If you have a TTS Glow and Go Bot in your setting, then you will know just how captivating it can be for the children. There’s something fascinating about the way it glows and moves, grabbing their attention and sparking that important sense of curiosity. But why not make it even more exciting by adding some simple accessories and resources to enhance their learning experiences further?
Below are a few suggestions to help you get the most out of your Glow and Go Bot. These ideas are easy to set up, engaging for children and perfect for mixing play with learning.
Building with Glow Construction
Glow and Go Bot can also work well alongside other construction materials or glow-themed resources. Glow construction pieces, for example, are brilliant for creating obstacle courses for the bot to navigate. Children can use the glow resources to create illuminated pathways, tunnels, and obstacles for the bot to move around and explore.
You can add extra excitement and engagement by incorporating Sensor Activated Glow Arches into their play. As Glow and Go Bot passes underneath, the arches will be activated to create a rainbow, waterfall effect that is mesmerising. It’s a great way for children to see how one thing can make something else happen – the concept of cause and effect.
Storytelling with Glow Small World and Glow and Go Bot
Children can also add small world resources including Glow Small World such as Glow People, Glow Trees and Glow Houses into the scene. They can create an illuminated town where Glow and Go Bot can be a giant turtle taxi, taking people to different locations in the imaginary landscape.
What’s even better is letting the children take the lead here. They can decide what to build and how the bot will move through it. As children explore with the Glow and Go Bot and different Glow Resources, they will practise teamwork and solve problems – all whilst having a good time and learning.
Using mirrors and reflective surfaces
Here is a simple but super effective trick: add some Mirror Spots, mirrors (risk assessment required), mirrored /light panel tuff tray inserts, Mirrored tables, or reflective materials and shiny paper/card. When the Glow and Go Bot moves over or near these, the lights from the bot will bounce and reflect in the most fascinating ways. Children will not only learn about light and reflection, but also have a great sensory experience.
Incorporating voile and other fabrics
Young children love a bit of mystery and discovery, and this idea is perfect for that. Try covering the Glow and Go Bot with something like colourful voiles or transparent lightweight fabrics. The glowing lights will shine through, creating an exciting effect that will grab their attention.
The best part? Young children who are beginning to move will want to get up close, reach out, follow the bot’s movements and explore. The lights and sounds will encourage children to crawl towards it, pulling at the materials, and then squealing with delight when they reveal the bot underneath! This is a great way to get children moving and engaging with the world around them.
Getting creative with Glow and Go Bot
Have you got some craft materials such as cardboard, junk boxes, tape, glue and a bit of imagination? If so, you have got everything you need to turn the Glow and Go Bot into the star of its own little world.
Why not set up a craft session where the children can plan, design, and create a home, obstacle course, or even a whole city for the bot using junk materials such as cardboard boxes? They can create different places for the bot to visit such as a garage for a pretend Glow and Go Bot MOT, or a maze for the bot to escape from.
This isn’t about creating a perfect masterpiece; it’s about letting the children take ownership of their own ideas, allowing for key skills to be practised while engaged in play. It is a great way for experimentation with building and storytelling and there is so much joy in seeing what they come up with.
Adding more Glow and Go Bots
A group of children can happily play and share using one Glow and Go Bot. However, learning experiences can be enhanced further by adding more bots into the play. By doing this, children can create light and sound dance shows for the other bots to copy. Can they work together to get them to move in sync?
If you have more than one Glow and Go Bot, why not play barrier games to strengthen memory or have a game of ‘Glow and Go Bot Says…’ (similar to ‘Simon Says…’) In this game, one person demonstrates an action on the bot that the others have to follow. If they say Glow and Go Bot says, the children must follow the instruction correctly. If ‘Go and Go Bot says…’ is not given before the instruction, then the children must ignore the action. Who can use their concentration, listening and attention skills to follow the rules of the game and make it to the end without being caught out?
Why these extras can make a difference?
The Glow and Go Bot is a great standalone resource, but these little extras can make a huge difference and completely change the learning experienced. They give the children more ways to interact, experiment and discover – all through play. And as we all know, that is where the magic happens in early years.
So, next time the children are playing with Glow and Go bot, why not try adding one of these ideas into the mix and see where their learning takes them!
Free teaching and learning materials
If you are interested in trying out different activities, why not take a look at these free activity downloads:
General activities including ideas on areas such as schematic play, sensory, communication and vocabulary, creativity and STEAM.
blog.tts-group.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Glow-and-Go-Practitioner-Notes.pdf
Activities ideas across different learning areas.
blog.tts-group.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Activity-ideas-for-Glow-and-Go-Bot.pdf
Early Years appropriate activity ideas focusing on the prerequisite skills needed for later computing.
blog.tts-group.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Early-Computing-Activity-Ideas.pdf
Find out more about other schools and settings experiences with Glow and Go Bot.
blog.tts-group.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Glow-and-Go-Bot-Case-Studies.pdf
Written by Michelle Reid. Michelle is a mum of one and has over 20 years of experience working as a nursery nurse and qualified teacher in the Early Years and Primary sector.
