Robot Toys for Kids in Australia (2026): Robot Dogs and Coding Kits by Age
13 min readBy ServiceBot TeamAffiliate links, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
The best robot toy for a child in Australia depends on age. For 6 to 8, the fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog. For 8 to 12, the Apitor Robot X, a build-it-yourself coding kit. For a child who’ll grow into Python, the Makeblock mBot2.
fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog
Walks, barks, dances and reacts when you pat its head. Runs from a handset, so nobody has to hand over a phone.
Why this one →Apitor Robot X
600-plus blocks, 12 robots to build, line following and obstacle sensors, coded with drag-and-drop blocks in a free app.
Why this one →A robot dog won’t fetch, and a coding kit won’t entertain a child who wanted a pet on Christmas morning. A lot of disappointment with robot toys comes from buying the right brand of the wrong kind of toy.
So this guide sorts eight robot toys sold in Australia by the three things that decide whether one gets played with: the child’s age, whether it needs a phone or tablet, and whether the fun is in playing with it or building it. The ages and features are each maker’s own, and where a maker gives two different ages, we show both.
On this page: compare all eight · pet or project · the picks · which one for your child · four checks before you pay · questions
Not sure which one fits your child?
3 quick questions, then only the toys that fit.
Compare all eight
| Robot | Best for | Maker’s age | Coding | Needs a phone or tablet | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog | A robot dog for 6 to 8 | 6+ | None | NoHandset | Check the listing |
| fisca Remote Control Stunt Puppy | Tricks | Not stated | None | NoHandset | Check the listing |
| Apitor Robot B | Simplest way into building | 6+Apitor also say 6–12, 6–8 and 6–7 | None needed | OptionalApp adds 8 more models | 2 AA, not included |
| Apitor Robot J | A first coding kit | 7–12 | Drag-and-drop blocks | YesFree Apitor Kit app | 3 AA, not included |
| Apitor Robot X | Build and code, 8 to 12 | 8–12 | Drag-and-drop blocksScratch 3.0 style | YesiOS or Android | 3 AA, not included |
| Makeblock Codey Rocky | Coding with no building | 6+ | Blocks, then Python | YesPhone, iPad or computer | Built-in rechargeable |
| Makeblock mBot2 | Goes furthest, blocks to Python | 8+Makeblock’s site also files it under 6+ | Blocks, Python, Arduino | YesPhone, iPad or computer | Built-in rechargeable |
| Ruko 1088 Smart Robot | Two children of different ages | Not stated | In the app | OptionalRemote control too | Rechargeable |
Ages, coding and power are each maker’s published figures, with one exception. fisca don’t run a product site we could check, so the fisca dog’s 6+ is from its listing, and you should read the battery details there before you buy. Where a button shows a price, it’s the store’s price at the time shown.
Pet or project?
Ask what the child does with a new toy on day three.
Still carrying it around, you want a pet: a robot dog that walks, barks and does tricks straight out of the box. Pulled it apart to see how it works, you want a project: a box of blocks and a free app, where the point is building the robot before you make it move. Children who finish LEGO Technic sets get months out of a kit and are bored of a remote control dog by the weekend. Children who want a companion find 480 blocks a chore, and the adult ends up building it.
There’s no prize for buying the more educational one. A toy in the cupboard teaches nothing.
The picks
Robot dogs and pets
These are toy robot dogs for children, not gadgets for keeping a real dog busy, and not the four-legged robots sold to adults for thousands of dollars.
A classic handset robot dog. It walks, barks, dances, blinks and turns its head, all from a handset, and there’s a touch sensor on its head so it reacts when a child pats it.
No app means no handing over a phone, which for under-eights is the better design. When we looked, the listing we link was sold by a seller trading under the fisca name.
The other fisca dog, and the one that earns its keep on tricks rather than obedience. It walks and dances like the standard model, and it also does handstands and push-ups.
Coding and STEM robots
Think in coding languages, not brands. The language decides how long the toy stays interesting. The usual ladder runs from picture blocks you drag and drop, to Scratch-style blocks with loops and sensors, to typed Python, and the kits below sit at different rungs.
Apitor call it a motorised STEM toy rather than a coding robot, and say no coding experience is needed. You get 240 blocks and a motor that build eight models, and the free Apitor Kit app adds plans for eight more.
It’s the right buy when you don’t yet know whether building robots will stick. Find out on this before you spend more on a kit that codes.
A box of 480 blocks that builds six different robots with no tools, then teaches coding with drag-and-drop blocks in the free Apitor Kit app. Apitor describe the coding as ScratchJr game-style, which is about right for a child who codes before they read fluently.
It can also be driven straight from the app, and Apitor give the remote range as over 20 metres.
The step up from the Robot J, and the one to buy for a child who finishes Technic sets. More than 600 blocks rebuild into 12 robot designs with three motors and seven LED lights, and two infrared sensors and a colour sensor let it follow a line and steer round obstacles.
Coding is graphical drag-and-drop in the free Apitor Kit app on iOS or Android, which Apitor describe as Scratch 3.0. No tools needed.
Arrives built, so a child goes straight to coding. Codey is the controller with an LED face and a pile of sensors (sound, light, colour, a gyroscope and more), and Rocky is the wheeled base it rides on. Makeblock teach it with block coding that switches to Python in the same mBlock software.
It connects to phones and iPads over Bluetooth, and its battery is built in and recharges, which Makeblock put at about 1.5 hours for 1 to 2 hours of play.
The one with somewhere to go once block coding gets boring. Kids start with Scratch-style blocks in Makeblock’s free mBlock software, switch to Python in the same program, and the CyberPi controller can also be programmed in Arduino code. Makeblock say it takes about 30 minutes to put together.
mBlock runs on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iOS and Android, and the Makeblock app drives it from a phone or iPad over Bluetooth. The 2,500mAh battery is built in and charges in about an hour over USB.
A large standing robot rather than a dog: Ruko give its height as 15.8 inches, about 40cm. It dances and plays songs from its remote control and responds to voice commands. Ruko say the app adds programming on top.
A remote for the younger child and programming for the older one makes it a useful answer when you’re buying one robot for two children.
Which one for your child?
| If your child is… | Look at |
|---|---|
| 6 to 8, and wants a dog to look after | fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog |
| Into showing off | fisca Remote Control Stunt Puppy |
| Curious about building, and you’re not sure it’ll stick | Apitor Robot B |
| 7 or 8, and ready to try coding | Apitor Robot J |
| 8 to 12, and finishes Technic sets | Apitor Robot X |
| Keen to code, but not to build | Makeblock Codey Rocky |
| 10 and up, and might stick with coding for years | Makeblock mBot2 |
| One of two children of different ages sharing it | Ruko 1088 Smart Robot |
As a rough guide: 6 to 8, a handset robot dog or a first kit. 8 to 12, a build kit with real block coding. 10 and up, something that takes Python.
Four things to check before you pay
- Batteries. All three Apitor kits run on AA batteries that aren’t in the box. The two Makeblock robots have built-in rechargeable batteries, and the Ruko is rechargeable. For the two fisca dogs, check the listing. Buy any AAs at the same time, or the present sits there on the day.
- App or handset. An app means handing over a phone or tablet every time. For under-eights a handset or a lead is the better buy. Every coding kit on this page needs a device.
- Screen-free. If you want coding with no screen at all, nothing on this page does it. The robot dogs are screen-free but don’t teach coding.
- Who’s selling it. Look at the “Sold by” line under the buy button. When we looked, every pick here was sold by Amazon Australia or by a seller trading under the brand’s name. A seller you’ve never heard of usually means a longer wait and no clear path for a warranty claim when a motor packs up in February.
Australian Consumer Law applies to toys too, on top of any warranty, and can’t be excluded. If a toy fails in a way you wouldn’t expect for its type and price, start with the business that sold it to you, and keep your receipt.
This is general information, not legal advice. See the ACCC’s consumer rights and guarantees.
What we’ve left off
Sphero, EMO, Ozobot and LEGO’s robotics sets are names parents ask about, and none are here. The Sphero listing we could see didn’t have enough buyer history for us to judge it. What turned up for EMO on the listings we checked was look-alikes rather than the original. Ozobot and LEGO’s robotics sets weren’t easy to buy through the listings we link to. A short page that holds up beats a long one padded with toys we can’t stand behind.
Questions people actually ask
What is the best robot toy for kids in Australia?
It depends on age. For 6 to 8, the fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog. For 8 to 12, the Apitor Robot X build-and-code kit. For a child who’ll stick with coding, the Makeblock mBot2, which moves from blocks to Python.
What is the best robot dog toy for kids?
For 6 to 8, the fisca Remote Control Robotic Dog: it walks, barks, dances and reacts to a pat on the head, all from a handset with no app. For tricks, the fisca Stunt Puppy does handstands and push-ups.
Are robot dogs any good?
As toys, yes, if you know what you’re buying. A toy robot dog walks, makes noises and does tricks on command. It won’t learn or follow you around, and it’s no replacement for a real pet. They suit a younger child who wants something to look after more than an older one who wants to tinker.
What is the best age to start robotics?
Building and simple coding works from about 6 or 7. The Apitor Robot B (6+) needs no coding, and the Apitor Robot J (7–12) adds drag-and-drop coding. Block coding with sensors suits 8 to 12, and typed Python suits 10 and up.
What are good coding toys for a 10-year-old?
The Apitor Robot X if they like building, the Makeblock Codey Rocky if they don’t, and the Makeblock mBot2 if they’re likely to stick with it, because it moves from Scratch-style blocks to Python in the same software, and also takes Arduino code.
Do coding robots need a tablet or computer?
All the coding kits on this page do. The Apitor kits use the free Apitor Kit app, and the Makeblock robots use Makeblock’s app or mBlock, which runs on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iOS and Android. If you want coding with no screen at all, none of these does it.
Which robot toys need batteries?
The Apitor Robot J and Robot X take 3 AA each, and the Apitor Robot B takes 2 AA, none of them included. The Makeblock mBot2 and Codey Rocky have built-in rechargeable batteries, and the Ruko 1088 is rechargeable. For the fisca dogs, check the listing.
Should I buy the fisca Robotic Dog or the fisca Stunt Puppy?
The Robotic Dog for a child who wants a pet: it has the touch sensor on its head. The Stunt Puppy for a child who wants to show off: it does handstands and push-ups.
Is the Makeblock mBot2 worth it over the Apitor Robot X?
For a child who’ll keep coding, yes, because the mBot2 goes on to Python and Arduino, and Apitor only describe block coding for the Robot X. For a child who mostly wants to build, the Robot X gives 12 different robots from one box, while the mBot2 is one robot you keep programming further.
Is the Ruko 1088 a robot dog?
No. Ruko sell it as a large smart robot for kids, about 40cm tall, with a remote control and voice commands. Their robot dogs are separate models.
Related guides
Shopping the sales? Our Black Friday robot buying guide explains how to tell a real discount from a marked-up one. The full range, with current stock, is under robot toys and companion bots. For an older child who wants to make things, the 3D printer for beginners guide compares four beginner printers. And if the robot is meant to help with the actual dog rather than replace it, the automatic pet feeder guide compares feeders for cats and dogs.
ServiceBot is an Australian affiliate site. We earn a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commission rates differ between retailers and this does not influence our picks, which are decided before commission rates are considered.
Our picks are based on each maker’s published ages, features and specifications, and on what you can buy in Australia. Where a maker publishes two different figures, we show both. We do not publish customer ratings.
Specifications change without notice. If you spot an error on this page, please let us know and we will correct it.
Last updated October 2026.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Was this useful?
If something here is out of date or we've got something wrong, telling us is the fastest way to get it fixed.