Learning Resources Coding Critters Bopper Review: Screen-Free Coding for Ages 4+

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Learning Resources Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop Review: The Best Screen-Free Coding Toy for Preschoolers?

If you have a child aged 4 to 7 and you're keen to introduce them to coding without handing over a tablet or laptop, the Learning Resources Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop might just be the answer you've been looking for.

In a market flooded with app-dependent robots and screen-heavy STEM kits, Coding Critters takes a refreshingly different approach. It's 100% screen-free, genuinely playful, and — at under £20 on Amazon UK — it's one of the most accessible coding toys for young children available today.

We've put Bopper, Hip & Hop through their paces in a typical UK family home, testing with children aged 4 to 6. Here's our honest verdict.

Quick Verdict: Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop

Our Verdict: An excellent first coding toy for preschool and early primary children. Bopper delivers genuine educational value without a single screen in sight — and it's cheap enough to be a birthday or Christmas gift without breaking the bank.

Watch It In Action

What Is Learning Resources Coding Critters?

Learning Resources is an American educational toy brand with an excellent reputation in the UK, widely trusted by parents and teachers alike. Their Coding Critters range is specifically designed to introduce the foundational concepts of coding — sequencing, cause and effect, loops, and conditional thinking — to children who are far too young for a traditional coding platform like Scratch.

The Coding Critters range has grown over the years to include several different characters and sets. The Bopper, Hip & Hop set features three bunny characters:

• Bopper — the main interactive robot bunny who responds to your coded commands
• Hip & Hop — two smaller bunny companions that Bopper can tow around in a cart

What makes the Coding Critters range stand out is its commitment to screen-free play. There's no tablet. No app. No laptop. Just physical buttons on Bopper's back and a 22-piece playset for children to design their own coding adventures.

This approach is increasingly rare in the coding toy market, and for parents concerned about screen time — particularly for under-6s — it's a genuine selling point.

What's In the Box?

When you open the Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop set, you'll find:

• Bopper — the main robot bunny (requires 3 x AAA batteries, not included)
• Hip & Hop — two small companion bunny figures
• A pull-along cart for Hip & Hop
• A 22-piece playset including fencing, food items, and accessories
• A storybook ("Let's Go Exploring") featuring Bopper, Hip & Hop
• Multilingual instruction guide

The 22-piece count sounds impressive, and it genuinely is. The playset feels generous for the price — there's enough variety in the accessories to keep young children engaged for extended play sessions.

👉 Interested? Check the latest price for Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop on Amazon UK

The storybook is a particularly thoughtful inclusion. It gives children a narrative structure for their coding adventures — Bopper needs to collect carrots, help Hip & Hop reach a destination, or navigate a maze of fencing. This story-driven approach to coding is something that genuinely appeals to 4 to 6 year olds, who are at a stage where imaginative and narrative play is developmentally important.

How Does Bopper Work? The Coding Mechanics Explained

Here's the clever bit: how does a preschool toy manage to teach coding without a screen?

The answer lies in Bopper's back. The robot bunny has a set of directional arrow buttons — forward, backward, left turn, right turn — plus a Go button to execute the sequence. Children press the buttons to programme a sequence of up to 30 steps, then press Go, and Bopper faithfully executes the entire coded path.

This is, at its heart, sequential programming. Children learn that:

• Commands must be entered in the correct order
• The robot does exactly what you tell it — no more, no less
• If Bopper goes wrong, you need to debug your sequence and try again

These are genuinely foundational coding concepts. Computational thinking, sequencing, and debugging are the building blocks of programming at any level — and Bopper introduces them in an entirely approachable, tangible way.

Two Modes: Coding Mode and Play Mode

Bopper operates in two distinct modes, toggled by pressing her nose:

Coding Mode: Children programme Bopper's movements using the directional buttons on her back. This is the core educational experience.

Play Mode: In this mode, Bopper becomes an interactive pet. She reacts to being petted, makes bunny sounds, and generally acts like an adorable robotic companion. This mode is excellent for younger children (3–4 year olds) who aren't quite ready for the programming challenges but can still enjoy the toy.

The dual-mode design is genuinely smart. It means the toy has legs beyond coding practice — children can engage with it in pure play mode when they want a break from the learning aspect, which keeps the toy feeling fresh longer.

The Storybook Coding Challenges

The included storybook is more than a cute accessory — it's the scaffolding for structured play.

The story sends Bopper, Hip & Hop on an adventure through their garden world. As parents or children read through the pages, they encounter coding challenges tied to the playset: "Help Bopper collect all three carrots by programming the right path" or "Guide Bopper through the fence maze to reach Hip & Hop."

This is genuinely well-designed for the target age group. At 4 to 6 years old, children respond brilliantly to narrative framing. They're not just pressing buttons — they're helping Bopper. The emotional investment makes the learning stick.

It's a similar philosophy to what makes products like the Sphero Indi work so well — wrapping early coding education in genuinely playful experiences rather than dry exercises.

Currently available on Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop — Amazon UK. Prices may vary.

Who Is It Best For? Age and Ability Breakdown

Ages 3–4 (with adult support)

Very young children can enjoy Coding Critters in Play Mode and with significant parental involvement in Coding Mode. They may not independently grasp the sequencing yet, but they'll love the interactive bunny pet aspect.

Ages 4–6 (sweet spot)

This is absolutely the target age range, and it shows. Four to six year olds have the fine motor skills to press the buttons confidently, the attention span to build and test sequences of 5–15 steps, and the imagination to engage fully with the storybook narrative. Bopper becomes a firm favourite.

Ages 6–7 (growing out of it)

Seven year olds will likely find the 30-step maximum limiting fairly quickly. They may enjoy the toy for a few months but will be ready to progress to something like the BBC micro:bit V2 or Makeblock mBot2 within the year.

Ages 7+ (too young)

Bopper is not suitable as the primary coding toy for children aged 7 or over. The challenges don't scale sufficiently to hold their interest. It would, however, make an excellent supplementary toy for a younger sibling.

Build Quality and Design

Learning Resources have done a solid job on the build quality here. Bopper feels robust — chunky enough to survive enthusiastic 4 year old handling, which is no small achievement.

The buttons on Bopper's back have a satisfying click to them, important for small fingers who are still developing precise motor control. The Go button is a distinct green colour, which helps younger children identify it without reading.

The smaller accessories — the carrots, fencing posts, food items — are where some parents have raised concerns. At 22 pieces, there are inevitably small parts that will migrate under sofas and disappear into the great toy void. The minimum age recommendation of 4 years is appropriate; the small pieces do present a choking hazard for under-3s.

The playset is made from good quality plastic, and the colours are bright and appealing without being garish. Overall, it feels like a well-considered product rather than something knocked out to a low price point.

Educational Value: What Does Bopper Actually Teach?

This is the important question for parents who are investing in an educational toy rather than a pure entertainment product.

Concepts Introduced

Sequencing: Children must think ahead and plan Bopper's entire route before pressing Go. This builds planning and sequential thinking skills.

Cause and Effect: Every button press has a direct, predictable effect. Children quickly learn the relationship between their input and Bopper's behaviour — a foundational concept in both coding and scientific thinking.

Debugging: When Bopper doesn't reach the target (because a step was wrong), children naturally want to work out what went wrong and fix it. This is debugging — and at age 5, they're doing it instinctively.

Spatial Reasoning: Programming a path through the playset requires children to think about direction, distance, and position in space. These skills underpin both mathematics and computational thinking.

Problem Solving: The storybook challenges have defined goals. Children must devise a strategy to meet those goals, iterate when it doesn't work, and celebrate when they succeed.

These are not trivial skills. The UK national curriculum introduces coding concepts from Year 1 (age 5-6), and Coding Critters directly supports early preparation for exactly this curriculum content.

What It Doesn't Teach (Yet)

Bopper doesn't introduce loops, variables, or conditionals. It also doesn't progress to a screen-based environment. This is by design — it's a stepping stone, not a complete coding education.

For children who've mastered Bopper and are ready for the next level, we'd recommend looking at the best screen-free coding toys for the 5-7 age range which includes products like the Edison V3 that bridge physical and digital coding.

Comparison: How Does Bopper Compare to Similar Products?

Bopper sits in a clear niche: the most affordable, fully screen-free coding toy for preschoolers. The Sphero Indi offers similar screen-free coding but at nearly three times the price — though it does scale further for older children. If your child is 4–5 and you want a low-cost entry point, Bopper wins hands down.

What UK Parents Are Saying

Amazon UK customer reviews for the Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop sit at a solid 4.2 out of 5 stars, with the most common praise noting how well it engages young children and how much easier it is than app-based alternatives.

Common positive themes:

• "My 4 year old was programming sequences within 10 minutes"
• "Love that there's no screen involved — my daughter hasn't looked at the iPad all afternoon"
• "Brilliant gift for a 5 year old who loves animals"

Common concerns:

• "The small accessories are a pain to keep track of"
• "My 7 year old outgrew it faster than I expected"
• "Wish the storybook had more challenges"

These reviews align with our own testing experience. Bopper delivers on its core promise for the right age group — but parents of 7+ year olds should look elsewhere.

Value for Money

At around £18.81 on Amazon UK, Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop is genuinely excellent value. For comparison:

• A birthday party entertainer costs more per hour than this entire toy
• A screen-based coding app subscription can cost £50–£100 per year
• The Sphero Indi — a comparable screen-free coding toy — costs around £55

You're getting a complete educational experience — coding robot, storybook, 22-piece playset, and interactive pet mode — for under £20. That's exceptional value, particularly as a gift for a 4–6 year old.

This makes it one of the best coding toys you can find in the STEM toys under £50 UK category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What age is Coding Critters Bopper suitable for? A: Learning Resources recommends ages 4 and over. In our experience, the sweet spot is 4–6 years. Most children will be ready to move on to more advanced coding toys by age 7.

Q: Does Coding Critters require a tablet or phone? A: No. Coding Critters Bopper is 100% screen-free. No app, no tablet, no phone required. This is one of its biggest selling points for parents of young children.

Q: What batteries does Bopper use? A: Bopper requires 3 x AAA batteries, which are not included in the box. Make sure you have some ready before wrapping it as a gift.

Q: How many programming steps can Bopper follow? A: Bopper can store and execute sequences of up to 30 individual steps. For a 4–6 year old, this is more than enough. For older children (7+), it may feel limiting.

Q: Is Coding Critters part of a range? Can I buy expansion sets? A: Yes — Learning Resources makes several Coding Critters characters and expansion packs, including the Pair-A-Pets Adventures sets which add new accessories and challenges. The core robot (Bopper) is compatible across sets.

Q: Is this a good first coding toy? A: Absolutely. For children aged 4–6 with no prior coding experience, Bopper is one of the best first steps you can take. It introduces core concepts (sequencing, debugging, cause and effect) in a completely accessible, playful way. We'd also recommend checking our guide to choosing your child's first coding robot for further advice.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy Coding Critters Bopper?

Yes — if you have a 4–6 year old who loves animals, imaginative play, and learning by doing.

At under £20, Coding Critters Bopper, Hip & Hop is one of the smartest educational purchases you can make for a preschool or early primary child. It introduces genuine coding concepts through story-led, screen-free play, builds foundational computational thinking skills, and doubles as an interactive pet toy that children simply adore.

The limitations are real — it doesn't scale well for children over 7, and the small accessories will inevitably test your patience — but for the target age group, Bopper is close to perfect.

Rating: 4.3 / 5

It's not quite a 4.5 because of the age ceiling and missing batteries, but it absolutely earns a strong recommend for any family with a child aged 4–6 who wants to get ahead on coding skills in the most enjoyable way possible.

Looking for more screen-free options? See our roundup of the best screen-free coding toys UK 2026. For comparison, read our Sphero Indi review — another excellent screen-free coding toy, albeit at a higher price point.