Kanata · Ontario

Robotics Classes for Kids in Kanata

Weekly LEGO SPIKE Prime, EV3 and mBot2 robotics classes for children ages 5 to 14 — designed for Kanata families and taught by a competition-experienced coach. Free demo class for every new family.

Robotics classes for kids in Kanata — from Bridlewood to Kanata Lakes

Kanata is home to more tech companies per square kilometre than almost any suburb in Canada, and a lot of Kanata families want their children exposed to that world early. STEMXplore runs weekly robotics classes for kids ages 5 to 14, drawing families from Bridlewood, Katimavik, Kanata Lakes, Beaverbrook, Morgan's Grant, Marchwood-Lakeside and Glen Cairn. Our Stittsville studio is a short drive from most Kanata neighbourhoods, and our schedule is built around Kanata school hours.

Every class is hands-on. Kids assemble a real robot, program it, run it, and iterate — no purely-online lessons, no watered-down "kids version" of the tools.

The robotics kits your child will use

We deliberately teach on the same hardware used by the FIRST LEGO League, the World Robot Olympiad and university intro-to-robotics courses. That means the skills a child picks up in a STEMXplore Kanata class are directly transferable to school competitions, high-school robotics clubs and, eventually, university programs.

LEGO WeDo & SPIKE Essential (Ages 5–7)

A gentle introduction: simple motors, one or two sensors, block coding. Kids build a story-driven robot every session — a dinosaur that roars, a windmill that speeds up when it gets darker, a robot flower that follows a flashlight.

LEGO SPIKE Prime (Ages 8–12)

The current standard for competition LEGO robotics. Kids build competitive drivetrains, learn about gearing and torque, and run missions on a real FIRST LEGO League practice mat. This is the level where most Kanata kids first taste WRO / FLL.

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 with Python (Ages 10–14)

A step-up into text-based programming and more mature engineering. Students learn Python fundamentals — loops, conditionals, functions, PID — on top of EV3 hardware. Popular with older Kanata students who already coded a bit at school.

mBot2 & Quarky

Screen-independent robotics kits with AI-friendly sensors: colour tracking, face detection, IR line-following. Perfect for kids who want to explore AI concepts without a full laptop rig.

Why Kanata families choose STEMXplore

  • Depth, not novelty — kids progress through a real curriculum, not endless one-off "make-and-take" workshops.
  • Competition track — students who love it can move into our WRO / FLL competition team.
  • Consistent instructor — same coach week to week, so the coach actually knows where each child is stuck.
  • Small groups — 6–10 kids per class, so shy children get heard and advanced students get pushed.
  • Aligned with the Kanata school year — camps on OCDSB / OCSB PD Days, terms that mirror school terms.
  • Free demo — new families can book a free trial class before enroling.

How a weekly robotics class runs

A typical class is 60–90 minutes. It starts with a short concept — say, "how do you make a robot turn exactly 90 degrees?" — and then kids spend the bulk of the class building, testing and improving. Every session ends with a five-minute show-and-tell, where each child explains what they made. This ritual builds communication skills that spill into school presentations and eventually job interviews.

Terms run in 8- and 12-week blocks. Every four weeks parents receive a short progress note describing what the child worked on and what they mastered — no vague "great class today" updates.

Camps, PD Days and competition prep

Whenever a Kanata school closes for a PD Day or break, STEMXplore runs full-day robotics camps. Common themes include LEGO Robotics Bootcamp, Mission Mars with EV3, Game Coding with Scratch, and a WRO / FLL competition intensive. Serious competition kids can also join our year-round Competition Prep track. Current camp dates are listed on the Upcoming Events, Camps & PD Days section of our homepage.

What kids actually take home

  • Real problem-solving habits — a child who does robotics stops asking "will this work?" and starts asking "what will I try first?".
  • Comfort with failure — every class involves ten tiny failures before something works, and kids stop finding failure scary.
  • A portfolio — over a year, a child has photos and videos of dozens of robots they designed and coded.
  • Competition readiness — students on our track routinely qualify for regional WRO / FLL rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer classes actually inside Kanata?

Our physical studio is in Stittsville — a 6 to 12 minute drive from most Kanata neighbourhoods. We chose that location so we could offer full weekday and weekend timetables at reasonable class sizes.

My child does STEM at their Kanata school — is STEMXplore different?

Yes. School STEM is usually broad and time-limited; STEMXplore is deep, progressive and taught by a single expert coach. The two complement each other well.

Which robotics kit is best for a beginner?

For ages 5–7, LEGO WeDo / SPIKE Essential. For ages 8–12, LEGO SPIKE Prime. For 10+ with prior experience, we sometimes start straight on EV3.

Do you prepare Kanata students for FIRST LEGO League or WRO?

Yes. Our WRO / FLL competition training track has been the pathway for multiple qualifying teams. Coaches have mentored international teams.

What about siblings from Kanata coming together?

Sibling discounts are available. Mention siblings on your demo booking and we'll apply it to enrolment.

Related STEMXplore Programs

Ready to try a free class?

Every new family can book a complimentary demo session. Your child works with real robotics kits and our lead instructor — no pressure, no cost.

Book a Free Demo Class