Friendly competition is at the heart of FIRST LEGO League Challenge, as teams of students ages 9-16 engage in research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. As part of Challenge, teams also participate in a research project to identify and solve a relevant real-world problem.

FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams are run by teachers, parents, and community organizations all around the city. Teams of 2-10 students tackle the Robot Game, the Innovation Project, and FIRST Core Values. Learn more about starting a team below.

Each year in August, FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams are introduced to a scientific and real-world challenge. This robotics season, we’re stepping into the world of sports, play, and fitness – moving, collaborating, competing, and celebrating. Learn more about the season below.

Season Info

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the total cost of starting a team?

FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams can expect to pay approximately $950 for team registration, event registration, the Challenge Set and one reusable robot set. Additional costs for travel, food, team shirts and other optional items will vary. Veteran teams will pay less since the robot set can be used year after year. Team registration, event registration and the Challenge Set must be purchased every season.
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Do I need technical experience to be a coach?

No, you do not. As a coach, your job is to help your team unlock their potential. To help you plan for the season, every team registration comes with a Team Meeting Guide, which acts as a handbook for coaches. Each student will also receive an Engineer Notebook - a workbook to guide them on their journey. While many coaches pick up technical skills along the way, you do not need to have any technical background to get started.
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How often does a team meet?

Teams can meet as often as they're able to, but we recommend at least 1-3 hours per week for 12 weeks.
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How do I sign up for a competition?

After you've paid for your team registration through www.firstinspires.org, you will automatically be placed on our mailing list. You will receive more information about signing up for competitions in your email in late October/early November.
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Can my child join an existing team?

FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams are typically created by schools, parents, and community organizations. As such, NYC FIRST does not match students with teams. While there are organizations that recruit students for FIRST LEGO League teams, NYC FIRST is not affiliated with any of them.
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What's the difference between FIRST and NYC FIRST?

FIRST is the international nonprofit organization that creates the FIRST LEGO League challenge every year. Groups can officially register as a FIRST LEGO League team and purchase season-specific equipment through FIRST.

NYC FIRST is a separate nonprofit youth organization that supports local FIRST teams and focuses on improving STEM education across the city. NYC FIRST is an affiliate partner of FIRST and teams can sign up for official competitions through NYC FIRST. Outside of competitions, NYC FIRST also operates two STEM Centers that serve their communities.
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How can NYC FIRST help me?

NYC FIRST helps parents and teachers get started with their season through workshops, events, and one-on-one assistance. To automatically begin receiving emails from NYC FIRST, all you need to do is complete your team registration with FIRST.

If you need help starting a team, email our FIRST LEGO League Program Manager at lisa@nycfirst.org.
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Can I come spectate a competition?

Yes! We strongly encourage you to attend (or even volunteer at) a competition to better understand how FIRST LEGO League Challenge works. FIRST LEGO League competitions are always free for spectators. The events posted on our website will indicate what time of the day is best for spectators to arrive.
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What technologies does FIRST LEGO League use?

FIRST LEGO League uses LEGO Mindstorms EV3 or LEGO Spike Prime robots. By default, students learn to program in a Scratch-based environment, but you may use any programming language for the competition, so long as the robot runs autonomously.