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FIRST Lego League

STEAM
March 05, 2025•2 min read

🔎 What is FIRST LEGO League?

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a global robotics competition for kids ages 4-16 (ages vary by country) that challenges teams to design, build, and code LEGO robots to complete tasks and solve real-world problems.

It’s part of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a global nonprofit that promotes STEAM education through hands-on competitions.

🧩 How It Works

Each year, FLL releases a new themed challenge related to a real-world issue, like:

  • Climate change

  • Space exploration

  • Sustainable energy

  • Health and fitness

Teams (of up to 10 kids) work together to:

  1. Build & program a LEGO robot using a kit like SPIKE Prime or EV3.

  2. Complete missions on a competition mat — each mission earns points.

  3. Create a research project related to the theme — this is where creativity and the Arts (in STEAM) shine.

  4. Present their project and robot design to a panel of judges.

🌟 FIRST LEGO League Divisions

There are three levels, based on age:

DivisionAge RangeDescriptionDiscoverAges 4-6Playful introduction to STEAM using DUPLO and simple problem-solving.ExploreAges 6-10Teams build a motorized model and create a poster to show their ideas and solutions. Focus is on creativity and teamwork.ChallengeAges 9-16Teams build and program LEGO robots to complete missions on a game mat, plus complete a full research project and presentation.

🤖 What Kind of Robots Do They Build?

  • Teams use LEGO Education SPIKE Prime or older platforms like LEGO Mindstorms EV3.

  • Robots are autonomous, meaning they must follow pre-programmed instructions to navigate obstacles, move objects, press buttons, etc.

  • The robot’s design, coding, and creativity all count toward the team’s score.

🏆 Why It’s Awesome for STEAM

FLL isn’t just about coding or engineering — it’s about:

  • Creativity (designing unique robots and project presentations)

  • Teamwork & Collaboration (everyone has a role)

  • Real-World Problem Solving (focusing on global challenges)

  • Public Speaking & Communication (teams present their ideas to judges)

  • Hands-On Learning (combining physical building with digital coding)

It’s the perfect STEAM program because it fuses tech, creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork.

🌍 Global Reach

  • Over 100 countries participate.

  • Tens of thousands of teams compete each year.

  • Many schools, libraries, and community organizations sponsor teams.

🔥 Example Themes from Past Years

  • 2023-2024: MASTERPIECE — focused on how technology can enhance arts and creativity (very STEAM!).

  • 2022-2023: SUPERPOWERED — all about exploring energy sources and sustainable energy.

  • 2021-2022: CARGO CONNECT — focused on transportation and logistics.

🎉 Key Takeaway

FIRST LEGO League is more than just a robot competition — it’s a complete STEAM experience where kids learn to code, build, research, present, and work as a team, all while having fun with LEGO!

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