bee bots

**peppa Pig** · 12-02-2012, 06:57 PM

does anyone have one?
What age would you recommend for and do you need more than one?

my school age mindees keep telling me about them from school and i wondered if they are suitable for early years? I spoke to the reception teacher who told me I could may be get away with just two or three, but at that price I could only afford 1.

**breezy** · 12-02-2012, 07:55 PM

dd has SLD and uses these at school, so I would have thought younger children could use them with help. They do say " not suitable for children under 3 years" on the box though!

**sdean** · 12-02-2012, 07:57 PM

I have 1 and the 2 and 3 and older use it. We play with it in groups and take turns and use the street map or shape mat that I have to decide where we want to go and how many moves and turns etc we have to do. I would say 1 was enough.
hope that helps

**samb** · 12-02-2012, 08:03 PM

Hiya, yes I have 1 - just 1 and it is fine. The schoolies like them as they use them at school but the 2.5-4 yr olds are pretty good with them too. I have 2 mats - 1 is a road one with pictures of different buildings on. They count the squares and then push the arrows however many times to make it go to the correct place. My other mat is plain with just the squares marked out so you could put your own pics underneath (I must admit I haven't used that one yet). The younger ones use it to help with counting and place and number recognition. They enjoy pushing the buttons. Sometimes they just push and see where it ends up and then laugh at wherever it has gone (especially as it usually comes off the mat!)Other times I say how many squares forward to go to the florist (for example) and then we will all help to count the squares etc and see if we have got it right. Of course with older ones you make it more complicated so I tell them a story about what the beebot has done and they have to make it do the story. So for example, The beebot was at home in his flat and realised he didn't have any fruit for his picnic so he went out to the greengrocers and bought some fruit. He then went to the park to meet his friend for a picnic. When they were finished ... (you get the point!) I have a max of 5 children at a time and have had it out with all 5 around. I don't think you always need lots of a resource for it to be loved - they will have to share and take turns but that is ok too!

**singingcactus** · 12-02-2012, 08:11 PM

Again, 1 is plenty. They are pretty simple to use, as long as the child can push the buttons they'll get some use from it. For under 3's as long as you are using it with them it'll be fine.

Have to say though, I would recommend spending the money on big trak, instead of getting something the kids already have access too. Big trak is waaaaay more fun and he has makes better noises

And you can get a trailer for him and your DH will play with the little ones with him - I promise!

Pipsqueak · 12-02-2012, 09:31 PM

I have one and the tots and older ones alike love it. The youngest one who uses it 'properly' (ie programming it etc) is 2.5yrs.

We build roadways, use the mats etc

**Cammie Doodle** · 12-02-2012, 10:13 PM

All my minders love it

I have 2 , but only use 1 for mindees I have kept my other one for my Godson ( I got them at a very good price, through a Worcestershire training )

**peanuts** · 12-02-2012, 10:26 PM

my mindees loved it, even the older schoolies had fun with it without taking over from the wee ones

**SammyM** · 13-02-2012, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by singingcactus

Have to say though, I would recommend spending the money on big trak, instead of getting something the kids already have access too. Big trak is waaaaay more fun and he has makes better noises

And you can get a trailer for him and your DH will play with the little ones with him - I promise!

WOW Big Trak - had one of these when I was little, and that was a looonngggg time ago

**singingcactus** · 13-02-2012, 07:52 PM

my little bro had one when we were little too - I was soooooo jealous of him lol (my mum bought me a barbie????? If you knew me, you'd question the logic of that too). So when they came back out a few years ago, my hubby bought me one for christmas

Best pressie ever!

**peppa Pig** · 13-02-2012, 08:03 PM

so do i buy the big trak or the junior?
really not my thing but dh was well impressed!

**singingcactus** · 14-02-2012, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by peppa Pig

so do i buy the big trak or the junior?
really not my thing but dh was well impressed!

Told you he'd love them haha. From my point of view - bigger is better in this case. It looks like the junior is everything big trak is, but small. Personally I'd go for big trak, not the little brother....little brothers are annoying.

**mama2three** · 14-02-2012, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by singingcactus

Told you he'd love them haha. From my point of view - bigger is better in this case. It looks like the junior is everything big trak is, but small. Personally I'd go for big trak, not the little brother....little brothers are annoying.

but easier to fit in the cupboard!