Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball with Programmable Sensors + LED Lights – STEM Educational Toy for Kids – Learn JavaScript, Scratch & Swift
$55.00
ScoopStaff
Last updated on January 3, 2023 12:30 am Details
- MORE THAN JUST A ROBOT: Sphero SPRK+ is a programmable robot ball designed to inspire creativity and curiosity through coding and play. Easily learn programming, complete hands-on activities, and share your creations with the community.
- PROGRAMMABLE SENSORS & LED LIGHTS: SPRK+’s programmable sensors include a gyroscope, accelerometer, motor encoders, and colorful LED lights to create countless play experiences and coding conditions for all levels.
- EASY TO CODE & CREATE: Powered by the Sphero Edu app, you can program SPRK+ across several platforms using JavaScript. Looking for more fun? Use the Sphero Play app to drive and play games with your coding bot.
- BUILT TO LEARN & PLAY: With an hour of play, this educational robot is scratch-resistant, waterproof, charges inductively and connects via Bluetooth SMART so you can see your commands and creations come to life.
- INSPIRING THE CREATORS OF TOMORROW: Founded in 2010, we set out to redefine creative play experiences with the original Sphero app-enabled robot ball. Now, with our undeniably cool fleet of programmable robots and educational tools, we’re inspiring a new generation through hands-on applied learning of coding, science, music and the arts.
Specification: Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball with Programmable Sensors + LED Lights – STEM Educational Toy for Kids – Learn JavaScript, Scratch & Swift
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13 reviews for Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball with Programmable Sensors + LED Lights – STEM Educational Toy for Kids – Learn JavaScript, Scratch & Swift
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Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball with Programmable Sensors + LED Lights – STEM Educational Toy for Kids – Learn JavaScript, Scratch & Swift
$55.00
ASPIEMAN –
These days, learning never ends. Even for adults. This robotic ball is an excellent way for us to learn what wasn’t available when we were kids. The best thing about the Sphero SPRK+ is that it makes learning “Fun” and “Exciting”.
Wandering –
This is a great little product to help learn programming skills. Ideal for people who like something visual to happen during the learning process. Lots of resources online. Downsides are the price and battery life could be better.
Chrissy –
I bought this for my class, I teach sixth grade math and robotics to sixth and seventh graders. I’m so happy with this purchase. I do recommend getting some kind of cover for it or keeping it off of hard flooring. The problem is they get scratched pretty easy and in a classroom setting the poor thing looks like it’s been abused. I did find a way around this by creating my own mazes. The kids get great joy watching and helping me create the maze and it is a huge skill to be able to program that Sphero to run the maze. I usually start my students off with using their finger to drive it, but then I move them to programming it to run the maze. It’s amazing how quickly they learn how to program. Some of my mazes are a little difficult and I know they get a little frustrated but they will work until they figure it out. I think this is probably one of the best things that I have purchased for my robotics class
Scott B. Bradley –
Sphero is doing some very cool work in the general space of educational and entertainment robotics. But the SPRK+ came as a bit of a disappointment. If you thought (as I did) that the “plus” of SPRK+ meant everything SPRK plus more, you’d be wrong. This Sphero does not work with the full range of Sphero apps, and this was in no way made clear to me until I spent hours trying to get it to connect to various apps on multiple iOS devices. This will ONLY work with the standard app (just called “Sphero”) and with the LightningLab app. Apps that do not work with this model include SpheroCam, Draw&Drive, and Chromo. There are probably others that I have not tried. Disappointing to say the least. I’d likely be giving 5 stars if it worked with those apps.
Amazon Customer –
Hit and miss with charging, connection and it got put in a cupboard never to be used again after the first day
Carrie –
This product is a huge disappointment. We bought two, on two consecutive Christmases. The first one would not maintain connection to any device (you’re supposed to be able to program it using an I-pod). I went through months of trouble-shooting emails back and forth with no resolution. The store that I bought the first one from went out of business. I figured we had a lemon so the following year I have it another try. Right away, the same problem occurred. It’s like an expensive remote-control car that doesn’t work. I’m $200 in for this product and neither one works.
Aaron R Sautter –
I bought this for my kid’s 5th birthday. I didn’t want to get some dumb toy that would almost instantly be thrown on the floor and forgotten about, nor something that was too advanced for him and have it sit around unused, for years. There are some amazing “toys” now, but many of them have a bunch of pieces and a complexity that means…if he plays with it, I play with it. Nope.
I wanted something that was simple, fun, and not too hard for a smart 5 year old to get going and have fun with, while also being something that he could learn from. I wanted something that wasn’t just cool for the next 2 months, but something that, as he learned, he could do more with. This fits the bill. As much as I researched things, I was still surprised by how much thought was put in to this.
On the basic, starting level, you have a bunch of ways to control it. Standard forward, back, right, left, but there are different ways. My kids, unfortunately, favor the “scream drive”, where you have to make noise to make it move. Even in the basic control section, there is a block programing mode. In addition to the control modes, there is a game section where you use the ball itself as the controller. That’s just the “Sphero Play” app, there is still the “Sphero Edu” app. I have only played with it a little, but I can’t wait for my kid to get to that level. Regardless, even with that, it takes very little to start getting the SPRK+ to draw shapes on the floor.
Overall, it might be a really expensive baseball, but it’s totally fun, there is a ton of room for growth, and my 5 and 3 year old’s love it.
Don’t make the mistake I made, make sure you buy a protective shell for it. Unless you only plan on running it on carpet, it’s going to get messed up really quick. It only took about 5 minutes, and mine is scarred. It still works perfectly fine, it just looks bad cosmetically from running it on laminate floors and tile. After those brutal 5 minutes, I had to take it away from my kids until the shell was ordered and delivered. They were not happy. It was $10 I didn’t think I needed to spend, and I was wrong.
Marty –
Very disappointed. The Sprk+ is advertised as working with Android. However I have not been able to connect it to any app. There is no flicker of recognition the device is there. The support material is poor. Support is almost non-existent. I emailed and they sent me a link to a page that does not exist and have not had a response since this. I have tried on 4 different devices with 3 different applications. Yet another thing that really only works with Apple. This is going to be sent baco
Brian Mac –
I have to say there are a lot of junk “robots” out there but this one is great. Very well made, you can be rough with it and it helps the kids learn how to program. Well worth the $130 price.
Allen Green –
My son loves this with lots of options available for him to play with. Great purchase and am very happy with this product.
K-Customer –
Good fun toy. The programming features aren’t intuitive. Wished I’d bought a regular Sphero after playing with this. £100 cheaper and more fun!
Katie –
My 6 (now 7 year old) took a Sphero coding class at our local Apple store. She loved it. So for her 7th Birthday we bought her this Sphero. I homeschool her so she works with her Sphero about at least once a week. She gets better and it every time. It is building great necessary skills that will enable her to go far in life! It’s fun and doesn’t feel like “school” when she is coding her robot through the path around our house. My husband creates patches using blue painters tape on our hardwood floor throughout the house.
Have also found it great with adding and estimating for the time, we try to set it all to the same speed then have her figure out how many seconds it will take to go the different lengths.
Grant R. Meyer –
I use this in my Physics class to help teach coding basics along with physics principles. Instead of just talking about distance, velocity, and acceleration, I place X’s in the hallway and the kids have to measure to them and create the code required to get there. They have to work out the coding blocks (which are really easy), and they can use whatever speed and time they want to get the desired distance. It works great, and the kids love using it.