was when I was 12, they wouldn't be at all prepared for the world ahead of them -- not to mention that I'd have huge behavioral and social problems from trying to reign them back.

What is your problem with kids learning analytical thinking, problem solving and teamwork with something they just think is fun?

And no, stepania4, you wouldn't be alone. Adults enjoy them too. In fact, my son first used the Mindstorm kit in a class where we learned that they are also used to teach adults in corporate settings those same problems solving and teamwork skills.

[Aubergine]

What is your problem with kids learning analytical thinking, problem solving and teamwork with something they just think is fun?


no, no, and no...that came out sounding all wrong, and i'm truly sorry. it sounds like an excellent system; my DS would have taken to it like a duck to water. in fact, if anyone is curious, this is my DS; had i not encouraged and indulged his endless curiosity, he would not be where he is today. you're quite correct; it is a very different world. it would be difficult for me to explain what i meant.

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/04/18_medalist.shtml

[Chefzhat]

What an accomplishment for your son - I love to see the brainy ones and what they can do!

Congratulations to him.

[Aubergine]

What an accomplishment for your son - I love to see the brainy ones and what they can do!

Congratulations to him.

thank you for your kind words. i am not one given to boasting, so i didn't want to make a point of this. however, i wanted to give other parents encouragement. go for it! satisfy their thirst to learn.

if only you could have seen the local AC Press article..."It's usually the athletes who garner the awards, " etc. well written, and story of his life, being a brainiac instead of athletic. he/we had a very difficult row to hoe. i cried myself to sleep many nights, and so did Lane.