Please note, items were gifted as part of this campaign, but with no obligation to review. We are writing this because the campaign is something close to our hearts.

Words can’t describe how honoured we are to have been invited to be a part of the Learning Resources UK Building Someone Amazing campaign and review one of their Top 10 educational toys for Christmas.

Through the 2020 lockdown, Learning Resources UK educational games and activities became a huge part of our lives, and so to have been invited to be part of this campaign, it really did mean so much to us.

We thought we’d share a little about the campaign, our review of Botley the coding robot, and an insight into some of their top 10 educational toys for Christmas for anyone interested in some gift inspiration.

Building Someone Amazing campaign

The Building Someone Amazing campaign aims to give families the tools they need to help pave their children’s futures through their learning, in short using toys to “help to build amazing and curious children who love to learn”.

Learning Resources UK has a whole host of learning games, toys and activities to help children to learn while having fun, including some incredible STEM learning activities, which is something we are keen to support Lily with, in the hope that she knows that she can grow up to be anything she wants to be.

According to Learning Resources: “What we are doing, every day, is building through play, teaching the fundamentals of learning. The toys you choose for children are the building blocks that help build who it is they will become. You are building someone amazing.”

As part of Building Someone Amazing, the team have chosen their top 10 educational toys for Christmas, with some incredible ideas for gifts that help learning through play.

Botley 2.0 The Coding Robot Activity Set

First up on their list for their top educational toys this Christmas is the Botley 2.0 Coding Robot Activity Set, which we were honoured to have had the opportunity to review, and as you can tell by Lily’s face, she is already in love with her new robot!

Botley 2.0 is a coding robot that introduces children from the age of 5 to the joys of STEM and coding, and is something that will grow with them as they learn and develop.

It is really simple to use with a clear remote control, where you press the order of the journey you wish Botley to take, press the send button, and then he heads off on your adventures. All you need are 5 AAA batteries and he is ready to go.

There is also a sensor on the bottom to switch him into a different mode, and he will follow the black line on the path in front of him, so children can use the “jigsaw” cardboard pieces to create his journey.

Lily treats him like a little pet and finds him absolutely hilarious with all the little noises he makes as well as the lights and colours as he goes along. He even has his own light show!

I know this will be something that will grow with her and will help her learn to understand the basics of coding, without even realise she is doing so.

The joy of Learning Resources toys and activities is that they are learning while having fun, and Botley really is something that will be part of her learning for many years.

Now she is back at school, I’m planning on finding a lunchbreak to have a little play with Botley myself, and work out what else he can do too.

If you’re looking for something different this year for Christmas, Botley is a great friend, robot pet and learning toy to have under the tree for every kid who loves to learn while having fun.

A massive thank you again to Learning Resources UK for inviting us to be a part of this incredible campaign, we really cannot thank you enough.

For more information about Botley 2.0 Coding Robot Set, click here.

For the Learning Resources UK Top 10 Educational Toys this Christmas, click here.

For more ideas from Learning Resources UK, check out our lockdown favorites here.