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Introduction
If you’re interested in building robots, coding cool projects, or joining a robotics competition, there are plenty of exciting programs out there. From storytelling-based missions to intense engineering battles, the world of educational robotics is full of fun and discovery.
In this article, we’re focusing on two of the most exciting and widely known competitions—the VEX Robotics Championship and ENJOY AI 2025. Both give you the chance to build, code, and compete with robots in real challenges that test your creativity and problem-solving skills.
Whether you're using block coding websites, physical coding cards, or learning advanced programming, these competitions help you gain real experience in how to create robots that solve tasks—getting you ready for the future of technology.
In VEX Robotics, kids build robots using VEX hardware and code robots to complete specific tasks in an arena. Meanwhile, in ENJOY AI, students program robots to solve challenges, such as navigating drones through complex environments or solving puzzles with object detection. Both events give children the opportunity to understand how to build a robot at home and explore different ways to code robots to perform unique tasks. Whether you're wondering how to get a robot or how to build a robot at home, these competitions are the perfect way to learn the ropes.
VEX Robotics Championship Overview
The VEX Robotics Championship is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious student robotics competitions, engaging tens of thousands of students across elementary, middle, and high school levels. The competition challenges teams to design, build, and program robots using official VEX kits, preparing them to solve complex tasks in time-limited, high-pressure matches. Each season introduces a brand-new game theme, and students spend months developing mechanical systems and code to compete at local, national, and world levels.
The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, held in Dallas, Texas from May 6–14, features multiple competition divisions. Among them, the two flagship events are:
“High Stakes” (VEX V5) – for middle and high school students
“Rapid Relay” (VEX IQ) – for elementary and middle school students
Each game offers unique scoring systems, strategic depth, and engineering challenges designed to develop students’ creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
1.1 Core Elements of the VEX Robotics Championship
The VEX Robotics system is rooted in real-world applications of engineering, programming, and teamwork. Through hands-on building and iterative testing, students develop both technical and soft skills in a highly motivating, competition-based setting.
Core Focus Areas:
Mechanical Design
Teams engineer custom robots using VEX kits – metal-based for VEX V5, plastic modular for VEX IQ. They brainstorm, prototype, and refine structures to optimize for specific in-game tasks such as climbing, passing, or scoring. The process mirrors real engineering workflows, from concept to testing to iteration.
Programming
Students write code using VEXcode (in block, C++, or Python form) to control robot behavior. Robots must operate both in autonomous modes and under driver control, requiring logic-based programming, sensor feedback use, and troubleshooting. High-performing teams often implement advanced techniques such as PID loops or custom driver assists.
1.2 Tasks and Scoring in the 2025 Season
The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship features multiple official games across different grade levels and competition divisions. These include VEX GO Classroom Competitions, VEX AI (focused on fully autonomous robots), and VEX U (for college students building advanced dual-robot systems). However, the season’s two flagship challenges—“High Stakes” for VEX V5 and “Rapid Relay” for VEX IQ—remain the central focus for elementary through high school students.
The following sections will highlight these two games in detail, including their theme, tasks and focus.
1.2.1 VEX V5 Game: High Stakes
Theme: In High Stakes, teams compete in alliances of two robots each on a 12×12-foot field. The game centers on collecting and placing plastic rings, strategically moving mobile goals, and climbing a central ladder for bonus points. The match rewards a mix of precise execution, strategic planning, and robust mechanical design, especially in the fast-paced endgame.
Tasks:
Ring Scoring: Robots collect plastic rings and place them onto posts mounted on mobile goals, the field perimeter, or the central ladder.
Mobile Goal Placement: Robots move five mobile goals into different corner zones.
Ladder Climb (Endgame): In the final 30 seconds, robots can climb the central ladder, which has three levels.
Focus:
High Stakes tests a team’s ability to combine mechanical engineering, strategic field control, and software autonomy. Success requires consistent ring handling, smart positioning of mobile goals, and robust climbing mechanisms. The game promotes engineering iteration, alliance coordination, and quick decision-making under pressure—making it an all-around challenge in robot control and design.
1.2.2 VEX IQ Game: Rapid Relay
Theme: In Rapid Relay, two teams form a temporary alliance to complete a high-speed ball-handling challenge on a 6×8-foot field. The game emphasizes collaboration, precision timing, and sequential teamwork, as robots must pass foam balls between one another and score them into goals—ideally after clearing switches that boost their value. Success relies not just on scoring, but on the efficiency of the relay between robots.
Tasks:
Ball Passing: Robots collect and pass foam balls to each other.
Switch Clearing: Robots must clear mechanical switches (levers) on the field.
Goal Scoring: Balls are scored by placing them into target zones after passing and switch clearing.
Focus: Rapid Relay challenges students to master robot cooperation, task delegation, and precise execution in a tight 60-second time frame. The game rewards teams that design mechanisms for quick hand-offs, synchronize their actions, and adapt their roles in real time. Strategic coordination and fast-paced interaction make this one of the most teamwork-intensive games in VEX IQ history.
From high-speed collaboration in Rapid Relay to creative missions in ENJOY AI, these competitions are more than games—they’re platforms for building real-world skills, shaping how students learn, think, and solve problems through robotics. In the following section, we take a closer look at how ENJOY AI and VEX Robotics differ in their technologies, educational approaches, and competition styles—and how each uniquely prepares students for the future.
Overview of ENJOY AI 2025
ENJOY AI 2025 is a global competition designed to teach kids how to code a robot and explore the world of AI and robotics. The competition offers a variety of events where students must design, build, and program robots to complete specific challenges. From AI-driven navigation to object recognition, ENJOY AI tests participants' abilities to code robots that think and act autonomously. Students can learn how to create robots that can solve complex problems using AI algorithms, helping them develop valuable skills for future careers in robotics and AI.
2.1 Key ENJOY AI 2025 Competitions
ENJOY AI 2025 features a diverse set of AI-based robotics challenges, each designed to test participants' ability to solve problems using AI-driven systems and innovative robotic solutions. Below are the key events featured in ENJOY AI 2025, each offering unique tasks that engage students with different aspects of robotics and artificial intelligence:
2.1.1 Skyline Adventures
Theme: In Skyline Adventures, students navigate drone-based exploration tasks to discover hidden treasures in a mist-covered ocean. The event challenges participants to use AI navigation to guide their drones through a complex environment, avoiding obstacles and identifying treasure spots.
Tasks:
Autonomous Navigation: Drones must fly autonomously, relying on pre-written programs and sensors to navigate the field and avoid obstacles.
Treasure Discovery: Drones need to identify specific markers, such as AprilTags, and land precisely to collect points.
Focus: This event emphasizes autonomous drone control, with a strong focus on path planning, marker recognition, and precise navigation in a real-world-inspired environment.
2.1.2 Geometric Forest
Theme: In Geometric Forest, robots must explore a mystical forest and solve puzzles to uncover ancient myths. The event focuses on problem-solving, requiring students to program robots that can recognize objects and make decisions based on visual input and sensor data.
Tasks:
Legacy Block Detection: Participants can code or remote control robots through a Whalesbot physical coding device to identify and interact with legacy blocks that reveal clues for puzzle solving.
Myth Unveiling: Once the blocks are placed correctly, the robots trigger the unveiling of myths, which requires precise control and well-timed execution.
Focus: This event challenges participants to combine logical reasoning, accurate movement, and interactive control to solve multi-step problems in an immersive environment.
2.1.3 Battle of Tribes
Theme: In Battle of Tribes, teams representing the Red and Blue tribes compete to complete tasks such as troop deployment and flag placement within a shared field. Each team must complete two rounds, and the final ranking is determined by the total score.
Tasks:
Troop Deployment: Teams use a troop selector to randomly determine the flag number. The robot must flash the correct number of lights, pick up the corresponding flag, and place it into the flag slot on the castle tower. Each robot can only attempt this task once, and it must be completed during the auto phase.
Frontline Support: Robots must transport cannonballs from the ammo depot to the frontline case. Each cannonball successfully delivered to the designated area scores points.
Fortress Repair: Robots deliver fortress blocks into the repair zone. Delivering your own team’s blocks, the opponent’s blocks, or magic blocks yields different scores depending on block type.
Victory Sound: If a team completes troop deployment, delivers at least five blocks to the repair zone, and three cannonballs to the frontline, they can strike the gong to directly win the match. Striking the gong without meeting all conditions will not end the round.
Focus: This event emphasizes accurate execution, randomized task handling, and precise robot control, requiring students to develop strategies for completing predefined challenges in a competitive environment.
2.1.4 Cyber City
Theme: Cyber City is a space-themed competition set in a futuristic city filled with advanced technology. Students take on the role of young space explorers, using their robots to complete a variety of challenges, from activating time machines to connecting genetic modules. The event encourages precise robot control, logical sequencing, and creative problem-solving across multiple space-age tasks.
Tasks:
In Cyber City, students program robots to pass through a space portal by aligning magnetic panels, activate a time machine by rotating components into the correct position, and unfold the wings of a spaceship to prepare it for launch. In other areas, robots are tasked with delivering plant samples to a controlled platform, lifting a space elevator cabin until its magnet locks into place, and connecting genetic modules using magnetic precision.
Additional tasks include adjusting a sun simulator panel for proper solar alignment and activating a brain-machine interface by positioning mechanical parts with high accuracy.
Focus: This event emphasizes robotic control, mechanical precision, and problem-solving under pressure. Participants must design and code robots capable of completing sequential tasks within a fixed time, demonstrating creativity and control in a futuristic competition setting.
2.2 Beyond Competition: Education, Culture, and Creativity
ENJOY AI isn’t just a robotics competition - it is also promoting youth engagement in science, technology, and cultural exchange. In addition to technical challenges, participants experience a wide variety of educational, cultural, and entertainment activities throughout both local and international events.
At the regional level:
Educational Forums & Guest Talks: Expert speakers from education, tech, and industry are invited to host forums open to parents, educators, and students for engaging, meaningful discussions.
University Visits: Students may visit local universities to gain early exposure to campus life and academic culture.
Entertainment & Art: Hosts may organize performances featuring music, dance, or visual arts, inviting artists to create a lively and inspiring atmosphere for all attendees.
At the global final:
Cultural Exchange Activities: Participants from around the world will have opportunities to share and celebrate their cultural backgrounds through interactive activities. Stay tuned for exciting updates on this year’s international experiences!
Talent Performances: Students and viewers alike can participate in dance, music, and other stage shows.
2.3 Academic Recognition and Future Opportunities
Participation in ENJOY AI not only fosters technical and creative skills—it also opens doors to academic advancement on a global scale.
Top-performing students at the ENJOY AI Global Final may receive direct admission pathways to prestigious high schools and universities around the world, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
With its blend of immersive challenges, educational activities, global recognition, and real-world cultural exchange, ENJOY AI offers more than just a competition—it builds a complete learning journey and a global community. From hands-on problem-solving to face-to-face interaction with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds, students gain valuable experiences that go beyond robotics.
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In the next section, we compare VEX Robotics and ENJOY AI, highlighting how each platform differs in technology, learning style, and competition format.
Technologies, Learning Styles, and Competition Formats
3.1 Learning Focus and Task Design
VEX Robotics emphasizes engineering design, mechanical control, and technical precision. Students build functional robots using modular kits, motors, sensors, and metal or plastic components. They program robots in VEXcode (Blocks, C++, or Python) to perform defined engineering tasks such as object stacking, path navigation, or climbing structures.
The focus is on design efficiency, mechanical stability, and technical optimization—giving students exposure to real-world engineering concepts such as torque, gearing, and autonomous movement.
ENJOY AI 2025, in contrast, centers on logic development, sequencing, and creative problem-solving through story-based robotics challenges. Students complete themed tasks—such as treasure discovery, puzzle unlocking, or object retrieval—by controlling robots using physical coding cards, block-based platforms or text-based programming. Tasks are structured around visual cues and narrative contexts, making them engaging and accessible for ages 3 to 22.
Key events like Skyline Adventures and Cyber City focus on navigating environments and activating in-game elements, while Geometric Forest emphasizes spatial reasoning and logic sequencing. These tasks encourage step-by-step thinking and reinforce fundamental STEM skills through hands-on interaction.
3.2 Programming Depth and Competition Style
VEX Robotics competitions are score-based and highly structured, with standardized game fields, point systems, and tournament progression. Events such as High Stakes and Rapid Relay involve autonomous phases, driver-controlled periods, and season-long robot iteration. Teams improve their hardware and software performance across local, regional, and global matches.
ENJOY AI competitions are narrative-driven and challenge-based. Each event has a clear time limit (usually 1–2 minutes), but the goal is not only to score points, but also to explore logic-based missions in themed environments. Robots respond to fixed field elements such as AprilTags, markers, or obstacle layouts. The approach emphasizes flexibility and visual reasoning over high-precision hardware execution.
In summary, VEX Robotics and ENJOY AI offer distinct approaches to STEM education—one grounded in logical exploration and creative storytelling, the other in engineering precision and iterative design. These differences shape how students learn and grow through robotics.
Beyond the technical skills, both programs also leave a lasting impact on students’ confidence, collaboration, and global perspective. In the next section, we explore how these competitions influence education worldwide and help shape the future of STEM learning.
Educational Impact and Global Reach
How do robotics competitions help students learn?
Both VEX Robotics Championship and ENJOY AI 2025 significantly impact STEM education by providing engaging, hands-on learning opportunities. Through these events, students learn how to code robots, build technical skills, and develop teamwork and problem-solving abilities, preparing them for future careers in technology and innovation.
4.1 VEX Robotics: Engineering Skills and Real-World Readiness
The VEX Robotics Championship prepares students for careers in STEM through deep involvement in engineering design, coding, and competitive teamwork. From classroom to international stage, it offers a progression of challenges tailored to middle and high school learners.
Hands-on Engineering Practice: Students design and build modular robots using structural components, motors, and sensors. They apply principles like torque, gearing, and mechanical stability, mirroring real-world engineering projects.
Team Collaboration and Leadership: VEX competitions require effective teamwork—from brainstorming and robot assembly to match strategy. Students take on defined roles and develop communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
Real-Time Adaptation: Matches are played under time constraints and score-based rules, with both autonomous and driver-controlled periods. Teams must quickly troubleshoot, refine, and adapt their robots throughout the season, gaining experience in iterative design.
Through its rigorous, team-oriented structure, VEX Robotics nurtures technical excellence, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving, helping students transition from classroom knowledge to real-world application.
4.2 ENJOY AI: Global Innovation Through Logic and Storytelling
ENJOY AI helps students develop logical thinking and structured problem-solving through imaginative robotics challenges. Its accessible design—with physical coding cards, block-based tools, and text-based options—engages learners from age 3 to 22 across various skill levels.
Global Collaboration: With over 1,000,000 participants from 34 countries annually, ENJOY AI fosters cross-cultural exchange. Students gain exposure to diverse learning styles and problem-solving approaches through international competitions and activities.
Real-world Problem Solving: Events such as Cyber City and Battle of Tribes encourage students to navigate game-like environments and complete mission sequences. These scenarios promote structured reasoning, cause-effect thinking, and hands-on execution.
Innovative Thinking: Challenges like Geometric Forest encourage learners to approach puzzles with creativity and logical structure. By combining visual planning and action-based coding, students develop an innovation mindset applicable to future tech-driven fields.
Overall, ENJOY AI 2025 creates an environment that promotes global awareness logical fluency, and creative resilience, equipping students for the future through engaging, age-appropriate robotics learning.
VEX Robotics and ENJOY AI represent two of the most influential approaches in today’s educational robotics landscape—one rooted in creative logic and story-driven challenges, the other in engineering precision and competitive gameplay. While their styles differ, both programs share a common goal: to prepare students not only to understand technology, but to lead with it.
Conclusion: Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators
VEX Robotics and ENJOY AI both equip students with future-ready skills—from foundational coding and robotics logic to mechanical engineering and teamwork.
Whether students are solving puzzles with visual logic or optimizing robots for high-stakes competition, they are building the creativity, adaptability, and critical thinking required in today’s global tech landscape.
These competitions not only teach students how to build a robot or program one, but also how to collaborate across cultures, think independently, and innovate in the face of real-world challenges.
By participating, students become the next generation of engineers, creators, and STEM leaders.
Call to Action
Whether you're interested in learning how to code robots, exploring hands-on robotics, or building real-world engineering skills, now is the perfect time to dive in.
The VEX Robotics World Championship 2025 is happening now—watch live matches on official channels to see how students apply design, coding, and strategy on a global stage.
Meanwhile, registration for some ENJOY AI 2025 regional competitions is now open!
Students aged 3–22 can take part in engaging, story-driven robotics challenges that combine creativity, logic, and hands-on learning.
ENJOY AI includes five types of events: School-Level League, Trial (e.g., Mongolia, Da Nang, Morocco), Open (e.g., Australia, Europe, Asia), Championship (e.g., Brazil, Kenya, Macau) and Global Final.
Not sure if your country or region is on the list, or have other questions? Reach out to us directly through enjoyaiglobal.org to learn more and get involved.
Not sure where to start?
WhalesBot is the primary sponsor of ENJOY AI and the official provider of robotics kits used in the competition. Their educational kits are specifically designed to support hands-on learning for students from beginners to advanced robotics learners.
Visit https://www.whalesbot.ai/ to explore age-appropriate robot kits designed for beginners and advanced learners alike.
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