丹麥玩具制造商樂(lè)高上周三發(fā)布了集拼搭與編程玩法于一身的新玩具,，名為L(zhǎng)ego Boost,。樂(lè)高稱(chēng),，這款玩具在傳統(tǒng)樂(lè)高的拼搭玩法外增加了新體驗(yàn),，孩子們可以在配套應(yīng)用中學(xué)習(xí)寫(xiě)代碼,。Lego Boost為7歲及以上年齡的孩子設(shè)計(jì),，今年下半年將在零售店上架，每款定價(jià)159.99美元,。樂(lè)高在拉斯維加斯舉行的年度國(guó)際消費(fèi)電子展（CES）發(fā)布了這款新品,。

樂(lè)高推出Lego Boost的目標(biāo)是，幫助孩子利用可以下載的應(yīng)用和實(shí)物玩具學(xué)習(xí)編寫(xiě)代碼,。這套玩具附有拼搭指引和代碼指令,，供孩子創(chuàng)造五種可能的形態(tài)，包括一部機(jī)器人和一只貓,。配套應(yīng)用囊括了60多種和搭建玩具及編程有關(guān)的活動(dòng),。這套玩具還內(nèi)置可以探知色彩的傳感器。

Lego Boost是玩具業(yè)教導(dǎo)孩子多了解編程價(jià)值的最新嘗試,，這種潮流已經(jīng)成為玩具銷(xiāo)售的熱門(mén)賣(mài)點(diǎn),。比如美國(guó)玩具制造商美泰旗下品牌費(fèi)雪去年推出一款毛毛蟲(chóng)玩具，可以教學(xué)齡前孩子學(xué)習(xí)編程的基本知識(shí),。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(wú)論是倡導(dǎo)教育的人士還是企業(yè)都在宣傳學(xué)習(xí)編程的好處，因?yàn)槲磥?lái)人才市場(chǎng)對(duì)科技類(lèi)崗位需求總體趨勢(shì)還在增加,。

在玩具市場(chǎng),，編程教育的熱潮主要集中于STEM（科學(xué)、技術(shù),、工程,、數(shù)學(xué)四大領(lǐng)域的合稱(chēng)）類(lèi)玩具,。業(yè)內(nèi)人士稱(chēng)，這類(lèi)玩具比其他各類(lèi)玩具買(mǎi)得都好,，懂行的零售商也非常支持,。2015年，美國(guó)最暢銷(xiāo)的兩類(lèi)玩具是游戲及拼圖和積木組合,。這一現(xiàn)象表明，家長(zhǎng)更愿意花錢(qián)購(gòu)買(mǎi)有教育功能的玩具,。

樂(lè)高等等積木組合玩具制造商天然迎合了STEM類(lèi)益智玩具熱銷(xiāo)的風(fēng)潮,，因?yàn)楂@益不小。此次發(fā)布Lego Boost也意義重大,，因?yàn)閺拇藰?lè)高產(chǎn)品家族開(kāi)始與應(yīng)用關(guān)聯(lián),。

同美泰和孩之寶等對(duì)手相比，樂(lè)高在開(kāi)發(fā)編程相關(guān)玩具方面略顯遲緩,，但目標(biāo)更加明確,。不過(guò)三家公司都深知，孩子們?cè)谝苿?dòng)設(shè)備上花的時(shí)間遠(yuǎn)超添加了科技元素的玩具,。所以今年的CES上,，美泰專(zhuān)門(mén)發(fā)布了一款搭載類(lèi)似亞馬遜語(yǔ)音助手Alexa的設(shè)備。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

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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.