Behind the scenes

Parents prepping for back-to-school season with robots, interactive pens and educational games

18.8.2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

Robots for little ones, interactive scanner pens and children’s laptops help school pupils learn and prepare them for the technological world. So far in 2025, Galaxus has sold 39 per cent more interactive educational games than it did in the same period last year. Robotics kits are also in high demand, with schools purchasing them directly from the online retailer.

While some parents are still struggling in vain to connect their printer to Wi-Fi, their children are already building robots, learning to code and having their schoolwork explained to them by interactive (AI) scanner pens. Galaxus’s learning games category (ch/de) has grown by 35.4 per cent so far this year compared to the same period in 2024. Interactive games are proving especially popular, with sales increasing by 39 per cent.

Lara Diener, Category Manager at Galaxus, says: «Unlike traditional educational games, interactive products such as children’s laptops or reading pens with built-in speakers have a digital component. Kids are coming into contact with the digital world at an increasingly early age. With this in mind, many parents are keen to make sure their children aren’t just staring at phones and tablets. They see interactive learning games as a meaningful alternative to that; one that gets kids using their brains in a different way.»

The best-selling interactive educational toy is the famous tiptoi pen, which can scan books and games and add audio content to make them even more exciting. Laptops used for educational purposes are highly sought-after at the moment too. Another relatively new addition to Galaxus’s range is the Anybook audio learning pen. With it, teachers can use stickers and codes to add audio to worksheets, flashcards, books or objects to give pupils extra information while they’re learning. Numerous schools have already started buying them from Galaxus. Apparently AI-powered «cheating pens» have recently come into fashion too (article in German).

Software updates, not stationery

More and more products designed to help kids learn to code and build robots are hitting the market. Sales of robotics kits on Galaxus are up 14 per cent compared to last year. While some products are suitable for kids as young as two or three, most are aimed at children above the age of eight.

Joy-it Micro:Bit "JoyCar" Education Robot Prefabricator incl. micro:bit V2

Robotics kit

CHF111.–

Joy-it Micro:Bit "JoyCar" Education Robot Prefabricator incl. micro:bit V2

Robotics kit

CHF219.–

Makeblock mBot2

Robotics kit

CHF129.–

Fischertechnik Smart Robots

Robotics kit

CHF111.–

Joy-it Micro:Bit "JoyCar" Education Robot Prefabricator incl. micro:bit V2

Robotics kit

CHF219.–

Makeblock mBot2

Robotics kit

CHF129.–

Fischertechnik Smart Robots

Manufacturers promote these products as «educational robots», «usable in a wide variety of lessons» and «developed to provide students with interactive and intelligent lessons that are engaging and fun».

Robotics kits teach children the basics of programming through play. Kids use the kits to build small vehicles or robots, which they then teach how to move or respond to obstacles using simple programs. This tends to involve so-called block coding, whereby kids drag coloured blocks across a screen instead of writing complicated code. As a result, they quickly get to grips with the way commands, sensors and processes interact. Some kits can be expanded to include real programming languages once the child has had enough practice.

One reason why people are buying robotics kits might be to get their children into programming from an early age. Markus Bestvater, Category Manager at Galaxus: «Many parents think that if their children learn robotics- and programming skills, it’ll give them an advantage in the future. Kids who start doing this at a young age develop key skills in a fun way. It strengthens that feeling of being well prepared for the future.»

What do you think of educational robots designed for children? Would you have enjoyed using them when you were little?

Header image: Blackout footage / iStockphoto

4 people like this article

Daniel Borchers

Senior Communications Manager

Daniel.Borchers@galaxus.de

A soft spot for good series, loud music, science fiction and (second division) football. As PR Manager, I am available to answer journalists' questions about Galaxus and honest e-commerce.

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