Crafting Confidence: Little Builders in The Robotime Cares Program

BARCELONA, SPAIN - An ordinary classroom turned into a haven of creativity for teacher Wendy Bautista's fifth-graders.

Under the Robotime Cares program, Wendy's class of nine- and ten-year-olds received 22 DIY 3D puzzle kits, including five Christmas Fireplace miniature houses, two Santa on Sleigh Gravity Swing sets, five Sakura Bonsai miniatures, five Purple Moth Orchid kits, and five Evergreen Pine Bonsais.

Teacher Wendy's class received exciting Robotime kits.

To start off, Wendy introduced a “lucky stick” lottery: each child's name was drawn at random, and that student got to choose the kit they preferred. They soon split into four groups of five, plus one pair, and began working immediately. As a seasoned crafter, Wendy moved from table to table to guide anyone who struggled with a step, offering gentle instructions and encouragement.

The Magic of Building Together

Although each child worked on their own kit, they naturally drifted toward teamwork, supporting and coaching each other, which Wendy found heartwarming and beautiful to watch.

“They followed the steps together, helped one another, and supported each other if someone got stuck while I was helping another student,” says Wendy.

They dedicated an entire afternoon to their builds and returned to them over the next few sessions. When the period ended, the unfinished pieces were carefully placed on a classroom shelf, waiting for the next break or free moment when little hands would eagerly pick them up again.

“The plan is to keep the kits at school until they're finished, and then take them home,” Wendy shared.

Students were immersed in the joy of learning to build.

The Robotime Community's Participation

As an active member of the Robotime Community, Wendy regularly updated her fellow builders on the students' progress.

The children's infectious happiness quickly captured the community's attention, prompting messages of encouragement to both Wendy and her students to pour in. Wendy then relayed this positivity to the students.

“They're at an age where the world feels huge,” Wendy says. “Any kind of online recognition feels like one of the most incredible things ever to them.” Buoyed by the support, the kids kept building, inspired not just by their teacher but by strangers cheering them on from across the globe.

The first group to complete their builds was the Christmas Fireplace team. It was one of the most beginner-friendly models in the set, with the children getting excited as the final pieces slid into place. Even the trickiest parts that added challenge became part of the excitement, and some students even embraced creative freedom with their own Christmas tree styles.

One of Wendy's students with their finished Christmas Fireplace miniature.

The other groups are almost done with their own kits, and Wendy continues to post updates on the community blog. Wendy notes that the experience has become more than a project but an introduction to something that made them feel capable, confident, and excited for more.

How It All Started

Wendy's been a long-time Robotime puzzle crafter. This passion has spilled into her classroom when, a few months ago, she showed her fifth-graders some of the miniature houses she's built.

And they absolutely loved them.

After a few weeks, Wendy took a couple of Rowood flower kits to school to have her kids try some hands-on building fun. The class favored the Red Camellia, which was a struggle for the first-time builders at first, but eventually took momentum by the time they were on their second blossom.

The Rowood Red Camellia was the students' first hands-on project.

Wendy was beaming with pride at how clever these young people were, with the students favoring the Red Camellia and selecting it as their “class flower”.

Soon, they were asking for more. Some were already looking for things to build at home.

This group accomplishment gave Wendy the idea to bring the Robotime Cares project to her classroom.

The finished Red Camellia project. 

See more details here: https://community.robotime.com/t/robotime-social-good-wendy-s-robotime-christmas-workshop/10101

The Robotime Effect

For these students, the wooden puzzles have strengthened their fine motor skills, boosted their problem-solving ability, and improved their focus. But beyond that, Wendy notes something more profound.

“This activity gives them confidence,” she explains. “Even while working individually, they've turned it into a team adventure.”

The teamwork doesn't stop in the classroom, either. Some students told her they now build kits at home with their siblings, finding a new way to bond and spend time together.

“Step by step, they're learning not just how to build,” Wendy says, “but also how to stay focused, collaborate, and be patient with each other.”

She describes the experience as “magical,” and she hopes it becomes a core memory for each of her students. At Robotime, we believe these young builders gained priceless lessons from that spark of curiosity, lessons they'll carry with them for life.

The Robotime Cares initiative has touched not only the lives of Wendy's students but Wendy herself. This project has become a milestone in her teaching journey, made even more meaningful by the heartfelt messages she continues to receive from the Robotime community and the children. Her students thank her for introducing them to a hobby that sparks their confidence and creativity, and many even plan to keep their kit boxes as keepsakes, a small reminder of a moment and a teacher they never want to forget.

Aktualisiert am 15. Dez 2025