VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 400 participants gathered at the HCM City Children's House last Sunday to attend the first robot contest for children aged 8-15.

Children controlled robots that they had themselves assembled to kick balls and do other things required by contest regulations.

Nguyen Huy Son, one of the organisers, said that the contest is part of the city's celebration of 2011 as the Year for Children.

The aim was to create a scientific and technical playground for children to help them become familiar with assembling robots and develop their creativity in using them, he said.

Son said creating and assembling robots is a popular activity not only among university and college students, but also in primary and secondary schools.

Many children's institutions in the city have opened courses to provide children aged 8-15 with basic knowledge on designing and assembling robots, and these have also proven popular, he said.

In fact, other provinces have asked the HCM City Children's House to help open similar courses in their localities, he added.

Pham Nguyen Trai, father of nine – year-old Nguyen Nhu Uyen who is attending one of the classes, said that course fees were not high, but the money for buying or renting a robot kit is rather high at more than VND2 million (US$96.6) and VND 400,000 ($19.4) respectively.

He was willing to invest in it because of his son's interest in the activity, Trai said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News