OzoBlockly is the free, online coding editor that turns an Ozobot robot into a hands-on way to learn real programming. Powered by Google's Blockly, it lets students build programs by dragging and dropping coloured blocks — the same idea as Scratch — then run them on their robot. There's nothing to install: it works in a web browser on any computer or tablet. This guide explains what OzoBlockly is, how its five skill levels work, which editor to use for your robot, and how to get started.
What is OzoBlockly?
Ozobot robots have two ways to code. Younger students start screen-free, drawing Colour Codes — patterns of red, green, blue and black — that the robot reads and follows. OzoBlockly is the next step: an on-screen block editor that gives students full control of the robot's movement, lights and behaviour, and lets it move freely without following a drawn line. Because the blocks snap together visually, students focus on the logic of their program rather than on typing exact syntax.
OzoBlockly is completely free to use at ozoblockly.com — you only need an Ozobot robot to run your programs on.
The five skill levels
OzoBlockly's best feature for classrooms is that it grows with your students. It offers five levels, and each one unlocks more blocks — so beginners aren't overwhelmed and advanced coders aren't held back. You can change levels at any time.
- 1. Pre-Reader — large, icon-based blocks with no reading required. Perfect for early primary (from around age 5): move, turn, change lights and add simple timing.
- 2. Beginner — blocks gain simple words, and loops are introduced so students can repeat actions.
- 3. Intermediate — students use the robot's sensors to react to the world (for example, "if you see an object, stop and turn red"), plus more logic.
- 4. Advanced — variables, functions, integers and finer control over speed and sound.
- 5. Master — arrays, lists and advanced maths. At this level the block editor works much like a text-based language, ready for secondary students.
That range means one editor can take a child from their very first program in the early years all the way to secondary-level computer science.
OzoBlockly or Ozobot Editor? Which one your robot uses
Ozobot now has two block-coding platforms, and which one you use depends on your robot. It's worth getting this right before you start.
- OzoBlockly (at ozoblockly.com) is the classic editor, and it works with Ozobot Bit+ and Evo. It does not support Ari.
- Ozobot Editor is the newer, more advanced platform. It works with Evo and Ari (and Ozobot's newest robots), adds more powerful blocks, lets separate tasks run at the same time, and — on Ari — extends into Python and AI. It does not support Bit or Bit+.
In short: Bit+ uses OzoBlockly; Ari uses Ozobot Editor; and Evo works with both, so it's the most flexible choice if you want to grow from block coding into Python later.
How to get started
You can explore OzoBlockly before you even own a robot. Ozobot recommends starting with the Shape Tracer game, where you write short programs to trace shapes on screen — a fun, no-robot way to learn how the blocks work. Inside the editor, the built-in Examples are also great to try and then tweak.
When you're ready to run a program on your robot:
- Open ozoblockly.com, choose your robot (Bit+ or Evo) and a skill level, then drag blocks together to build your program.
- Evo connects over Bluetooth — pair it with your device and press Run.
- Bit+ loads by "flash loading": hold the robot up to your screen (set to full brightness) and it reads the flashing colours. Wait for the light to settle, then press play.
A handy tip for planning movement: in OzoBlockly, each step equals one centimetre.
What students learn
OzoBlockly builds genuine computer-science skills in a way students can watch happen in front of them: sequencing, loops, conditional logic, variables, functions and, at the top levels, data structures. Because the robot acts out every program, mistakes become obvious and easy to debug — a natural way to teach problem-solving and computational thinking. Free, standards-aligned lessons are available in Ozobot Classroom to take students from their first program to advanced projects.
Which Ozobot should you choose?
Any Ozobot will get your students coding with blocks. The right one depends on your budget and how far you want to go:
- Ozobot Bit+ — the most affordable way in. Codes with Colour Codes and OzoBlockly, and it's Arduino-compatible for older students. No app or Bluetooth needed.
- Ozobot Evo — app-connected, with sensors, lights and a speaker. Works with both OzoBlockly and Ozobot Editor, so it grows from blocks towards text-based coding.
- Ozobot Ari — the newest, AI-ready robot with a touchscreen. Uses Ozobot Editor and goes all the way to Python.
Browse the full Ozobot range — single robots and classroom kits — at Sammat Education. As an Australian-owned, teacher-run store, we ship locally and welcome school purchase orders.