LEGO robotics sets have been a common first step into coding in US classrooms and at FIRST LEGO League tournaments. In 2026 that arrangement broke apart. LEGO Education stopped selling its SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential sets on June 30, moved its classroom coding line to new Computer Science & AI kits, and announced that its partnership with FIRST ends after the 2026–27 season.
For parents, coaches and schools, the question is what to buy for a robotics program whose rules are about to change, and whether a SPIKE set bought secondhand still has a future. The answer depends on which league a team plans to join once FIRST LEGO League ends.
Trend Signal
58/100 Steady momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Classroom coding kits pivot from robotics hubs to AI literacy
LEGO Education ended SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential sales on June 30, 2026 and now sells Computer Science & AI kits from $339.95, while FIRST LEGO League ends after the 2026–27 season. Product details are public, but adoption data is not.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- June 30End of sales for LEGO Education SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential, 2026LEGO Education
- $339.95US list price of the Computer Science & AI kit for grades K–2, Sept 2026LEGO Education
- 5 yearsSPIKE app bug-fix and operating-system support promised after the end of salesLEGO Education
- 47%Teachers and admins in a LEGO Education survey saying schools lack readiness to teach AILEGO Education
What LEGO Education changed
LEGO Education’s retirement notice covers SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime and all related products, including hubs, batteries and expansion sets, with an end of sales on June 30, 2026. The SPIKE app keeps receiving bug fixes and support for current versions of macOS, Windows, Chromebook, Android and iOS for five years after that date; after that, the software stays online without updates. Consumer Service will stock spare hardware parts for two years after the last sale, and SPIKE lessons stay online for the same five-year window.
The company points buyers to two replacements: LEGO Education Science kits for science outcomes and LEGO Education Computer Science & AI kits for coding outcomes. The SPIKE Prime product page now carries a retirement notice.
A SPIKE set bought now keeps working, but its software clock is running.
The split with FIRST
LEGO Education says FIRST LEGO League comes to an end after the 2026–27 BIOGLOW season and that it will launch its own LEGO League program the following August, with a season launch each August and local, regional, national and international events. Its first season allows SPIKE and legacy LEGO robotics sets; from the second season, teams must use Computer Science & AI kits and hardware, though builds may still use any LEGO bricks. LEGO League has two age bands: 5 to 7 (grades K–2) and 8 to 16 (grades 3–8).
FIRST is going its own way. Its K–8 page says it is developing a new generation of team-based robotics programs, with similar team sizes, event structure and judging, that are “not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with LEGO Education.” FIRST says SPIKE Prime and Essential sets remain compatible with its programs through their first two seasons, and that more details will come before the first one starts.
| Question | LEGO League (LEGO Education) | New FIRST K–8 programs |
|---|---|---|
| When it starts | The August after the 2026–27 season | The season after the 2026–27 season |
| Can teams use SPIKE? | First season only | Through the first two seasons |
| Long-term hardware | Computer Science & AI kits required | Not yet announced |
| Ages or grades | 5–7 and 8–16 | Grades K–8 |
What the new kits are
The Computer Science & AI line comes in three grade bands, each kit serving four students with one laptop, Chromebook or iPad per group, and some lessons are screen-free. The coding canvas runs in a web browser or an iOS app, needs no student logins and saves work locally. Each grade band’s page lists AI-based computer vision features and 30 lessons across six units ending in AI and data, and LEGO Education mentions a Python package for students moving to text-based coding. The prices below are LEGO Education’s US list prices as posted in September 2026.
- Grades K–2 (45520): $339.95, 276 bricks, one motor, one color sensor
- Grades 3–5 (45521): $429.95, 321 bricks, a double motor and a color sensor
- Grades 6–8 (45522): $529.95, 379 bricks, double and single motors, a color sensor and a controller
- Classroom bundles: $2,249 for six K–2 kits, $2,799 for six 3–5 kits and $3,499 for the 6–8 bundle
These are priced and packaged for classrooms and teams, not single-child home use.
Why the pivot toward AI
LEGO Education’s own survey of 500 US teachers and 100 administrators frames the shift. In it, 61% of administrators said computer science should be taught as a core subject, 47% of teachers and administrators said their schools lack the readiness to teach AI responsibly, and 88% of computer science teachers said they want more support for teaching with and about AI. It is vendor research, so we treat it as a read on sentiment rather than a market measure.
Policy trackers are moving the same way. Code.org’s 2025 State of AI & Computer Science Education report, with data finalized December 1, 2025, is the first edition to include a state-by-state analysis of AI education policies alongside its usual computer science access data.
Who should buy now and who should wait
Teams already holding SPIKE sets do not need to buy anything for the 2026–27 FIRST LEGO League season, and both successor programs allow SPIKE for at least one more season. A used SPIKE set can make sense for a family or club at the right price, as long as the buyer accepts that app updates end five years after the June 30, 2026 end of sales and spare parts end two years after the last sale.
New teams should wait before spending $339.95 to $529.95 per four-student kit. The Computer Science & AI kits are required only from LEGO League’s second season, and FIRST has not named the hardware for its new programs, so a team that picks a league later may buy the wrong platform now. Families coding at home can use consumer robot kits instead; check how long the maker promises app support.
What to watch next
- FIRST’s announcement of the hardware platform for its new K–8 programs, which it says will come before their first season
- LEGO Education’s registration details and event map for the first LEGO League season, which launches the August after the 2026–27 season
- Any change to LEGO Education’s promise of five years of SPIKE app updates after the June 30, 2026 end of sales
Where to start
Paid links: we earn a commission if you buy through the buttons below, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Robotics and coding kit types compared for young coders
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Programmable building-brick robotics kit | Fits home robotics projects | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Screen-free coding robot for young kids | Fits ages 5 to 7 | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Python-programmable robot kit | Fits middle schoolers learning Python | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Programmable building-brick robotics kit
Where to look: Amazon
For families and clubs that want to build and code without a league deadline. Check the app’s device support and the promised update period.
- Motors and sensors in one box
- Block coding for beginners
- Competition eligibility varies
- App support windows differ by maker
Screen-free coding robot for young kids
Where to look: Amazon
LEGO Education builds screen-free lessons into its K–2 kit; consumer robots in this type do the same at home with cards or buttons.
- No tablet needed
- Teaches sequencing early
- Outgrown quickly
- Limited sensors
Python-programmable robot kit
Where to look: Amazon
For middle schoolers ready for text-based coding, the direction LEGO Education points with its Python package.
- Moves past blocks to Python
- Useful beyond competitions
- Steeper setup
- May need a laptop
More: Education and Learning trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- Important update: LEGO Education SPIKE portfolio retiring — LEGO Education
- Introducing LEGO League: program update — LEGO Education
- Computer Science & AI Kit K–2 (45520) — LEGO Education
- Computer Science & AI Kit 3–5 (45521) — LEGO Education
- Computer Science & AI Kit 6–8 (45522) — LEGO Education
- SPIKE Prime Set (45678) product page — LEGO Education
- US Computer Science & AI Education Insights Report — LEGO Education
- Be Part of What’s Next for FIRST K–8 Programs — FIRST
- 2025 State of AI & Computer Science Education — Code.org Advocacy Coalition
Questions readers ask
Is LEGO SPIKE Prime discontinued?
Yes. LEGO Education ended sales of SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential, including hubs, batteries and expansion sets, on June 30, 2026, and will support the SPIKE app with bug fixes for five years after that.
Is FIRST LEGO League ending?
Yes. LEGO Education says FIRST LEGO League ends after the 2026–27 BIOGLOW season. LEGO Education will then run its own LEGO League, and FIRST is launching separate K–8 robotics programs not affiliated with LEGO Education.
Can my team still use SPIKE Prime?
For now. LEGO League allows SPIKE in its first season and requires Computer Science & AI kits from its second, while FIRST says SPIKE Prime and Essential stay compatible through the first two seasons of its new programs.
How much do the LEGO Education Computer Science & AI kits cost?
As of September 2026, LEGO Education’s US site lists single kits at $339.95 for grades K–2, $429.95 for grades 3–5 and $529.95 for grades 6–8, each for a group of four students.
