Bee-Bot is one of the most versatile tools in an early years classroom — it's a coding robot, but it's just as useful for maths, literacy and language. Here's a bank of ready-to-use Bee-Bot lesson ideas across the curriculum, plus a few tips for getting started, whether you have a single robot or a class set. Every activity works with Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot — and if you're still deciding between them, see our Bee-Bot vs Blue-Bot guide.
Getting started with Bee-Bot
A few things make those first lessons go smoothly:
- Start away from the robot. Have children lay out direction cards — forward, back, left, right — to plan a route before they touch Bee-Bot. It makes the idea of a sequence concrete.
- Use the language every time. Model "forwards", "backwards" and "quarter turn left" as you go, so directional vocabulary becomes second nature.
- Predict, then test. Before pressing go, ask "where will Bee-Bot stop?" Checking the prediction is where the real thinking happens.
- One step at a time. Begin with single moves, then short sequences, then longer routes as confidence grows.
- Work in pairs. One child programs, one checks — it builds talk, turn-taking and teamwork.
Maths activities
- Counting and number: program Bee-Bot to land on a target number, counting the steps aloud. A number-line or hundred-square mat makes this easy.
- Addition and subtraction: roll a die, program that many steps forward (or back), and read the number you land on.
- Money: on the Australian Money mat, send Bee-Bot to the coins that make a given amount.
- Shape and space: clip on a pen holder and program Bee-Bot to draw a square or rectangle — a hands-on way into sides, corners and turns.
Literacy activities
- Letters and sounds: on an alphabet mat, program Bee-Bot to the starting sound of an object, or to spell out a simple word letter by letter.
- Building words: use a CVC mat to blend simple three-letter words like c-a-t by travelling to each letter in turn.
- Storytelling: on a fairytale or treasure island mat, children program Bee-Bot's journey and narrate the story as it moves.
- Giving and following instructions: one child gives directions aloud while another programs — great for speaking and listening.
Directional language and mapping
- Everyday journeys: on a town or busy-street mat, program a route from home to school and describe each turn.
- Australia and the world: use an Australia map or world map mat to travel between places and talk about where they are.
- Positional language: set a target and challenge children to reach it using the fewest moves.
Science and the wider world
- Space: on a solar system mat, program Bee-Bot to visit the planets in order.
- Community helpers: with a People Who Help Us mat and tin, children dress Bee-Bot as a helper and program visits to the hospital, fire station and more.
- Habitats and animals: use farmyard, zoo or countryside mats to explore where different animals live.
Coding and computational thinking
- Sequencing: plan, enter and run a multi-step program to reach a goal.
- Debugging: deliberately give Bee-Bot a "buggy" program and have children find and fix the mistake — one of the most valuable coding skills.
- Algorithms: write a route as a set of instructions someone else can follow.
- Loops and angles (Blue-Bot): with Blue-Bot's app or TacTile Reader, introduce repeat loops and 45-degree turns for older or more confident coders.
No robot yet? Practise online first
You can try every one of these ideas with a free browser emulator before — or alongside — using the real thing. See our guide to Bee-Bot online for the free emulator and how to use it in class.
Make the activities your own
A few accessories keep lessons fresh all year: the Transparent Pocket Mat lets you slot in your own cards for any topic; pen holders turn coding into drawing; pushers let the robot move objects; and the obstacle course and giant sequence cards add a challenge as skills grow. Browse the full range of Bee-Bot mats and accessories.
Everything here works with both robots. Explore the Bee-Bot range or the Bluetooth Blue-Bot — we're teacher-run and Australian owned, with local stock, expert support and purchase orders welcome.