This is not a toy, but that doesnt mean its not fun! Its a very sturdy machine with legit parts for a robot. I find the programming just as fun and addictive as my kid. The projects are fun, but we went through them quickly so Ive had to make up more challenges to keep the interest going.
A few notes: the software and documentation are not bulletproof. Ive had to do a bit of debugging through the process that I dont think a parent without prior experience with programming and basic knowledge of electronics would easily figure out. The makeblock forums are very helpful when you run into issues.
Overall, everyone loves mBot and its been a great learning experience