Sign in:

Cubelets Blockly

Code blocks for your robot blocks, easy robot programming with Blockly!
View Lesson Plans
Download Cubelets Blockly:

Learn to code with Cubelets! Cubelets Blockly is the perfect platform to learn how to program your own robots. It’s a simple and powerful visual programming tool gives you full control over your Cubelets® robot blocks. Create countless new robots and behaviors with the parallel programming.

Cubelets Blockly is a free coding environment for your Cubelets robot blocks. Blockly is a visual programming language originally developed by Google. It forms the backbone of this powerful learning tool available for Windows, macOS, and iPad.

Get started by downloading app for your operating system!

Download Now
For Windows
Download Now
For macOS
Download Now
For iPad

Start with some tutorials:

Want to dive in a program your very first Cubelets robot? Great! These tutorials will teach you the basics of programming Cubelets with Cubelets Blockly.

Follow along with step-by-step tutorials that introduce concepts like:

  • Variables
  • Timing
  • Logic
  • Conditionals
  • Loops and more!

What you’ll need:

Cubelets® robot blocks, Bluetooth Cubelet, Cubelets Blockly, Bluetooth Enabled Mac or PC, iPad

  1. Cubelets robot blocks
  2. A Bluetooth Hat or Bluetooth Cubelet
  3. Cubelets Blockly desktop or iPad application
  4. A Bluetooth Enabled Mac, PC, or iPad
  5. (Cubelets Blockly for iPad requires iOS 9 or newer)

What can I build with Cubelets Blockly?

Here are a few quick robots you can build with Blockly. For more ideas visit the Modular Robotics YouTube page!

Cubelets Blockly F.A.Q.

  • Why should I learn to program Cubelets? +

    Cubelets are educational toys. At Modular Robotics, our goal is to build toys that impart new knowledge and skills through play. Over the past few years, Cubelets have delivered intuitions about complexity and robotics to thousands and thousands of students, museum goers, and budding roboticists. We are incredibly proud of Cubelets, but we’ve always wanted to help our users do more. Programming unveils a whole new way to play with, and learn from, Cubelets.

    Programming is widely considered an essential 21st-century skill. Kids and adults can learn to code from a tremendous variety of products, services, and classes. Code with Cubelets and you’ll learn more than just loops, functions, variables, timing, logic and conditionals. Coding with Cubelets exposes you to a new way of problem solving and coding called parallel programming.

    Parallel programming is how you program an entire system. Conventional coding gives you a level of control over a single machine. Parallel programming teaches you about controlling a team of machines and their interactions. At Modular Robotics we think parallel programming is closer to how the world really works, whether you’re coding a program or coaching a team. Learning to program a system with parallel programming is a skill that will help you solve problems beyond computer science.

    Discover the power of parallel programming and learn to code at the same time with Cubelets Blockly tutorials.

  • I’ve never programmed before; can I use Cubelets Blockly? +

    Yes! Cubelets Blockly is designed to help programming novices learn about and experiment with visual programming. Check out our Create with Cubelets video series to get started!

  • Where can I purchase a Bluetooth Hat? +

    It's quick and easy to buy a Hat directly from Modular Robotics or from one of our resellers!

  • What is 'visual programming?' +

    Visual programming (sometimes called block-based programming) allows users to create programs using graphic elements instead of specifying them textually.

  • What’s the best age to learn to code? +

    Whatever age you are!

    Actually, when it comes to learning to code there isn’t any set age, yet. Let’s start by saying that it’s too early to know for sure, and the debate continues as to what ages is best. It’s been found that ages 2-7 are a great time to learn a foreign language. As a result, a lot of the effort has gone into making programming inroads for young children.

    Cubelets are designed for robot builders ages four and up. Around age four, many children start being able to comprehend sequenced instructions and keep track of concepts that may take 5-6 steps to describe. These skills are really important when it comes to understanding code. With some careful guidance, it is possible to learn to code at a very young age.

    Cubelets are actually a bit more complex than the average learn-to-code product. This has to do with the fact that Cubelets teach you about, and rely upon, parallel programming. This means that each Cubelet is programmed separately and their interaction determines the overall behavior. It’s a novel way of thinking, and provides you a new tool for solving hard problems!

    So while the answer to this question is long, it can be summarized as… children as young as four can learn to code simple programs. The more guidance you can offer to younger coders, the better. To help you, we’ve created a few simple tutorials that you can tackle together.

  • Where can I reach customer support? +

    There are a few ways to reach Modular Robotics: email support@modrobotics.com or leave us a voicemail at 720.275.6025

  • Puzzle pieces are cool, but can I write text-based code for Cubelets? +

    You can! See Cubelets Flash.