I got this for my seven year old's birthday. The kit was easy to put together and the booklet explains what the elements do. We hooked it up to an old HDMI TV, everything worked right away and looked great. Pretty soon he was learning the text commands with me nagging him to make notes as he goes - remember user name, password, commands etc. I really like that it starts by teaching text commands and builds on that. Just like the 'proper' computers we used back in that day.
Then, we agreed to a firmware upgrade which took longer than expected ... almost done .... blackness. Oh no we lost power right at the critical moment. On power-up the Kano valiantly tried to recover but no luck, we had bricked it. I have to emphasize this is ENTIRELY MY FAULT since I had used a power outlet I knew was unreliable. Lesson 1, dad is an idiot.
Kano gives great instructions on how to fix this, which involves downloading OS from internet and installing this in the
memory card. This does need some extra hardware and technical chops, but easily done. Perhaps less so if you are not a geek, just find one. So Lesson 2, fault finding, leveraging resources and the joy of bringing your computer back from silicon heaven.
Lesson 3, how to replace a faulty electrical socket without killing yourself or annoying your wife excessively.
So from disaster comes the opportunity to pass along several important life skills. Pretty soon we were back to coding in scratch and reading the instructions only as far as absolutely necessary. Currently our cat is flying upside down which is hilarious but not what we had in mind.
In case you hadn't guessed, my point is the best way to learn is to have problems to overcome. The great thing about this little kit is that is isn't a magic black box - it's a computer you can modify, break and repair. That's the only way to really understand what is going on. Toys are made to be broken.
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From the manufacturer
What you do
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Build it yourselfOpen the box, pull out the bits, button, and brain. Follow the story, build a computer all by yourself. Look inside, see how it works and bring it to life. Browse the internet, use your favorite apps like YouTube, Whatsapp, Google Docs, and more. |
Learn to codeWith simple steps, learn logic, Python, Javascript, and Terminal commands. Level up as you make art, games, and music. Your first steps into making your own websites, games, and more. Simple for beginners, expansive for experts. |
Make art, games and musicCreate landscapes and geometric rainbows. Code your own musical masterpieces, and animations. Don’t just play games, change the rules. Take control of Minecraft, Pong and Snake. |
A real computer
Browse the internet, watch YouTube, build beats with Google Song Maker, draw with Tux Paint, make animations with Scratch, send messages with WhatsApp and Gmail, research with Wikipedia, and much more.
Endless play
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Earn rewardsLevel up as you complete challenges and make new creations. Unlock medals, discover hidden rewards. Compete with friends. |
Playground modeThere's no end to what you can make. Create your own art, games, music, Minecraft powers, and more with the skills you've learned. |
Kano WorldJoin our free creative community. People of all skill levels, all over the world sharing and playing art, music, games and more. Safe and friendly. |
Remix 700,000+ creationsSee the code behind any creation, then tweak it to make it your own. Change the colors, mess with the math, hack the data. |
What you need to know
FAQ
What is the Computer Kit?
The Computer Kit is a computer anyone can make, like LEGO. You build and code it yourself. It’s a fun way to make, play and express your creativity with technology, and not just consume it. Learn to code in simple steps, use 100’s of third party apps like YouTube and Wikipedia, and so much more.
What is the recommended age for the Computer Kit?
The Computer Kit can be enjoyed by everyone, beginners and experienced makers of all ages. Typically, we recommend a starting point of beginners aged 6+, but children who can read/write might start earlier. Thanks to the easy-to-use visual coding environment, anyone can make and play with it.
Videos
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Kano Computer Kit – A Computer Anyone Can Make
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Reviews with images
Nice.
I purchased this on a whim for two grandkids (ages 12 and 8). I hoped to get them off their phones for a while. It seems to have worked. They and their mother got it up and running quickly and the kids jumped on it. We will see how long it lasts.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
Pedro Abraham
Excelente opción si el precio es correcto
Reviewed in Mexico on November 24, 2019
Pedro Abraham
Reviewed in Mexico on November 24, 2019
El kit de Kano Como fue pensado
Trae incluida una microSD con Kano OS que esta para enseñar a niños a usar una computadora y básicos de programación. Te permite "hakear" minecraft y programar juegos como pong y snake. Desafortunadamente el software no esta en español y eso lo hace muy difícil de usar para niños (la última vez que revise la página de Kano había una versión beta del software en español pero implementarlo requiere una computadora y algunos conocimientos de computación.) El teclado es pequeño pero funcional y la carcasa es resistente
Para usarla como retro consola
Funciona muy bien para correr cualquier consola hasta ps1 y prácticamente cualquier juego de arcade qué puedan imaginar. N64 en adelante no corre bien en este hardware. Ha aceptado y reconocido todos los controles qué le he intentado conectar. El teclado no tiene teclas f lo cual hace usar rasbian de manera avanzada más difícil
Images in this review
william shynkar
Problems from day 1 and still no help from kano support.
Reviewed in Canada on February 2, 2020