This season, we’re stepping into the world of sports, play, and fitness – moving, collaborating, competing, and celebrating. In PLAYMAKERS and RePLAY, FIRST LEGO League students will explore the activities we can do in different spaces for play and how we can ensure that our games and activities are fun and accessible for everyone involved.

Hands-on STEM learning in a fun camp setting!

Who doesn’t love LEGO?  Who doesn’t love Robots? FIRST LEGO League camps at EmBe teach 6 – 14 year-olds (ages vary by camp) STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills in a fun and hands-on camp setting. These camps are the perfect way for kids to start learning more about coding, program and robotics. From multiple day camps in the summer, to one-day camps on no-school days, camps build skills and confidence in kids!

FIRST LEGO League relies on volunteers to help run our tournaments. Door Keeper, Timer, Robot Game Assistant, Judges Assistant, Robot Game Referee and Project, Robot Design or Core Values Judge. Referees and judges require pre-tournament training.

Click here to learn more about volunteering.

FAQ’S REGARDING FIRST LEGO LEAGUE CHALLENGE SEASON

What happens at a competition?
A FIRST® LEGO® League competition is a high energy, exciting event. Teams will have three robot runs in a sports arena like atmosphere. During a 2.5 minute run, they will have their robot attempt as many missions as possible. They will also have three judged events. Presenting their research and innovative solution to project judges, explain their robot design to robot design judges and be judged on their team work by core values judges.

Approximate Cost for a First Year Team

• EV3 Robot Set (reuseable each year, purchased through LEGO education) $420
• National Team Registration and Challenge set (Paid to FIRST) $300
• Regional Tournament Registration (Paid to EmBe) $65
• State Championship Registration (Paid to EmBe) $150 – not all teams advance to the State Championship

How do I find/start a team?
EmBe does not create the teams, you do. Teams can be part of school groups, 4-H, community groups, neighborhood groups, church groups, or just a group of friends who want to experience the fun and excitement of FIRST LEGO League. If you are looking for a team, you can attend one of our information sessions and find like minded people.

What does the FIRST LEGO League Challenge season look like?

• May – September, teams form, register and order their materials (robot and Challenge Set from FIRST)
• August, The Challenge is released and teams begin to prepare for the qualifying competitions
• October, Registration for Regional Qualifiers opens
• December, Regional Qualifiers
• Late January – February, State Championships

FAQ’S REGARDING FIRST LEGO LEAGUE EXPLORE SEASON

What happens at an festival?
A FIRST® LEGO® League Explore fesitval is a highly creative and exciting event. Teams will share what they have learned through the season by talking about their Show Me Poster and themed LEGO construction. Their audience is made up of parents, volunteers, FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams and other FIRST LEGO League Explore teams. Explore teams will visit with a Reviewer who will guide the team in talking about their project, their teamwork, and what they have learned. Reviewers will determine which award best matches the achievements of the team. Festivals are held alongside FIRST LEGO League Challenge competitions, so teams get to share in the fun and exciting atmosphere.

Approximate Cost for a First Year Team

• We-Do 2.0 Robot Set (reuseable each year, purchased through LEGO education) $200
• National Team Registration and Inspire Set (Paid to FIRST) $100
• Expo Registration (Paid to EmBe) $25

How do I find/start a team?
EmBe does not create the teams, you do. Teams can be part of school groups, 4-H, community groups, neighborhood groups, church groups, or just a group of friends who want to experience the fun and excitement of FIRST LEGO League Explore. If you are looking for a team, you can attend one of our information sessions and find like minded people.

What does the FIRST LEGO League Explore season look like?

• May – September, teams form, register and order their materials (robot and Inspire Set from FIRST)
• August, The Challenge is released and teams begin to prepare for the qualifying competitions
• October, Registration for Festivals opens
• December, Festivals

Networking

• South Dakota FIRST Coaches Facebook Group
• FLL Challenge: Share and Learn Facebook Group
• FLL Explore: Share and Learn Facebook Group

Registration, Challenge and Game updates

• Coach Registration at FIRST
• Challenge Updates
• Explore Updates

Coach Call Notes and other documents

• DropBox

Software and Programming Links

Mindstorms EV3 is being retired. It is going out of stock summer of 2021 and will no longer be supported by LEGO Education the summer of 2023. It will remain legal for FLL Challenge completions indefinitely.

• EV3 Support from LEGO Education
• EV3 Mindstorms Software

SPIKE Prime (45678) and its near copy Mindstorms Robot Inventor (51515) are backwards compatible with the following sets.

• StarWars Droid Commander (75253) sold out at LEGO, but might be available other places
• BOOST Creative Toolbox (17101)

Software and Support

Where to buy spare robot Parts? Best sites to order specific parts is BrickLink

• EV3 Mindstorms Set
• EV3 Mindstorms Expansion Set
• SPIKE Prime Set
• SPIKE Prime Expansion Set 
• Mindstorms Robot Inventor
• StarWars Droid Commander
• BOOST Creative Toolbox