First, an honest take: what a preschooler actually learns
A four-year-old doesn't learn "coding" in the sense adults understand the word. What they actually learn:
- Sequence. If I want the robot to reach the apple, I go forward, then right, then forward. Literally — they line up physical cards in order.
- Cause and effect. I press a button — something happens. After five tries, the child realises they control what happens.
- Patience. The robot didn't do quite what I wanted — let me look at why, fix it, try again.
- Fine motor skills. Stacking small bricks, snapping pieces together — it builds hand control.
- Teamwork. Two kids share one robot — that means talking, agreeing, making mistakes together.
These are all skills that will help later in coding, maths, languages — but they're valuable in their own right. A preschooler who learns to be patient with a robot — that's gold.
Why no screens?
The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of one hour of screen time per day for children aged 2–4. The reality is that kids usually get a lot more. Our position is simple: if we can teach logic without a screen, why would we add another screen to their day?
Our robots for the youngest don't need a tablet. They're programmed:
- Using cards that are physically lined up in a row
- Using buttons on the robot itself
- Using tiles that snap together
Only in Sveznalci (5.5 years) do we gradually introduce a tablet — and even then in very short bursts.
The robots we use and what each is for
| Robot | Age | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Coding Express | 3.5 – 4.5 | A Lego train that follows colour cards on the track |
| Tale-Bot Pro | 3.5 – 5 | A small robot programmed by buttons on the unit itself |
| Cubelets | 4 – 6 | Magnetic blocks — each one does something: motion, light, sound |
| Matatalab | 4 – 6 | A robot + magnetic tiles that snap together into a sequence |
| Sphero Indi | 4.5 – 6 | A ball-shaped robot that drives over coloured cards — colour = command |
Coding Express — the Lego train
A classic. A Lego train that runs along tracks. Short coloured cards are placed on the rails, and as the train rolls over each card it does something (whistles, stops, reverses). The child plans the route, lays out the cards, and watches whether things go as planned.
Why it works: huge bricks (Duplo size), easy to handle, robust. It doesn't break, and a child can't really "ruin" it.
Tale-Bot Pro — the button robot
A small round robot with buttons on top. Press "forward 3 times", "right", "forward 2 times", "start" — and off it goes. Exactly what you told it.
Why it works: totally physical, no separate device needed. The child holds the robot in their hand while "programming" its path.
Cubelets — blocks that do things
Magnetic blocks. Each block has a specific job: one is a "motor", another a "light sensor", another a "battery". You connect them however you like and — works, doesn't work, but something always happens.
Why it works: introduces the idea of a "system" — no single block does it all, you have to combine them.
Matatalab — magnetic board + robot
A robot plus a board where you arrange square tiles (forward, right, left, repeat...). When you're happy, you press "start" and the robot follows the path you laid out. The clearest illustration of an "algorithm" for this age.
Why it works: the child physically sees the "program" before it runs. Mistakes are visible and quick to fix.
Sphero Indi — ball-robot on cards
A small ball-shaped robot that rolls over coloured cards. Blue means "go straight", red "turn right", yellow "sing"... You arrange the cards in a row — the robot rolls through them and acts out your sequence.
Why it works: the most visual one — the child sees the entire "path" laid out in front of them before the robot moves.
The best moment of any lesson: when the robot doesn't end up where the child expected, the child looks at the cards, says "ahhh, here's where I went wrong", fixes it, and says "let's try again". That's the moment a programmer is born.
What comes after preschool?
Preschool programs are a starting point, not an end. After Legići (3.5–5.5), kids move into Juniors, where Scratch Junior begins — visual programming on a tablet. Gradually, not all at once.
One of our constants: we never push a child into the next group before they're ready. Better to spend two terms in Sveznalci and then move into the Yellow Belt than to rush.
Myth vs reality: "the child is too young for this"
We hear it often: "Four is too young, let the child just play first." We get the worry. Our answer:
Our youngest do play. Lessons are 45 minutes, half of which goes into things that look like play (because they are — which doesn't change the fact that they're learning logic). The difference is that there's structure, a teacher, other kids, and carefully chosen tools.
A child spending an hour a week with a Tale-Bot in a group of six — that's not "too early for coding". That's a good form of organised play.
At DigiKids Vračar, the Legići program has three levels: Radoznalci (3.5–4.5), Ljubopitljivci (4–5), Sveznalci (3.5–5.5). See the details on the programs page.