Programs you can hold
Meet the DrBartha Coding Kit. Snap magnetic bricks together to build a real program. No phones, no tablets, no computers, just play.
Brick Tokens
Each magnetic brick represents a programming command, from movement and logic to variables and functions.
Instant Execution
Snap bricks together, press Start, and watch your program run immediately on the built-in display.
Designed for Little Hands
Instant Power-On
No boot time, no pairing, no accounts. Flip the switch and start coding in seconds.
Built-In Display
The built-in LCD shows your program output: games, animations, and feedback, right on the device.
Connect to Anything
An open-source SDK lets children control robots, LEDs, motors, and custom electronics, bridging code and the physical world.
Open-Source SDK
Build your own games, peripherals, and lesson plans with our fully open Python SDK.
Wireless Connectivity
Pair the Coding Kit with robots, sensors, motors, or microcontroller boards over Bluetooth Low Energy or ESPNOW. No cables, no docking station.
Proven Turing-Complete
Our brick language (PBPL) is formally proven Turing-complete in Coq. This means children can express any computation that a real programming language can, using just physical bricks.
View the proof →Main features of our coding kit
Hands-On Coding
Learn sequencing, loops, and conditionals with physical bricks. No phones, no tablets, no computers needed.
Magnetic Snap-Together Bricks
Self-aligning magnets and robust contacts make building fast, accurate, and satisfying.
Progressive Challenges (Ages 4 to 14)
Grows from simple sequences to advanced problem-solving and real electronics concepts.
Open Tasks & Game Creation
Create, remix, and share puzzles. A community library keeps content fresh.
Modular & Expandable Kits
Start small and add new function bricks, stories, and worlds anytime.
Instant Setup, Zero Pairing
Power on the Coding Kit and play. No accounts, no Wi-Fi, no setup needed.
Offline & Classroom-Ready
Works anywhere with quick resets and minimal teacher overhead for group play.
Kid-Safe & Durable
Rounded edges, sturdy plastics, and protected electronics built for everyday drops.
Reprogrammable Function Bricks
Updatable logic lets bricks evolve with new skills and curricula over time.
Long Battery Life
Efficient hardware enables hours of play. Quick top-ups keep sessions flowing.
A curriculum that grows with the child
Ages 4 to 6: sequencing and movement
Children chain forward, turn, and repeat bricks to navigate sprites on the display. The first programs are three bricks long. Reading is not required.
Ages 6 to 9: loops and conditionals
Repeat bricks introduce iteration. IF bricks introduce branching. Children debug their own programs by rearranging bricks. The bug is something they can hold.
Ages 9 to 12: variables and functions
Variable bricks store values. Function bricks let children record a sequence once and reuse it. The mental model is the same one Python or JavaScript programmers use.
Ages 12 to 14: physical computing
Wireless control lets children drive motors, LEDs, sensors, or robots via the SDK. The Coding Kit becomes the brain of any maker project.
How DrBartha fits among hands-on coding toys
Hands-on coding has a rich history. Cubetto, KIBO, Bee-Bot, and Botley brought hands-on coding to preschoolers by giving them a robot to direct through space. LEGO BOOST, Sphero indi, and Osmo Coding expanded the field with kits that mix bricks, tokens, and screens. DrBartha sits one step further. It is a fully self-contained programmable console that supports the full set of programming concepts (sequencing, loops, conditionals, variables, functions) and grows with a child from age 4 to age 14.
The intellectual lineage runs back to Seymour Papert's LOGO and the constructionist tradition in education research, through Mitchel Resnick's Scratch, into today's CSTA K-12 computer science framework. DrBartha is built to honour that lineage and put it in a child's hand.
Pricing: kits and bundles
Two tiers cover individual learners and classrooms. Pre-orders are live on Kickstarter, at the lowest price the kits will ever be.
Starter kit
One Coding Kit with a curated starter brick set covering sequencing, movement, loops, conditionals, variables, and a first IF brick. The right size for a single learner ages 4 to 14.
Classroom kit
Multiple Coding Kits, a large shared brick set, the open-source SDK pre-loaded, plus a structured curriculum and lesson plans for teachers. Sized for a class or maker programme of up to 24 children.
What every kit includes
Same hardware, different brick counts.
The Coding Kit
A built-in LCD, six buttons, a rechargeable battery, and a brick port. Instant power-on. No Wi-Fi, no account, no app required for normal use.
Magnetic brick set
Programmable bricks for movement, arithmetic, comparison, loops, conditionals, variables, and I/O. Kit size scales by tier.
Open-source SDK
Python SDK and protocol documentation, free for everyone. Build your own games, lesson plans, or peripherals.
Free firmware updates
Firmware updates and new games arrive via the companion mobile app over the lifetime of the kit.
From browsing to a kit on the table
How to order
Pick a tier on Kickstarter
Starter or Classroom.
Back the pre-order
Kickstarter holds the funds until the campaign closes successfully.
Confirm address at survey time
After the campaign, Kickstarter sends a survey asking for shipping details.
We manufacture and ship
You will receive tracking when the kit leaves our hands.
Power on and play
Switch on the Coding Kit, snap bricks, press Start. No setup needed.
Partnerships & Collaborations
Frequently asked questions
What parents and educators ask about hands-on coding with DrBartha.
What is hands-on coding?
Hands-on coding (also called physical coding or unplugged coding) is a way to learn programming using physical objects instead of screens. Children build real programs by arranging bricks, blocks, or other physical objects whose shapes and connections represent commands such as move, repeat, or if-then. On the DrBartha Coding Kit, each magnetic brick is a programming command, so the program is something children can literally hold and rearrange.
How is hands-on coding different from screen-based coding apps?
Screen-based coding apps like Scratch and ScratchJr teach programming through drag-and-drop blocks on a tablet or computer. Hands-on coding uses physical bricks that children manipulate directly. It supports younger learners (ages 4 and up) who benefit from tactile play, group collaboration without screen friction, and unstructured exploration. Both have value. DrBartha is built for the hands-on side.
Wait, the Coding Kit has a screen, how is this screen-free?
Fair question, and the most common one we hear. By screen-free we mean the experience is not driven by a phone, tablet, or computer app. Children program by hand, with magnetic bricks. The small built-in display only shows what the program is doing, like a sprite moving on a grid or an animation playing. Children do not tap, swipe, or scroll it. If you prefer no display in the loop at all, the Coding Kit can also drive external hardware (robots, motors, LEDs, sensors) wirelessly. The brick program then controls the physical world directly with the display turned off.
Does the Coding Kit need a phone, tablet, or computer to use?
No external device is needed for normal use. The Coding Kit is fully self-contained. Power it on, snap bricks together, and press Start, and the program runs on the built-in display. We do offer a companion mobile app where you can download firmware updates and additional games to the kit, but day-to-day play does not require it.
What ages is the Coding Kit for?
Ages 4 to 14. Younger children (4 to 7) start with sequencing and movement bricks. Older children (8 to 14) progress to loops, conditionals, variables, function bricks, and connecting custom electronics via the open-source SDK. The brick set grows with the child.
How do programmable bricks teach kids to code?
Each magnetic brick represents a programming command: move forward, turn, repeat, if-then, set variable. Snapping bricks together is the same as writing a line of code. When the child presses Start, the Coding Kit reads the brick chain and executes it. The core concepts that power Python, JavaScript, or Scratch all appear physically in the child's hand: sequencing, loops, conditionals, variables, functions.
How do the games and puzzles scale in difficulty as the child gets older?
Three things scale together. The brick set itself grows from simple movement bricks to function bricks and reprogrammable bricks. The puzzles and games scale from three-brick programs to multi-step challenges to controlling external hardware. Once a child is ready, they can move to the open-source Python SDK to write their own games on a regular computer and deploy them to the Coding Kit. The kit becomes a real platform to build on, not just a toy.
Is the brick language a real programming language?
Yes. The brick language (PBPL, the Physical Brick Programming Language) is formally proven Turing-complete in Coq, meaning it can express any computation that conventional programming languages can. The proof is open-source on GitHub.
How will the product work in countries with non-English languages, like China or Japan?
The bricks are symbolic. They use icons and shapes, not words, so the same brick set works in any language. The games and puzzles we develop are deliberately text-light and rely on visual storytelling. Learning materials (lesson plans, parent guides, getting-started videos) are translated into the major languages of each market we ship to. We are starting with English. Other languages will follow based on demand.
How does the Coding Kit compare to Cubetto, KIBO, Bee-Bot, or Botley?
Cubetto, KIBO, Bee-Bot, and Botley are hands-on coding toys aimed mostly at ages 3 to 7 and built around moving a robot through space. The DrBartha Coding Kit covers a wider age range (4 to 14) and a wider concept range. It supports loops, conditionals, variables, and reprogrammable function bricks for older kids, and the open Python SDK lets advanced users extend the platform.
How much does a kit cost?
Current pricing is set on the Kickstarter campaign page. Pre-order tiers are the lowest price the kits will ever be. Retail prices after shipping will be higher.
When will my kit ship?
Estimated shipping is shown on the Kickstarter page for each tier. We will update backers if the timeline shifts.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. Kickstarter handles shipping calculation by country at the survey stage after the campaign closes.
Can schools or programmes get a quote outside Kickstarter?
Yes. For classroom kits, purchase orders, or bulk orders, email denes.bartha@brixit.net and we will reply with a quote.
Can I add more bricks later?
Yes. Additional brick packs (function bricks, IF bricks, motion bricks, and so on) will be offered alongside the kits and as add-ons after the campaign.