Toca Robot Lab
By Mieke VanderBorght,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Build robots from recyclables and fly them around for fun.
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Toca Robot Lab
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Based on 1 parent review
Nice concept but under-delivers
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What’s It About?
In TOCA ROBOT LAB, build a robot using recycled materials such as scrap metal and household "junk." Choose from three options for the body, the head, arms, and legs. Every round of play offers different options, so kids make a different robot every time. Fly the completed robot around a maze-like test lab to collect stars and push balls and blocks around. Kids can choose their own path or use arrows to direct them to the giant magnet that whisks the robot away. Kids get a robot lab "test report" and then can start over again with a new robot.
Is It Any Good?
Toca Robot Lab gives kids a structure for experimenting with different ways to express themselves. Unlike a real-world play scene in which a kid constructs a toy, the app lets kids have access to things they may not have in real life. The downside is that interaction is limited to what's been programmed rather than what a child can imagine. Toca Robot Lab succeeds in that there are no rules, but there are limited choices for each body part and only one way to interact with completed robots, all of which have the exact same capabilities of movement and function regardless of how they're built. It would be nice to be able to move arms and legs or see robots roll if they have wheels, paint walls if they have paintbrush arms, and so on. This almost makes the robot construction seem futile.
The game might be more rewarding if kids could even take a picture of their robots. Within the test lab, however, kids may have to push items out of the way as they search for stars, and each obstacle moves a little differently, which adds a layer of interest and challenge, if only for toddlers. Relatively speaking, this is a shallower offering from Toca Boca, but kids will definitely love it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the robots kids create. What might this particular robot be able to do with a paintbrush for a hand and wheels for feet?
Get inspired by the virtual recycled materials and build something with things you have in your house. A robot, art, sculptures, a playhouse, a cardboard-box boat, whatever -- just make sure to be creative!
Read the letter from the developer for some inspiration on discussion starters and ways to engage with your kids.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Hobbies: building
- Skills: Creativity: imagination
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: February 23, 2015
- Category: Education
- Topics: Robots
- Publisher: Toca Boca
- Version: 1.2.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 5.0 or later
- Last updated: July 28, 2016
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