When I was younger, kids my age usually played outside a few hours before it gets dark. Now, they can stay indoors and play. I will always be amazed at how high-tech today’s toys are. Before when you mention educational games, you think of Scrabble or some other board game that most kids nowadays will probably ignore. Right now, educational toys and products are taking things to a whole new level, especially with Elegoo.
Elegoo makes coding and electronics fun for kids, as well as making it safe. Growing up, my brother had an electronics set. I was never allowed to use it because I’m a klutz and I cannot hold a soldering iron without getting burned. Elegoo has starter kits that would not require anyone to solder anything. These kits also will not give you an electrical shock.
What Is Elegoo?
Elegoo is a Chinese company that sells different electronics kits that are programmable. It is compatible with the Arduino platform, allowing you to create projects easily and use a programming language that is already well-known and loved.
Elegoo currently has several kits available, including the:
- Project Basic Starter Kit
- Project Super Starter Kit
- The Most Complete Starter Kit
- Sensor Module Kit
- Electronics Fun Kit
- 37 in 1 Sensor Modules Kit
- Project Smart Robot Car Kit
The company also sells breadboards and other components.
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What is Arduino?
Arduino is an electronics platform that uses software and hardware that everybody can figure out, even kids. It uses a programmable circuit board. You can teach your kids all about electronics and sensors without them needing to hold a soldering iron.
These interactive projects give the user an interactive device that can do pretty nifty things. What’s more, you can program how each component acts and what it does. Elegoo and Arduino make it easier for beginners to get a grasp of electronics and programming.
In short, you are equipping your kids with the skills they might need in the future either as students or employees, a love for electronics and a fun way to learn how to code.
Find our full Arduino Starter Kit Review here!
The Best Elegoo Tutorials to Get You Started
Admittedly, however, Elegoo is not easy to figure out. Getting one means you would need to have a good grasp of electronics or programming. If you are an absolute newbie, then you would need to look at the tutorials that are meant to guide you in using the different components or assembling different things.
What are the best Elegoo tutorials that you should know? Also, what are the kits that you need to do these tutorials?
1. Getting Started and Connected with Arduino
If you have just gotten your Elegoo Kit and you have absolutely no idea what to do and where to start, then you should watch this video. It talks about a lot of things including:
- What is Arduino
- What is a sketch
- Downloading the Arduino Software
- Uploading a program
If you are having a problem following that video, don’t fret, there is a tutorial video that is meant for absolute newbies. This video should give you a good overview of Arduino and Elegoo.
2. Six Easy and Smart Projects with the Elegoo Kit
This tutorial is a great way to introduce beginners to different sensors and parts that are included in the Elegoo UNO R3 Project Complete Starter Kit. It’s not a very detailed tutorial, but it does show you what you can do with the components on this kit such as the servo, the ultrasonic sensor, the LCD, humidity sensor, the LED matrix, the keypad door lock, and the joystick, among others.
These projects are explained in a more in-depth manner in different tutorials. The video not only shows you what you can expect to create but also provides links to the detailed tutorials:
- Controlling a Servo With Ultrasonic Sensor Signal Using Arduino
- Simple Ultrasonic Distance Measurer With LCD Display
- Humidity + Temperature Sensor with 16×2 LCD
- Programming an 8 x 8 Matrix
- Keypad Lock
- Servo Motor Control via Joystick on Arduino Mega
The Elegoo UNO R3 Project Complete Starter Kit
Priced at around $50 to $75, the Elegoo UNO R3 Project Complete Starter Kit is one of the most complete kits available today. It has more than two dozen LEDs in different colors, a variety of resistors, capacitors, buzzers, and sensors, among other components.
With 63 pieces, it is an excellent kit for kids and adults to learn both programming and electronics. This kit gets an average of 4.5 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon. People love the high-quality pieces that are included in this kit, as well as the tutorials and instructions that are included in the package. Others called it fun, while most praise it for being educational and having great value.
3. Building the Elegoo Smart Robot Car
This tutorial will guide you through all there is to know about the Elegoo EL-KIT-012 UNO Project Smart Robot Car Kit V 3.0. It starts with an unboxing, with a brief explanation of everything that you can see inside the box. The video will show you how to assemble the robot car, with steps by steps instructions. If you find it difficult to follow what’s going on, you can check out the accompanying blog post.
The tutorial also has a lot of tips on how to work with Elegoo such as unplugging the Bluetooth module if you want to upload code. Further, the video also explains some of the programming done. The fun continues in Part 2Â and Part 3.
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Elegoo EL-KIT-012 UNO Project Smart Robot Car Kit V 3.0
The Elegoo EL-KIT-012 UNO Project Smart Robot Car Kit V 3.0 sells for around $50 to $100. Some of the components that make this kit cool are the line following sensors, the Bluetooth remote control, and the ultrasonic distance sensor mount.
It gets an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon. People like how everything you need to assemble this project is already in the box and how easy it is to put together everything. However, there are complaints about the coding part, with some reviewers reporting that they were not able to find many programming resources and drivers online.
4. Elegoo Tutorials by Ricardo Moreno
YouTuber Ricardo Moreno has a series of tutorial videos that touch on the different components of Elegoo’s Most Complete Starter Kit for the Arduino Uno. That kit is briefly discussed above.
Moreno updates his YouTube channel regularly, and each video details the uses of one component and what you can do with it. These video tutorials will give you a way to have some sort of deep dive into each Elegoo component.
There are currently more than three dozen tutorial videos uploaded as of April 2019 These include:
- 32-bit shift register
- Serial Monitor Input
- Thermistor Thermometer
- Sound Sensor Module
- DS3231 RTC Module
- Water Level Detection Sensor Module
- MAX7219 LED Dot Matrix Module
- IR Receiver Module and IR Remote
- Analog Joystick Module
- Keypad Membrane Switch Module
- Ultrasonic Sensor Module
- Servo and the Rotary Encoder
5. Introduction to Arduino with Elegoo UNO Super Starter Kit
This Udemy course will give you everything you need to get started with Arduino using an Elegoo UNO Super Starter Kit. Instructor Javier Martinez is going to tell you all about the sensors, the actuators, motors, the servos, and every little component in this kit.
You will be able to master Arduino with this course, and you will be able to edit a sketch with the IDE, connect the hardware and be able to transfer your code to your project. With more than 1,300 students enrolled, it gets an average rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. You can enroll in this course for anywhere from $10 to $20 but do keep an eye out for discounted rates that show up from time to time. Reviewers like how easy it was to learn about the Elegoo kit with this course.
The instructor is a freelance electronic engineer and has been working in the industry for more than two decades now. He has an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.0.
The Elegoo UNO Project Super Starter Kit
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The Elegoo UNO Project Super Starter Kit is priced at around $30 to $45 (Check the latest rates here!). The kit comes with several components and LCD 1602 module that means you do not have to solder anything. It also comes with a PDF tutorial that has at least 22 lessons and utilizes the parts already found in the kit.
This kit gets an average of 4.6 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon, with around 900 reviewers leaving their opinions. Get an easy and affordable way to get your kids started with Arduino programming with this kit.
A lot of the reviewers were pleasantly surprised at the quality of this kit, saying that it is fully compatible with genuine Arduino products. They also love how easy it was to find tutorials for this kit.
6. Tech Explorations Arduino Step by Step Getting Serious
If you already know how Elegoo and Arduino works, you might be looking for intermediate tutorials and courses that are better suited for your skills. Check out the Tech Explorations Arduino Step by Step Getting Serious.
This Udemy course has more than 9,400 enrollees and garners an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.0 from more than 550 reviewers. You will learn more about the advanced modules included in various Arduino and Elegoo kits. Learn more about the environment sensor, the motion sensor, the magnetometer, the potentiometer, TFT screens, and others.
The Tech Explorations Arduino Step by Step Getting Serious is handled by Dr. Peter Dalmaris, an instructor and educator with a 4.6 out of 5.0 stars rating on Udemy, with more than 8,500 reviewers leaving their praises. You will need to pay $11.99 for this course.
7. The Most Complete Starter Kit for UNO Tutorial
If you are one of those who likes to read or if you have trouble following how-to videos, then you will benefit from this tutorial. Presented as a nifty PDF file, this tutorial will familiarize you with all the components included in Elegoo’s Most Complete Starter Kit, including the buzzers, the sensors, the joystick, the different modules, the LCD, and the different types of motors.
The tutorial is illustrated and presents very detailed step-by-step instructions for various projects, starting with installing the IDE, adding the libraries and everything to get you started.
8. Elegoo Penguin Bot Tutorial
The fun thing about Elegoo is that it always updates its kits. If you have the Elegoo Arduino Project Penguin Bot Arduino Biped Robot Kit, then you should check this detailed tutorial from Hackster.io. This tutorial gives you all the resources you need to build the Penguin Bot, including a step-by-step guide, as well as functional code, additional information, and links to other resources. It’s all here.
The Arduino Project Penguin Bot Arduino Biped Robot Kit
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This kit accepts any customizations that you might have, giving the robot an endless array of talents that it could show off. This product is very entertaining, and there is no limit to how many times you could re-program it.
It gets an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon. Some reviews praise the original design of the kit, and how fun it was to assemble this. Meanwhile, others like the different modes and movements that the robot can do. It can play, dance, avoid obstacles and follow — others like how responsive and helpful the company’s customer service is.
However, there are some complaints about some components, such as the battery box short-circuiting or pieces that are difficult to stick together.
Arduino Fun with Kids
If you are considering getting an Elegoo starter kit to get your kids into programming and electronics, then there are several projects that you can do.
For instance, you can create a fun lie detector just by using different components of your kit, some aluminum foil, wire, and velcro. Or how about a kid version of a handy utility: a battery tester. Further, you can create a simple radar.
If your Elegoo kit has an eight by eight matrix, you can help your kids create an old classic: snake game. It is like a throwback to the popular game on your old Nokia phones.
There is also a tutorial for making your own EMF detector, or more popularly known as a ghost detector. This project will be great for Halloween.
Learn Elegoo Easily with These Tutorials
Programming and electronics might seem intimidating at first, but with Elegoo and the best tutorials we outlined above, it should be a whole lot easier to master these skills.
Do you have an Elegoo kit? What’s your favorite tutorial? Tell us about it in the comments.
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