Kid Spark Education facts for kids
 |
|
| Nonprofit organization | |
| Genre | STEM Education Products |
| Predecessor | Rokenbok Education |
| Founder | Paul Eichen |
| Headquarters |
,
United States
|
| Products | Mobile STEM Labs |
Kid Spark Education is a nonprofit organization. It creates and sells affordable Mobile STEM Labs and learning plans for schools and youth groups. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
The company started in 1995 as The Rokenbok Toy Company. Paul Eichen founded it to make high-quality toy systems. The first Rokenbok toys came out in 1997. In 2015, the company became a nonprofit. They then developed their first classroom products called Mobile STEM Labs. Kid Spark Education has since placed these labs in over 22 states.
Kid Spark Education focuses on hands-on technology and engineering for kids in kindergarten through 8th grade. They also offer free or low-cost programs to schools that help kids who need it most. A big part of their work is training teachers and youth leaders. This helps them become great STEM mentors.
Contents
History of Kid Spark Education
The Rokenbok Toy Company began in 1995. Its founder was Paul Eichen in the United States. By 2008, the company sold almost all its toys online. This happened because many toy stores closed during a tough economic time. They made videos for YouTube to show off their products. These videos also showed how different toys could be put together.
In 2015, the company changed to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group. Around 2017, most of their older toy parts were stopped. Only the Maker ROK-Bot continued.
What Was Rokenbok?
Rokenbok was an educational toy system. It combined building parts with remote-controlled vehicles. The system was designed to be expanded. You could always add more pieces and change your creations. Some Rokenbok parts had round studs. This made them work with Lego bricks.
Rokenbok allowed many players at once. Up to four people could control up to eight vehicles at the same time. Each player could operate their own vehicle. The controllers looked like those for video game consoles. They had a D-pad for moving and buttons for other actions. Rokenbok toys encouraged teamwork and positive play. They did not use characters from movies or cartoons.
Rokenbok Vehicles
Rokenbok had many different types of vehicles. These vehicles were remote-controlled. They helped kids learn about engineering and construction.
The first vehicles were for construction. These included the Loader, Dozer, and TransGripper. A Cargo Trailer was also available. Later, city-themed vehicles were added. These included the Power Sweeper and Skip Track.
In 2000, the Elevator and Monorail system were released. The Tower Crane came out in 2001. In 2002, Rokenbok updated its product line. They made the toys look more like real construction sites. The Loader and Dozer got new colors. New vehicles like the Forklift and ROK Lift were also introduced. A simpler Dump Truck was made for younger children.
The X2 Power Unit was also released. This unit could power different machines. It could operate things like drawbridges and lifts.
-
RC Loader
-
RC Sweeper
-
RC TransGripper
-
RC Skip Track
-
RC Forklift
-
RC Monorail
Rokenbok Action Accessories
These accessories added more fun and function to Rokenbok builds.
The Power ROK-Lift
The Power ROK-Lift was like an elevator. It carried many ROK balls to the top of a tower. You would use a remote-controlled vehicle to dump ROKs into its bins. Then, you would bump a button to start the lift. When it reached the top, the bins would automatically dump the ROKs. The lift would then go back down.
Motorized Conveyor
The Motorized Conveyor moved ROK balls upwards. It used a sensor to know when ROKs were at the bottom. This sensor acted as an on/off switch. Spinning wheels inside helped prevent jams. Early versions plugged into a command deck. Later, battery-powered conveyors were made. This removed the need for wires.
Rokenbok Building System
Beams and Blocks
The Rokenbok building system used beams and blocks. These pieces locked together to create structures. There were two main lengths of beams. They had tabs on the ends to connect to the blocks. Beams could connect at any point along their length. These beams and the ROK balls are still used by Kid Spark Education today.
ROKs and Chute Systems
Rokenbok also had a system of chutes. Users could build these chutes to move ROK balls. ROKs are small, colorful balls. The system included hoppers and sorting chutes. Hoppers could send ROKs in two directions. Sorting chutes could separate red ROKs from blue ones. This was because of their different sizes. Trap door chutes had a hinged door to stop or start the flow of ROKs. Kid Spark Education still sells ROK balls. However, most of the chute accessories are no longer made.
Monorail Train System
The monorail system came out in 2000. It used the same beams and blocks as the regular building system. There were also curved and sloped beams. These allowed you to build turns and hills for the track. Special riser beams supported the track. The monorail train hung down over the sides of the track for balance.
How Rokenbok Was Controlled
Rokenbok vehicles and machines were controlled with special pads. These controllers looked similar to those for Xbox or PlayStation. The first controllers were wired. You had to press a button to choose which vehicle to control.
Later, the "Rok-Star" controller was introduced. This was a wireless controller. Players could select a vehicle by pointing a red light at its receiver. This made it easier to control many vehicles at once. It also allowed more players to play together.
Each control pad had three main parts. On the left was a D-pad. This controlled the vehicle's movement. In the center was a button to switch between vehicles. On the right were four function buttons: A, B, X, and Y. These buttons did different things for each vehicle. The Rok-Star controller also had buttons for sirens and backup alarms. Two shoulder buttons were at the top. The left one switched to the last vehicle used. The right one made the vehicle go slower.
