Kano

April 17, 2015 in Reviews

Kano Computer Kit

What is Kano?

Kano is an ingenious computer kit that allows anyone; of any age or ability, to build a computer from scratch.  It contains all of the components that you need along with detailed instructions to get you from components to computer and then to coding.

Kano Box Contents

 

What does the box contain?

A wireless/bluetooth keyboard, HDMI cable, power plug and cable, Kano OS SD card, WiFi USB dongle, case cards, custom case, DIY speaker, stickers and a Raspberry Pi Model B.  The only thing that you need to add is a screen and we used our television once the computer had been built.

How easy is it to build?

This was a job for my nine-year old son.  He loves computers and has enjoyed the coding that he has been learning in school so much that he downloaded Scratch and Python onto our home computer to have a go by himself.  He loved the idea of building his own computer and quickly got to work.  He followed illustrated step by step guide-book and had finished building the computer within about 40 minutes and was ready to plug into a screen for the next stage.

The ‘brain’ of the Kano is the Raspberry Pi which I had heard of before but never experienced and it is a small but very powerful miniature computer and once you have built the protective case, everything is plugged in and added to the Raspberry Pi to build the Kano computer.

Kano Instructions

He found the process easy and straightforward and said that the illustrations make the instructions easy to follow. He only needed to ask for help a couple of times and was so pleased with himself when it was done. If you want to, you can use the stickers to customise your Kano but L decided to just put the Kano card onto the unit and keep things simple.

Having built the Kano, the best bit for me was watching my son plug everything in and watching the television become his computer.  He was thrilled and very excited to see his new creation come to life.

Kano Instruction Booklets

The instructions are split into two separate books.  The first orange book tells you step by step how to build the Kano and the second grey book shows you how to use code to create and play with your new device.

Once set up, you plug into your screen and the mains and it takes about 15 minutes to configure before you are ready to start using it.  The instruction booklet is very cleverly designed as it explains each step carefully with fun and colourful illustrations.  It tells you that your computer is thinking and then tells you to follow what the Kano tells you to do on the screen.

Building the Kano

 What happens next?

Once you are plugged in and you have worked out how to use the keyboard and how the lights on the keyboard tell you how it is feeling, you are ready to start understanding code.

Kano Book 2 Code Powers

This is where again, the Kano really impressed me.  Code is a buzzword at the moment and in the UK we have now introduced coding in schools with children as young as five learning basic coding skills and my own children have thoroughly enjoyed leaning coding skills through programmes such as Scratch.  It is a great skill to learn and it will give children and teenagers a much better of understanding of computers and how they work.

Setting up the Kano on screen

Instruction book 2 is called code powers and it starts off by explaining how a computer ‘thinks’ using code and speaks different ‘languages’ to do different things.  It introduces us to the command line and gives step by step instructions to show how you can give the computer a voice and more importantly (if you are a nine-year old boy, that is) make some fun games to play.

Setting up the Kano 2

You can create and play Snake, Pong and Minecraft, you can create your own music, you can go online and visit a range of different text-based sites.  There are apps that you can use to draw, browse, code and calculate and there are a range of apps that  to make the Kano even more fun such and allow you to use your computer to play more games, learn more about coding, email, watch videos and even do homework.  There really is lots that you can do and it is a relief that there is an easy parental block that can be activated through the settings to ensure that your child’s access to the internet is filtered and safe.

What did we think of Kano?

We are still in the early stages of learning to use the Kano.  We have built it, we have connected it and we have played on it and it has been a real success.  Both boys are really impressed with it and have found it really easy to use and enjoy the coding side of things as it gives them a challenge and something to think about.  A is a bit young at 5 but she has been watching over her brothers’ shoulders and is keen to have a go.

Kano

As a parent, I think that the Kano is well worth the £99.99 investment.  The packaging, the instructions, the different components are all brightly coloured and appealing.  It offers more to children than other devices as not only do they experience building the device themselves, they experience coding and using code to create their much-loved games and so there are numerous educational benefits to the Kano and with coding being in the curriculum, it is good to know that this is something that will support what they are learning in school and even better, it makes learning fun.

The Kano is a brilliant device and it has successfully brought my children and I to a happy agreement over screen time which has been the cause of too many disputes in this house.  I am looking forward to watching them explore the Kano more and seeing what they learn and what they can do with it.  The Kano is aimed at children between 7 and 14 and I think anyone could enjoy the Kano experience.  If you want to find out more about Kano, there is lots of information on the website.

 I was sent a Kano for the purpose of this review.  All opinions and images are our own.  

 

Nikki Thomas

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  • Anya from Older Single Mum and The Healer April 17, 2015 at 9:53 am

    This looks excellent and it’s so good to have your views. My 9yo is really into Scratch and I am sure he would really benefit from this. Great innovation and brilliant review. You have given me the confidence to purchase it whereas I wouldn’t have had it before. It’s his birthday next month, so will save up!
    Anya from Older Single Mum and The Healer recently posted…My Darling Six Year Old.My Profile

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    Stressy Mummy

    Hello and welcome to my blog. I'm Nikki, mum of four, wife, teacher, writer and drinker of many cups of tea. This blog is pretty much anything that pops into my head, an eclectic mix of family life and lots more. Grab a cuppa and have a read.

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