I bought the Kano Computer Kit for my then 5 year old son in November 2015. I am a systems engineer by trade and have been building computers/servers for 20 years. I could have easily put together all the Raspberry Pi parts needed to do this (or even built a full computer), and loaded the Kano OS on it, for less money. However, you have to understand that this isn't what the Kano is all about. The whole idea behind Kano is for your child to be a part of the process, and feel like they can do it all. The packaging is very well laid out, and they have a great little book that tells you how to put it all together, while explaining in terms that a young child can understand, what all this stuff does. Once it's built and powered up, it doesn't just dump you into a dashboard and expect you to read and figure things out. It comes up with a Matrix inspired shell and asks you a few questions. This is how it starts. Without even knowing that they are doing it, your kids are telling the computer what to do.
The apps are very well written. Lot's of helpers along the way so that your child doesn't get frustrated and lose interest. My son loved the code quest app, and is more proficient on the shell than a lot of sysadmins I know! They regularly update the apps, and there's always new stuff in Kano World.
The keyboard is also something that people overlook when they talk about building their own kit rather than paying the little more for the Kano. It is very well thought out for how a kid would use it. It's small enough for the little hands, but not awkward for an adult (aside from some keys not being where you expect them to be). The integrated mouse makes it a lot easier for kids to be able to do things since moving a mouse around and clicking and holding mouse buttons can be very challenging for the little ones. You can enable "tap to click" on the trackpad as well which also enables 2 finger scrolling. Very similar to what you'd find on a macbook trackpad.
We loved the Computer kit so much that I jumped at the chance to get in on the kickstarter for the Pixel, Speaker & Camera kits. While I didn't need to utilize customer service for the Computer kit, I did have a problem with the Pixel when it arrived damaged. They responded promptly, and told me they would send me a new one, and I could keep the old one which worked, but without wifi which is required to be able to program it.
Overall, I highly recommend this kit to anyone looking to get their kids into coding and as an alternative to a full desktop computer. This is made with kids in mind and minimizes the distractions that a computer running Windows or OSX or even a full blown Linux distribution would have. So instead of going to the computer to play mindless video games, they are at least playing games that are teaching them skills that they can use elsewhere.
I'm at a loss on how many stars to give the Kano Computer Kit -- sometimes I hate it and sometimes I love it, but three stars seems too low for something that can teach young and old alike how to code. The kit comes with a Raspberry Pi 3, a clear plastic case, a memory card, a power button, an HDMI cable, a power pack, a wireless keyboard in a kid-friendly size, and instructions on how to assemble the computer. "Assembling" is a better description than "making your own" because it's basically snapping a few parts together without needing to understand the components of a computer. It takes about five minutes to put together. The real power of this kit is the building-block coding challenges. Note: This review is for the 2017 version, not the 2016 one; the reviews share the same product page.
I'd rather talk about my frustrations first so I can end on a positive note. I first tried to hook up Kano to an HDTV set, but the set kept saying that the computer was an incompatible component. Kano's website is barebones in terms of support, and it was no help once I followed the instructions to reboot everything and to reconnect in a specific order without success. I finally carried it to another TV where it worked right away. (Apparently, not all HDTVs with HDMI inputs can handle a computer.) Until you set it up, complete with an account, you won't have access to the coding challenges. The story board in the guise of a game will be greeted by any kid over eight with an enormous sigh because it looks like it was created for six-year olds; it prompts the user to discover facts about power and computers by finding people who will give (in writing, so parents may have to help) information. Older kids probably won't want anyone seeing them explore this "baby" section. I wish the graphics were better and it looked less like Candy Land. The coding challenges, under the "Make" categories, are good, but it isn't always obvious how to clear certain levels. If your kids start playing around with values and ordering to see how the code blocks work, they may get stuck not clearing a level without access to the next. Sometimes blocks of code end up hidden on the screen behind the menus, and you can't clear the level with them floating around. The Kano website seems more devoted to selling their products and troubleshooting the hardware. If you can't figure out the software, you won't get help.
The other frustration I find is the keyboard itself with its touchpad. Sometimes, such as in the Storyboard, you have to use the arrows, and other times, such as in the Make sections, you have to drag and drop, a feat that isn't easy with a small pad. You are never told which to use. Kids who don't have great fine motor skills may get impatient with the lack of responsiveness. Older kids should be able to adapt fairly quickly.
But when the Kano works without roadblocks, it's a great tool to learn how to code. It has building blocks of code that you drag and drop in interlocking pieces to create small programs. As you're learning to code, you also learn about computers themselves. From the first steps (levels that you can't clear until you master the code blocks), kids learn about basic syntax and values.The coding is as instructive for adults as it is for children, and it wouldn't be a bad excuse to learn alongside your child. The best part of this kit, however, is the inclusion of a Raspberry Pi, which can be taken completely outside the Kano coding environment once advanced users are proficient with coding. The ability of this kit to address the needs of novice and advanced user alike should not be underestimated. The Pi is WiFi-enabled with a LAN port, two USB ports (one for the wireless keyboard), a HDMI port (used to hook up to a TV or monitor), and an optical cable port.
The Kano portion of the computer does not work unless it is online, either wirelessly or through an Ethernet connection. For most people these days, that's not an issue; however, it bears mentioning.
This computer kit is a great learning tool if you can get past the frustrations. It costs a lot more than a Raspberry Pi 3 does on its own; however, you are paying for the coding challenges that really help understand how to control computers. Older kids, even young teenagers, might balk at the toy-like look of the keyboard and challenges, but, if you can get them past that, they will be well on their way to coding on their own.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
XMAS present for 10yo coding obsessed nephew. The entire week of Christmas this was the only gift he touched. Does have some glitches, Christmas day (10 minutes in) the keyboard totally froze and he was unable to play with it. Put in a letter to the support team, and they called me within 30 minutes, ON CHRISTMAS! More satisfied with the customer service than anything, great company!
I got this for my seven year old's birthday. The kit was easy to put together and the booklet explains what the elements do. We hooked it up to an old HDMI TV, everything worked right away and looked great. Pretty soon he was learning the text commands with me nagging him to make notes as he goes - remember user name, password, commands etc. I really like that it starts by teaching text commands and builds on that. Just like the 'proper' computers we used back in that day.
Then, we agreed to a firmware upgrade which took longer than expected ... almost done .... blackness. Oh no we lost power right at the critical moment. On power-up the Kano valiantly tried to recover but no luck, we had bricked it. I have to emphasize this is ENTIRELY MY FAULT since I had used a power outlet I knew was unreliable. Lesson 1, dad is an idiot.
Kano gives great instructions on how to fix this, which involves downloading OS from internet and installing this in the
memory card. This does need some extra hardware and technical chops, but easily done. Perhaps less so if you are not a geek, just find one. So Lesson 2, fault finding, leveraging resources and the joy of bringing your computer back from silicon heaven.
Lesson 3, how to replace a faulty electrical socket without killing yourself or annoying your wife excessively.
So from disaster comes the opportunity to pass along several important life skills. Pretty soon we were back to coding in scratch and reading the instructions only as far as absolutely necessary. Currently our cat is flying upside down which is hilarious but not what we had in mind.
In case you hadn't guessed, my point is the best way to learn is to have problems to overcome. The great thing about this little kit is that is isn't a magic black box - it's a computer you can modify, break and repair. That's the only way to really understand what is going on. Toys are made to be broken.
This is a fantastic kit for kids of almost any age. It uses the raspberry pi computer for the hardware, and the Kano operating system.
There are two basic elements to this: The snap-together assembly of the physical hardware, and then a bunch of games and coding tutorials.
Assembly is fairly simple - mostly just snapping things in places - with kid-friendly explanations about the "brain" and so on. My 5 year old was able to do it completely on her own (with my verbal guidance, as I read the manual to her). You need an external monitor with speakers. There's a trackpad built into the keyboard, and in order to "click" you need to press a key on the keyboard (labeled "click")
The programming is really intuitive. You drag and snap puzzle pieces together. So one puzzle piece might by "Say this word" and you can pick that puzzle piece and type the word you want it to say. Despite how intuitive it is, my 5 year old isn't fully there ... but she's learning.
I personally do find it clunky to use. I use a macbook pro all day ... and of course this little system isn't as fast or responsive - and no one would expect it to be. But I'm spoiled. Good thing my daughter is not! She really does have fun with the games and doesn't think it's clunky. This is a real hit in my house, and as someone who has multiple engineering degrees and who works in tech, it make my heart happy to see my daughter enjoying this system.
Feature Product
- A computer anyone can make. With simple steps and a storybook, build your own computer and bring it to life. For ages 6+ (no technical skills required)
- With playful projects and challenges you'll learn to code art, music, apps, games and more
- Trusted by thousands of educators worldwide. Winners of the Family Choice Award, Webby Award, Red Dot Award, Cannes Gold Lions and more
- Includes everything you need. Raspberry Pi 3, case, speaker, wireless keyboard, memory, HDMI and power cables, coding challenges, stickers and lots of apps
- Connect to any HDMI screen, or buy the Kano Screen Kit; the brain of your computer is a Raspberry Pi 3
Description
Kano is a computer anyone can make. It’s the simplest way for all ages to build a computer, learn to code, and create with technology. The kit comes with everything you need, including a Raspberry Pi 3, plug-and-play components, a step-by-step storybook, and dozens of hours of coding challenges. The most awarded beginners coding product ever and trusted by thousands of educators and innovators worldwide.
I have a dyslexic ten year old daughter who has expressed interest in coding. I was very interested in finding something which would allow her to progress at her own pace. Initially, I looked at coding summer camps but was reluctant to commit her to one, fearing that the people running the camps would not be able to adequately work with her processing differences and result in a frustrating experience for her.
This appeared to be an elegant solution. From the initial steps of assembling the computer she began to develop confidence and met with success. Then, to working on the device, she was quite excited and focused. She's terrible at games - and does not like Minecraft, but I am optimistic that she will be able to use the Python coding lessons in the OS at her own pace.
Daughter [7] was able to follow the simple instructions no problem. She used to say she hated minecraft (probably because the boys at school all talk about it), until she realized one of the minigames she was playing on this was minecraft. The Terminal quest game was also nicely done, teaching BASH skills in the form of a game.
I want sure exactly what to expect with this. My son really wants to learn to code so he was excited when he realized what it was. He built the computer very quickly and easily. However I find he spends most of his time doing things like trying all the funny noises and I’m not sure he has learned or done anything relating to code.
Not sure what to think of this. Disappointed but maybe it’s because he doesn’t really know what to do with it and there isn’t much info once you get it built. Not giving up on it yet.
Bought this for my daughters 16th birthday and I wondered about the age limit and it being to young for her. Well, she has been on it all morning and loves it. She said that the instruction booklet was awesome. So if you have older kids, it is still a great gift.
Such a cool product. My son loves it. You build it yourself and then set it up yourself which is really cool. My only complain is that it doesn’t come with a speaker and it doesn’t come with a very large memory chip so you’ll probably have to buy another one. Otherwise it’s exactly what we were looking for so our son could learn coding
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