Children build a program out of real blocks they can hold, take one photo, and their robot runs it. No screens to type on, no accounts needed to start.
Lay the printed blocks out on a table, left to right — always beginning with Start and finishing with End. Number tiles sit next to an action to say how far or how many.
Open the app and take one photo of the whole row. Everything is read on the device itself — the photo is never uploaded, never stored, and never leaves the phone or tablet.
The app shows what it saw so a grown-up can check it, then sends the program to the robot over Bluetooth. The robot drives the program, and flashes a rainbow when it finishes.
Turn on the micro:bit. It shows a P briefly to confirm it is running PhysiCode, then waits for a connection.
Tap Open the web app below (in Chrome on Android, or another Bluetooth-capable browser). You can add it to the home screen and it works offline afterwards.
Create a profile for the child — just a first name, an avatar and a colour. Nothing else is ever asked for.
Tap Connect and choose your micro:bit. The screen shows a tick when it is linked; the robot shows one too.
Five guided missions take a child from a single move to a full multi-step program.
| Mission | Level | Blocks it uses |
|---|---|---|
| Wake Up Robot | 1 | Start · Do · Move forward · End |
| Spin Around | 2 | Start · Do · Turn around · End |
| Go To Bed | 3 | Start · Do · Move forward · If · Do · Stop · End |
| Visit a Friend | 4 | Longer route — several moves and turns |
| Set The Table | 5 | The full set, combined |
Children can also free-play: build any program they like and scan it, with no mission at all.
Get the whole row in frame, keep the paper flat, and avoid a shadow falling across it. Even, indirect light works best. Every block must be face-up and unobscured.
Check the micro:bit is on and showing P or a tick, that Bluetooth is enabled on the phone, and that no other device is already connected to that robot. Only one device can be connected at a time.
Distances are tuned per robot and per surface. A grown-up can adjust the calibration in Settings — carpet and hard floors behave differently.
The robot is a moving toy with wheels. Run it on a table or floor with clear space, keep fingers and hair away from the wheels, and keep an adult nearby while it is driving. Turn it off when play finishes.
The web app is free and works on a phone, tablet or laptop.
Open the web app