Mechanical systems

Doodle Robot

SKU E2K-STM-DDR

A three-legged robot that stands on its own marker pens. Switch it on and a spinning off-center crank shakes it across the paper, drawing with all three pens at once. There is no steering and no program, so the pattern is different every single time.

Grades 3–5 Beginner 30–45 min build
Original price was: $13.99.Current price is: $7.99. /kit
The quickest build in the range, at seven steps
Quantity
  • Grades 3–5 · fits a single class period
  • Broken or missing part? We'll post a replacement
What they'll learn

Four ideas, one drawing

All of them are visible in the pattern it leaves behind.

Mechanical systems

Weight away from the shaft turns rotation into shaking.

Systems thinking

Where the mass sits decides how the whole thing moves.

Input/output

Anything that slows the motor changes the drawing.

Controlled variables

Change one thing, run it for the same time, compare drawings.

Specifications

One robot, down to the last screw

Finished size, materials and part counts for the build.

Finished size 85 × 100 mm
Weight 107 g
Materials Wood, plastic
Pieces 17 pieces
Country of origin China
Safety & compliance

Do not put small parts in your mouth and patiently guide children to install them.

Certified with CPC. Full printed warnings are supplied in the manual.

Every part in the Doodle Robot kit laid out: disc, legs, motor, crank, battery box, markers, rubber bands, googly eyes and screws
What's in the box

Four wooden parts, and three of them are legs

  • 1× round plywood disc, three slots and a central motor hole
  • 3× plywood tripod legs
  • 1× DC motor
  • 1× white plastic crank, the off-center part that makes it vibrate
  • 1× battery box for 2 × AA, with a slide switch
  • 3× watercolor markers (green, red and yellow)
  • 5× rubber bands to hold the markers to the legs
  • 2× googly eyes, self-adhesive
  • 8× screws in two lengths, 7 mm and 4 mm coarse
  • 1× illustrated English manual, 7 steps

You'll need to supply: 2 × AA batteries, a small Phillips screwdriver and a large sheet of paper. There are no batteries in the box and the robot needs room to wander, so lay out more paper than you think it needs.

How this build works

See mechanics in motion

Build the model, set it loose, and understand the science by watching it work.

Build

Four plywood parts, one motor, one crank and a battery box. Seven steps, and the quickest build we make.

Play

Lay out a large sheet of paper, take the caps off the three markers, stand it down and close the switch.

Experiment

Move the markers up or down their legs, or swap in a fresh set of batteries. The pattern it draws changes every time.

Where to start

Master the basics first

Work your way up. Each completed robot unlocks the know-how for your next challenge.

Start here
Doodle Robot
Grades 3–5
7 steps
Then this
Mechanical T-Rex
Grades 3–5
16 steps
Finish here
Balancing Robot
Grades 3–5
29 steps
Curriculum alignment

Educator & Procurement Resources

Essential information for classroom integration and school purchasing.

Every kit starts as a box of parts and turns into something kids can actually use. Making that happen means following directions and fixing mistakes along the way. They're tackling real engineering challenges, but to them, it just feels like play.
Product safety
Children's Product Certificate (CPC)
Certified to US children's product safety requirements
Put a large sheet of paper in the middle of the table, switch the robot on for 30 seconds and keep the drawing. Then change one thing, such as swapping in batteries that have already been used, and run it again for the same time. Lay the two drawings side by side and compare them. What it shows: the robot only moves because its motor spins an off-center crank that shakes the whole body, so anything that slows the motor changes the drawing.
Whether you're exploring circuits in a science lab, tackling gears in a makerspace, or learning at home on the living room table, these kits fit right in. One quick tip if you're building a whole class set: build one kit yourself first, so you know where students are likely to need a hand.
PC University Distributors, Inc. is the exclusive distribution partner for E2K Robotics STEM kits to schools and educational institutions. From a single classroom to a district-wide rollout, message the team on WhatsApp at 516-596-1500 or email sales@pcuniversity.com, and they will send educational pricing and the full product list.
What educators & parents say

Reviews

Nothing here yet — and we'd rather say so

Verified reviews will appear on this page as soon as the first Doodle Robots are built at home and in classrooms. We don't carry ratings over from other kits in the range, and we don't publish anything that isn't from a verified buyer.

If you've built this one with your class, we'd like to hear how it went — what worked, what didn't, and what you'd change.

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Questions, answered

Before you build

There is no steering and no program. A DC motor under the disc spins a small plastic crank whose weight sits off to one side of the shaft. That off-center spin makes the whole robot shake, and the shaking walks it across the paper while all three pen tips are touching. The path it takes is genuinely unpredictable, so no two drawings are ever the same.
Three: green, red and yellow. They are the robot's legs as well as its pens, which is why there are three and not four. Each one is held to a tripod leg with rubber bands, so when a pen dries out you can slide it off and put a fresh one in its place.
2 × AA batteries, a small Phillips screwdriver, and a large sheet of paper. The manual asks for a big sheet for good reason: the robot wanders where it likes, so give it more room than you think it needs and keep it away from tablecloths and carpet.
It suits grades 3 to 5 and takes about 30 to 45 minutes. At seven steps with four wooden parts and a single pair of wires to connect, this is the gentlest build we make and a sensible first kit. The manual asks that children build alongside a parent or teacher rather than alone.
Two things, both from the manual. First, check that the bare wire cores are not touching the metal body of the motor, which shorts the circuit. Second, try fresh batteries: a weak battery turns the motor too slowly to shake the robot hard enough to move, so the pens sit still and blot instead of drawing.
PC University Distributors, Inc. is the exclusive distribution partner for E2K Robotics STEM kits to schools and educational institutions. Message the team on WhatsApp at 516-596-1500 or email sales@pcuniversity.com for educational pricing, classroom quantities and the full product list.
7-step manual

In English, with a mechanism explainer and a troubleshooting list

The quickest build we make

Four wooden parts and a single wiring connection

Schools welcome

Educational pricing through PC University

Before you start

2 × AA, a screwdriver and a big sheet of paper

Switch it on and let it loose

Seven steps, three markers and a motor that never draws the same thing twice.

Doodle Robot
Grades 3–5 · Beginner
Original price was: $13.99.Current price is: $7.99.