The kits are being developed using the low-cost, credit card-sized Raspberry Pi Zero W and BBC micro:bit single board computers (SBCs). Stadium is the exclusive manufacturer of power and cable products for the Raspberry Pi-based Maker Life kits.
The kits are intended to help children of primary school age understand and engage in programming and coding and to help address the future need for these skills in the fast-growing global digital economy,
Maker Life has collaborated with parents, educators and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) coordinators to create kits that offer an introduction to projects such as building a clock or a weather station. Each kit contains all of the components needed to complete a project, including the power supply and cables, and is intended to be easy to assemble using a simple step-by-step guide, with no soldering required.
The kits are currently available using the English language, but bespoke localised language versions are expected in the coming months where volume allows. According to Maker Life the range of kits is set to grow rapidly over the course of the next two years, with up to 45 variations available by the end of 2019 compared to the four that are currently available.
Commenting Charlie Peppiatt, Stadium CEO, said: “It is important that industry steps up to the challenge of inspiring the next generation of programmers, to ensure that the right skills are available to manage the demand for future technologies in this increasingly digital world. The Maker Life kits are a simple, affordable and appealing way to get children interested from an early age, and we are pleased to be part of a commercial partnership with this goal at its heart.”
James Downes, Maker Life Founder, said: “We have an ambitious goal to educate children globally through our programming kits, and our success relies on the support of dependable business partners. Stadium is a great advocate of the urgent need to engage with children in a fun and inspiring way, to fulfil the world’s future programming needs.”