Last updated: 7 Feb 2024

You may have heard of the latest addition to the LEGO® Education collection; the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential. However, is it suitable for your needs at this point?

Parents and educators may find themselves asking whether it is worth jumping to the SPIKE™ Essential as the WeDo 2.0 is so well established.

The Quiz

Try answering these 10 questions and at the end, we'll recommend which set is most appropriate for you and your child's needs.

1. Is your child looking for a long-term robotics education tool?

No = short-term robotics education tool (less than a year)
Yes = long-term robotics education tool (more than a year)

2. Does your child prefer having a teacher/instructor around for moral support and technical assistance?

No = self-learner who prefers to search and follow tutorials on his own from Youtube and blog posts
Yes = prefers guided learning experiences and having an adult to answer their curious questions, especially for open-ended projects

3. Is your child interested in competing in robotics competitions for as long as possible?

No = one-time off competition for a fun experience
Yes = interested in building portfolio and honing skills related to robotics & engineering

4. Is your child interested in technical and scientific themes of robotics models?

No = more interested in fun, kiddy themes such as dinosaurs, fairy tales, racing cars
Yes = more interested in intellectual and scientific themes such as climate change solutions, industrial transportation, useful machines, security systems

5. Is your child's personal learning device (PLD) made in mid 2020 or later?

No = PLD was manufactured before June 2020
Yes = PLD was manufactured after June 2020

6. Are you looking to buy a set? (Alternative is to rent)

No = Prefer to rent the set (not brand new)
Yes = Buy the set

The Results

If most of your answers are "No", then your child is better off with the LEGO® Education WeDo 2.0 for now as:

Example Models

1. Lots of Free Resources - It has been around for some time and therefore has a rich library of free tutorials online that your child can follow independently.
   
   
2. For Fun Experiences - There are many robotics education providers in Singapore that specialise in creating a fun experience for their junior clients which uses the WeDo 2.0. SPIKE™ Essential is relatively new and is mostly used by schools and competitive organisations to allow their students to specialise in the SPIKE robotics series for long term training.
   
   
3. Great for Very Basic Building - While the WeDo 2.0 has some serious and intellectual models as well, the set is not primed for data collection and prototyping like the SPIKE™ series but rather, focuses more on building and basic movements of the models.
   
   
4. Great for Older Devices - If your child's device is of an older generation of PLDs, then it has a higher chance of being compatible with the WeDo 2.0 set. The WeDo 2.0 is set to be retired very soon so there may not be any updates for the programming apps once it has been retired. This could mean the apps may not work with the PLD if the app only works with older versions of operating systems of the device.
   
   
5. Rental Preferred - There are plenty of WeDo 2.0 rental options so if your aim is to rent a set for less than 6 months, then you don't have to worry about getting your hands on one. WeDo 2.0 sets are no longer in production so once the items are out of stock by authorised distributors, you cannot purchase them firsthand anymore.

If most of your answers are "Yes", then it is best to invest in a LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential set as:

1. Great Long-Term Solution - SPIKE™ Essential is part of the LEGO® Learning System together with BricQ Motion Essential & Prime, and SPIKE™ Prime. It has a clear path of progression and allows students to build upon what they already know. Great for long-term robotics and STEM students!
   
   
2. Great for Competitions - SPIKE™ Essential is relatively new but is mostly used by schools and competitive organisations to allow their students to specialise in the SPIKE™ robotics series for long term training for competitions such as the National Robotics Competition, Global Robotics Games and FIRST® LEGO® League (Local and International).
   
   
3. Primed for New Devices - If your child is using the latest personal learning devices or PLDs, then you might want to use the SPIKE™ app instead as the WeDo app is not compatible with newer devices due to its upcoming retirement and lack of app updates.
   
   
4. Great for Advanced Concepts and Prototyping - The SPIKE™ Essential is superior in its function as it allows for data collection and advanced prototyping (especially when paired with other parts from the LEGO® Learning System), rather than just building and programming of basic movements with the WeDo 2.0 set. If your child is like to outgrow the WeDo 2.0 set quickly, better to get the SPIKE™
    
5. Easy to Purchase - If you are looking to purchase a set, you might have better luck getting your hands on the SPIKE™ Essential with warranties. The WeDo 2.0 is no longer being produced by LEGO® Education. If you require a whole set or spare parts in the near future, you may have to search for secondhand sellers or be stuck with paying rental fees for long term courses.
   
   
   

Did our article help you decide which set is best for your child?

If you're still unsure, drop us an email at learn@ducklearning.com for a further assessment of your child or school's requirements.

 Last updated: 7 Feb 2024