玩具商跨界：樂高要培養編程小專家

丹麥玩具制造商樂高上周三發布了集拼搭與編程玩法于一身的新玩具，名為Lego Boost。樂高稱，這款玩具在傳統樂高的拼搭玩法外增加了新體驗，孩子們可以在配套應用中學習寫代碼。Lego Boost為7歲及以上年齡的孩子設計，今年下半年將在零售店上架，每款定價159.99美元。樂高在拉斯維加斯舉行的年度國際消費電子展（CES）發布了這款新品。

樂高推出Lego Boost的目標是，幫助孩子利用可以下載的應用和實物玩具學習編寫代碼。這套玩具附有拼搭指引和代碼指令，供孩子創造五種可能的形態，包括一部機器人和一只貓。配套應用囊括了60多種和搭建玩具及編程有關的活動。這套玩具還內置可以探知色彩的傳感器。

Lego Boost是玩具業教導孩子多了解編程價值的最新嘗試，這種潮流已經成為玩具銷售的熱門賣點。比如美國玩具制造商美泰旗下品牌費雪去年推出一款毛毛蟲玩具，可以教學齡前孩子學習編程的基本知識。其他圍繞編程做文章的玩具也在吸引零售商的目光，眼下無論是倡導教育的人士還是企業都在宣傳學習編程的好處，因為未來人才市場對科技類崗位需求總體趨勢還在增加。

在玩具市場，編程教育的熱潮主要集中于STEM（科學、技術、工程、數學四大領域的合稱）類玩具。業內人士稱，這類玩具比其他各類玩具買得都好，懂行的零售商也非常支持。2015年，美國最暢銷的兩類玩具是游戲及拼圖和積木組合。這一現象表明，家長更愿意花錢購買有教育功能的玩具。

樂高等等積木組合玩具制造商天然迎合了STEM類益智玩具熱銷的風潮，因為獲益不小。此次發布Lego Boost也意義重大，因為從此樂高產品家族開始與應用關聯。

同美泰和孩之寶等對手相比，樂高在開發編程相關玩具方面略顯遲緩，但目標更加明確。不過三家公司都深知，孩子們在移動設備上花的時間遠超添加了科技元素的玩具。所以今年的CES上，美泰專門發布了一款搭載類似亞馬遜語音助手Alexa的設備。（財富中文網）

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作者：John Kell

譯者：Pessy

審校：夏林

The Danish-based toy maker on Wednesday debuted a new toy called Lego Boost, a hybrid building and coding set that the company says combines the play experience of a traditional Lego set with an app-based coding play experience. Lego Boost, developed for children aged 7 or older, will hit retail shelves in the second half of the year and will be priced at $159.99. Lego debuted the set at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The hope is that Lego Boost can help kids learn to code using a downloadable app and the physical toy set. Lego Boost comes with building instructions and coding commands to create five possible Lego creations, including a robot and a cat. The app also includes more than 60 activities related to building and coding. The bricks also come with built-in sensors that can detect color.

The toy is the latest bet by the industry to teach children more about the value of coding—which has been a hot space in the toy aisle. Mattel (mat), for example, a year ago debuted a caterpillar that teaches coding basics to preschoolers under the Fisher-Price brand. Other coding-focused toys are also getting attention from retailers at a time when educational advocates and businesses are vouching for the benefit of coding as it relates to education, especially because of the increased need for technology jobs in the years ahead.

Part of the buzz in the toy aisle specifically focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) toys. Those toys have been outselling other categories, toy insiders have claimed, and are getting support from retailers that know it is a hot category. Games & puzzles and construction sets were two of the top-selling toy categories in the U.S. in 2015—an indication that parents are spending more on toys that have a perceived educational component.

Lego and other makers of construction sets have benefited from that trend as those toys already naturally fit into the STEM craze. The debut of Lego Boost is also significant because it adds yet another app-connected toy to Lego's suite of offerings.

Lego has been slower and more purposeful about adding technology to the company's toys than rivals like Mattel and Hasbro (has). But all three are well aware that kids are spending more time playing with mobile devices and other toys infused with tech—so they need to stay competitive by coming up with ways to incorporate toys into play. That explains why Mattel at CES this year debuted an Amazon Alexa-type device for kids.