So we are currently going to do a demo which there will be kids at and Im leading the set up of this demo. So my question to CD is do you know any games that would be good for kids perfabily one that they win candy in. We dont have a lot of space for the demo so I was wondering your Ideas?
Are we talking robot games, or regular games?
Vex/Textrix robots or FRC sized robots?
How long should the demo be?
Games to entertain kids at a demo that would have to do with robotics.
If you have Vex kits, you could make a simple game with 3-4 Vex robots, some balls and a ramp.
Each kid controls a Vex bot, and the arena is a circle/track with a “steep” ramp on one side. (30-45 degrees)
Small balls are placed around the “track”, and the object is to herd these balls around the track. Each lap with a ball earns that bot/kid a piece of candy.
Place a large/heavy ball (think soccerball…or trackball. ) in the center, heavy enough that one single bot can’t push it. However, if 2 or more bots team together, they can push it up and over the ramp, earning ALL kids 5 pieces of candy.
Of course, Vex “battlebots” also works. Pushing matches are fun…
If the demo is long enough, let kids form teams and make devices to help push balls/push other bots.
Bouncing on this topic, what could you do at demos with FRC bots to entertain/interact with young kids? Particularly a Logomotion bot. This and the breakaway bot seem so much harder to have fun interaction with kids, compared to say, a Lunacy bot.
I dont mean like a frc game or vex or anything like that… I must of not explained it good but what I would like ideas is for some small game to entertain kids. We have the robot but im wanting something else and they would win prizes or something.
Pin the uber tube on the rack.
Talk to the kids about how in autonomous, the robot has to hang the tubes blind (unless you use the camera which ruins the game).
Allow the kid to practice with their eyes open, then blindfold them and give them the ubertube to hang. Low rack gets 1 piece of candy. Middle rack gets 2 pieces of candy, and high rack gets 3 pieces of candy.
I would not have an actual “rack”, but a board that they could hang paper ubertubes on. that way they don’t poke an eye out on the rack.
This past weekend, we just did this exact thing with 234. We set up one scoring grid, put our drivers stations next to each other, and let kids go at it. A team member stood with them as a ‘coach’ and directed the driver/operator what to do. For especially young kids, parents work well as drivers.
We had several kids, toddlers, even our superintendent, asst. super, and a clown drove our robots. It was great fun.
The idea of “pin the tube on the rack” is amazing and the only thing I don’t like about it is that I hadn’t thought of it myself. Request permission to steal.
I have organized and participated in dozens of demos and the best are when the children get to drive the robot. This is the best way to get there attention bar none.
Now there are some things that need to be implemented to keep this safe such as establishing a coned off area or use caution tap. At all times one student or mentor needs to have there fingers on a kill switch. The biggest problem is getting the children to leave
Something Wayne and i have been talking about for years
Stuff as many of them into a VW beetle as you can.
One of the things our team did on Kickoff was “Human Logomotion” where we either “crab walked” around or we walked but were guided by a human driver. When we had a human driver, the “robot” eyes were closed until we were within the scoring zone so we can score without poking our eyes out.
Thank everyone for the ideas I like the logo motion idea of pin the tube on the peg nice ideas everyone thanks again.