BOLT™ Sphero Robotics Mission

U12 Division

Birth Date:

Sept 1, 2014 or later

Max Age:

11 as of Aug 31, 2026

Grade (USA):

3rd–5th

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Block & Text Coding

Get to Know The Program

BOLT Missions provide fun challenges for a team of students. Every season the theme changes with the students collaborating on robot coding, decision making, and basic engineering concepts while also getting to design a new environment for the BOLT to navigate!

What Students Learn:

Themed Missions mirror real-life challenges, requiring strategic thinking
Teamwork and confidence building
Block and text-based coding using a tablet, phone, or PC
Leverage creativity skills by building around BOLT with Blueprint Snap pieces, or any household items, to accomplish challenges within the Missions

Download the Competitions Manual (PDF)

What It Costs

Getting Started

The season registration fee for an In-Person team registration is $200. This provides an exciting way for your team to compete alongside other teams at an event hosted by amazing volunteers.

Want to participate from your school or club location?
Try an Online Submission season with a season registration fee of $100.

The yearly registration fee for both formats include the cost of entry into multiple events throughout the season.

The equipment costs of the Sphero products will depend on your current on-hand materials. If you do not have the materials needed or aren’t sure, please see the required equipment and costs below.

The first year can be the largest investment, but the same robots and field are reused season after season.

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Registration

BOLT Missions requires at least one adult Team Coordinator to guide the students through a Student-Powered™ experience. No robotics background needed! We recommend 2-5 students per team.

Required: 2-5 Students – no technical experience required
Required: One (or more) adult Team Coordinator – no technical experience required
Required: Season Registration

There are two ways for the students to participate in BOLT Missions:
In-person events or Online Submissions (or both).

Equipment

The equipment needed for the BOLT Missions is listed below.

Required: Two BOLT or BOLT+ robots
Required: One Blueprint Snap Sphero Robotics Missions Kit
Recommended: BOLT+ Maze/Grid Code Mat
Recommended: One Sphero Craft Pack (Or your own materials such as cardboard, construction paper, tape, stickers, and other items to build the environment for the Missions.)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is BOLT Missions for?

Students age 11 or younger on August 31, 2026, which means born September 1, 2014 or later. Most are in 3rd through 5th grade.

Teams have two to five students, and neither the students or the team coordinator need technical experience to start.

What does a BOLT team need to compete?

Two BOLT or BOLT+ robots and one Blueprint Snap Sphero Robotics Missions Kit.

A BOLT+ Maze/Grid Code Mat and craft materials for building the mission environment are recommended but not required.

We competed last season. Do we need a new kit?

Not a whole new one. This season’s missions use the Blueprint Snap kit.

A team that owns last season’s Blueprint Sphero Global Challenge Kit can keep using it and add the missing parts, either with the $10 Blueprint to Snap Conversion Kit (on sale from Sphero at the beginning of October) or by 3D printing them. Get those parts before students start building this season’s field objects and field elements.

How do students code their BOLT?

With block-based and text-based coding on a tablet, phone or PC.

Alongside the coding, students design and build a new environment each season for BOLT to navigate.

How much does a BOLT team cost, and how much time does it take?

Registration is $100 for Online Submission or $200 for an in-person or Live Remote event, and that one fee covers several events across the season. Robots and kits cost extra.

Plan on a time commitment of about two to three hours a week for six to eight weeks.

Ready to get started?

Student-Powered™ means the students do the driving, the coding, and the problem solving. Team Coordinators handle registration, a room, and getting everyone there on the day.

You don’t need a robotics background. Neither does anyone else in the building.

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