Junior Botball Challenge
Students develop foundational robotics and programming skills through approachable, hands-on classroom activities and challenges.
- Introductory programming
- Basic sensors and movement
- Early problem-solving skills
The Next Step in Autonomous Robotics
Botball Explorer expands KIPR’s commitment to autonomous robotics education with an approachable, mission-based program for students across a wide range of ages and experience levels.
It bridges the space between Junior Botball Challenge and the Botball Educational Robotics Program, giving students a clear pathway to develop their programming, engineering, and problem-solving skills.
Explore the Learning PathwayCreating hands-on autonomous robotics experiences that help students become programmers, engineers, and problem-solvers.
KIPR programs can support students as they move from their first robotics experiences to increasingly advanced autonomous challenges. Each stage builds on the programming, engineering, and teamwork skills developed in the previous program.
Students develop foundational robotics and programming skills through approachable, hands-on classroom activities and challenges.
Students advance into mission-based autonomous robotics, applying their skills to open-ended engineering and programming challenges.
Students take on advanced autonomous engineering, strategy, documentation, and regional competition with two robots.
Students can enter at the program that fits them best. The pathway illustrates how their skills can continue to grow; participation in an earlier KIPR program is not required.
Botball Explorer robots operate entirely on their own. Students must program their robots to gather information, make decisions, and respond to the environment without human control after a mission begins.
This challenge connects classroom learning to the same fundamental ideas behind the autonomous technologies shaping today’s world.
Connected to Real-World SystemsAutonomy does not simply make the challenge harder. It prepares students to understand and shape the technology around them.
One game brings together autonomous programming, engineering, strategic decision-making, and mission-based problem-solving.
Age-based divisions provide appropriate challenges for younger and older students.
A classroom-friendly game field filled with interactive mission elements.
Teams choose which missions to attempt and develop their own strategies for earning points.
An automated warehouse challenge where robots move, sort, deliver, and stack freight.
Once a mission begins, the robot completes its work without a driver, joystick, or remote control.
Teams do not need to complete every mission. Students can evaluate the field, select challenges that fit their strategy and experience level, and expand their approach as their skills grow.
In Stack Attack, students take on an automated warehouse challenge where robots move, sort, deliver, and stack freight across 18 autonomous missions.
Teams decide which challenges to attempt and develop their own strategies for completing them. Students can begin with approachable missions, then expand and improve their solutions as their skills grow.
Students Program Robots To:Engineering is rarely about finding one prescribed answer. Botball Explorer encourages students to evaluate their options, test different ideas, and improve the solution that works best for their team.
Botball Explorer gives educators the flexibility to begin with a complete KIPR system or use qualifying autonomous robotics equipment their program already owns.
Regardless of platform, students design, build, program, test, and improve an autonomous robot as they work through the same official missions and competition experience.
All robots must satisfy the current size, construction, safety, and autonomous-operation requirements. Review the current program rules before selecting or modifying a robot platform.
Botball Explorer combines hands-on engineering with purposeful curriculum, educator resources, and ongoing support from KIPR.
Students do more than complete missions. They explore the computer science, engineering, data, and artificial intelligence concepts that make autonomous systems possible.
Educators receive materials and support designed to make Botball Explorer easier to introduce, manage, and grow within a classroom, club, or after-school program.
Curriculum, game materials, mission details, and season resources in one place.
Training opportunities help educators become comfortable with the equipment and program.
KIPR staff can help teams work through technical and program questions.
Students can write and test code even when physical robot time is limited.
Educators do not need to begin as robotics experts. Botball Explorer is designed to help teachers and students learn, experiment, and improve together.