How to Use LEGO SPIKE with Tablets for Fun and Creative Library Activities

Children’s libraries are wonderful spaces for creativity and learning. When you combine LEGO SPIKE with tablets, you open a world where children can build, experiment, and learn coding in a fun way. 

You don’t need to be a tech expert. The LEGO SPIKE app is free, easy to use, and designed to help children learn through play. This guide shows how you can start simple, safe, and exciting LEGO activities in library.

Step 1: What You Need to Get Started

• A few LEGO SPIKE Essential or LEGO SPIKE Prime kits
• Tablets with the LEGO Education SPIKE app installed
• A Wi-Fi connection for setup and saving projects

The LEGO SPIKE app is completely free. You can download it from the App Store, Google Play, or the LEGO Education website. There’s no licence or subscription required; only the physical kits need to be purchased.

Each kit includes colourful LEGO bricks, motors, sensors, and a small programmable “hub” that connects to your tablet via Bluetooth.

Step 2: How LEGO SPIKE Works

LEGO SPIKE combines building and coding. Children build something using LEGO pieces, like a moving robot or a spinning flower, and then use the tablet to bring it to life through LEGO coding. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Children build a model following the instructions in the LEGO SPIKE app.
2. They connect the build to the tablet using Bluetooth (press the green button on the hub).
3. Inside the app, they drag colourful coding blocks to tell their creation what to do: move, spin, light up, or make sounds.
4. They tap “Play”, and the robot moves!

That’s LEGO coding. Children learn basic programming by controlling their LEGO builds using simple, visual code blocks.

Step 3: Try Simple LEGO Activities

When starting, choose short and achievable LEGO activities. Each one should take 30–45 minutes and can be run in small groups or pairs.

• Dancing Robot: Build a small robot and use LEGO coding to make it move to music.
• Colour Spinner: Create a spinning wheel that changes speed or colour when pressing buttons.
• Library Helper Robot: Build a friendly figure that waves or turns when “hello” is pressed on the tablet.
• Story Scene: Let kids build a scene from a storybook, then code small movements to bring it to life.

Every project helps them explore, share ideas, and learn problem-solving while having fun.

Read: LEGO SPIKE club: Most popular kids’ club in Crewe Library, UK

Step 4: Follow the App’s Built-In Lessons

You don’t have to plan everything yourself. The LEGO SPIKE app includes ready-made lessons and tutorials with pictures and clear steps.

• Follow the lesson instructions on their tablets
• Change one or two code blocks to see what happens
• Work together and share their results

It’s okay if things don’t work perfectly; the goal is exploration, not perfection.

Step 5: Celebrate and Share the Results

At the end of each workshop, invite children to show their builds.

They can explain what their LEGO SPIKE creation does, which LEGO coding blocks they used, and what they enjoyed most.

Take photos (with permission) and display them on a library board or social media. It’s a lovely way to showcase your library’s creative learning activities and inspire more kids to join in.

Making Creative Learning Easy for Every Kid

Combining LEGO SPIKE, tablets, and guided LEGO activities is a simple way to bring digital learning into your children’s library. The app is free, the setup is easy, and the results are full of creativity and joy.

With each session, kids build confidence not only in LEGO coding but also in teamwork, problem-solving, and imagination.

These LEGO SPIKE sessions can work beautifully in groups or as independent activities. If a kid walks in and wants to try it alone, a tablet with Hublet Solution makes it possible. The LEGO SPIKE app can already be included in a Hublet Profile, so children can borrow a tablet themselves through their library card, open the app, and follow the instructions without staff needing to set anything up.

This flexibility helps your library stay welcoming and accessible. It supports group learning and individual creativity alike. Every child can explore, build, and learn at their own pace, one block at a time.