K*bots UK hosted its traditional Easter event at the Cookley Primary school, Worcestershire, for the first time in 2008. All four Divisions were on display, as well as some special challenges which the students of Cookley and the surrounding area took part in during the week.

On Day 1, all pupils were introduced to Division 1, a test of pushing power using standard K’Nex red power pack motors. A mix of pupils ranging from ages 5 to 12 worked in teams to produce their very first K*bots. After the first tests, everyone was hooked, and by the afternoon all pupils had moved on to designing, building and testing their own individual K*bots.

Over the course of the week, pupils were also introduced to Division 2 (four-wheel drive pushing machines), Division 3 (remote-control battling K*bots) and Division M (manually operated weapons on wheels). But it was always Division 1 that saw the most excitement, the most effort and the most impressive K*bots. During the morning sessions we ran a ‘ladder game’ for Division 1, in which pupils tried to climb up the ladder by beating those above

them. Two K*bots – Tiny Tornado, built by Charlie Farmer (right) and Ka-boom, built by James Myatt (left) were dominant in this game! Additionally, on Thursday the pupils got the chance to work in teams once more, as they took on a special K*bots Challenge. They had to build a machine capable of firing a tennis ball using only K’Nex pieces, and compete in tasks based on distance, accuracy and speed of firing. The winners were Ancel Davison and Harry Adams, who built a Mangonel-style catapult. However, the most complicated design was a huge K’Nex trebuchet… though it wasn’t very easy to load, which cost the team in the Challenge!

The afternoon was spent finalizing K*bots and, for those taking part in Division 3, practicing driving ready for showing off their creations on Friday.

And so it came to Friday afternoon, and the chance to win some trophies and rosettes for being a good student or building a great K*bot! And one of the biggest surprises was to find that the girls were really showing the boys how to do things! There was a young lady taking part in every single Final of every single Division… and one of them even won a competition!

Division M was won by Daniel Johnson from Caunsall, who was brave enough to build in a flipper AND a hammer weapon to allow him to attack from all angles. Division 3 was won by Nick Wilson, who had co-built his K*bot Twister with his cousin Jos and surprised us all by winning a trophy despite only finishing his K*bot on Friday morning! The powerful Division 2 K*bots put on a show, and the most impressive entry was named Little Power House, built by James Myatt, which featured 3lb of weight crammed into a tiny chassis… effectively one motorised, four-wheel-drive solid lump of plastic!

Division 1 was, of course, the flagship Division – featuring all pupils taking part and K*bots which had evolved over four days of testing and tweaking. The two favourites were Charlie and James, but there was a surprise in store! Ana Partridge, who is well-known for bringing us the aesthetically brilliant Bingo, decided during the week that her poor old Division 1 dog just wasn’t going to be powerful enough in this competition. So she spent all week working on a new design, named Destiny (left, below). And, despite a tough draw in which she had to beat James AND Charlie in succession, Ana emerged triumphant to win the Division 1 trophy!

The event was a big success, enjoyed by all, and we hope to be back in Cookley next year for more of the same! Congratulations to our Division winners, and also to our rosette winners Charlie Farmer (Best Looking K*bot), Harry Adams (Best Inventive Design) and Chloe Pereira (Helping Hands Award).

Perhaps there’s even a future World Champion in there…?

Coming up soon: Students in Cheltenham will be treated to a special K*bots activity camp in the Whit week half-term. Full details to follow shortly!