Currys PC World and TV Duo Dick and Dom Get Kids to 'Do the Robot' During Lockdown

Today, the UK’s largest electrical and services retailer Currys PC World, announces the launch of a new competition that calls for children to get creative and design their dream tech-robot, to be in with the chance of winning £5,000 in vouchers to spend on top kids tech with the retailer. 

With schools closed across the country, many parents and guardians are struggling to keep their children occupied with fun, productive and educational activities. According to a recent survey by Currys PC World, 50 per cent of parents want their children to be more creative, but almost a third don’t feel they have the resources at home to inspire them, and almost a quarter struggle to think of fun tasks to keep them occupied.

To help, Currys PC World has partnered with TV duo, Dick and Dom, and is calling for children across the nation to great creative and design their dream tech-robot – something the whole family can get involved in when not home-schooling.

The tech-robot designs can be any shape, any design and as whacky, weird and whimsical as they like, with the retail giant seeking a unique range of robots. However, all designs must feature everyday tech that can be found at Currys PC World within the robot body; from TVs for tummies, to blenders for brains, children can take inspiration from tech around the home or have a browse with parents on the Currys PC World website for further design insight.

Dr Lorna Bourke, principal lecturer, Department of Psychology at Liverpool Hope University comments: “Lockdown has been tough on everyone, but without school interaction, parents might find that kids are suffering the most and their long-term learning, and social and creative development will be at risk. To combat this, it’s strongly encouraged that children continue to take part in as many creative activities as possible, helping to keep their motivation high and their brain active with new ideas and experiments. Creative activities can include technology to make them more accessible or to provide inspiration. There are a large variety of child-friendly, safe, creative activities available online, or installed directly in children’s technology which are open for all to use. By setting a creative task which parents can oversee, whether technology-based or not, it will help strengthen the family bond and reduce some of the parental guilt when pre-occupied.”

Dick and Dom will be sharing further information on the competition across their social media channels and helping motivate entrants by sharing their own dream tech-robot designs with the nation.

The double act will also be working alongside Currys PC World to review all entries and identify the lucky winner of the competition, who will not only receive an enviable £5,000 voucher to spend on top kids tech with the retailer, but will also have their dream robot brought to life by a professional designer which will then be displayed across stores nationwide, once they reopen, to help highlight the most suitable tech for kids in 2021.

Five lucky runners up with also be chosen by Dick and Dom, who will each receive a £1,000 tech voucher to spend at Currys PC World.

Dick & Dom, TV duo said: “We might be too old to enter the competition, but that didn’t stop us having a go and building ‘The BoreDOMbot’, which has a huge LCD TV screen for a head and removable game controller ears; it definitely kept us entertained for a few days! With a once in a lifetime prize up for grabs, there has never been a more motivating reason to get creative in the home. It doesn’t matter what resources you have; paper, pens, paint, glue, cardboard boxes or even toilet rolls, put it all together and create your dream tech-robot with Currys PC World for some fun lockdown entertainment!”

Dean Kramer, director of consumer electronics, Currys PC World says: “We want to help parents nationwide with the everyday lockdown pressures, so we’re encouraging children to get involved in a fun, creative activity to keep them occupied creating their dream tech-robot. We can’t wait to see the robot creations and having the chance to have the winning design in Currys PC World stores across the nation will be a very exciting first for us. The design will be used to showcase the wide range of amazing kids technology available, helping children find the best devices to learn, study and keep entertained.”

Currys PC World’s ‘Do The Robot’ competition will run from 12:00 on Thursday 18th February until 9pm on Monday 8th March. Each competition entry must be designed by a child, 13 years or younger and submitted by a UK resident over the age of 18 years on the child’s behalf.

For further information and to view all competition terms and conditions, please visit here.