First Lego League

Robotics Competition Teams (ages 9-14)

What is First Lego League?

First Lego League (FLL) is organized by a global non-profit called FIRST. With over 650,000 participants worldwide, kids ages 9-14 participate in a season that spans 4-6 months, during which they build a fully autonomous Lego robot to solve various mission challenges, research an innovative solution to a global problem, and demonstrate teamwork and gracious professionalism.

Open to all skill levels and no prerequisites.  We are open to coaching pre-existing teams or groups of friends if scheduling allows.

The FLL season starts in August/September. The children ages 9-14 form teams of 4 to 8 students and decide on what robot to build, how to code it, what global problem to create an innovative solution for, and come together once a week (or more) to build their robots and prepare their research presentations. 

At the end of the season, typically in December, there is a Regional Tournament in one of many cities in Massachusetts that the teams get to participate in. The all-day tournament is a great experience for all of our students. They get to see hundreds of other excited students from all over the state compete, showcase their own inventions, and have fun all day!

What is the Innovation Project?

First Lego League has an Innovation Project component where each team comes up with an "innovation" and gives a 5-minute presentation on that subject to a panel of judges at the tournament.  From the simplest presentation with a poster board to a full presentation with mock demo samples and a customer survey, teams put varying degrees of effort into it. Everyone gets first-hand experience in giving a live presentation to the panel of judges.

🏆 FLL Penguin Coding Team Awards 🏆

2019 - 2025

🏆 2025

  • 5 State Qualifiers: Ground Breakers, Diggin’ Dogs, The Bobs, The Waddlers, The Unknowns

  • Awards:

    • Core Values at Qualifiers - 1st place (The Bobs), 2nd place (Ground Breakers), 3rd place (The Unknown), Rising All-Star Winner (Diggin’ Dogs), Core Values Award (Penguin Warriors), Robot Design Award (Killer Whales), Rising Star Award (The Looters), Golden ticket to advance straight to the NYC Championships (The Bobs), NYC Championship FLL Breakthrough Award (The Bobs), Engineering Excellence Award for Innovation and Robot Design (The Waddlers)

🏆 2024

  • 6 State Qualifiers: Baby Sharks, Emperor Sushi, Oceanic Overdrive, Leviathan, Terrific Turtles, Sub-Aquatic

  • Awards:

    • States: 6th Place Overall, Robot Design - 3rd Place (Baby Sharks),

    • Regionals: Robot Design - 1st Place (Terrific Turtles), Innovation Project - 1st Place (Baby Sharks), Innovation Project - 1st Place (Sub-Aquatic), Robot Design - 2nd Place (Emperor Sushi), Core Values - 3rd Place (Oceanic Overdrive),  Special Judges Award (Cyberpunk Tigers)  

🏆 2023

  • 4 State Qualifiers: Banana Merangues, Titanium, Mechanical Monkeys, Motor Codes

  • Awards:

    • States: Lightning Round Alliance 2nd Place (Banana Merangues),

    • Regional: Robot Design - 2nd Place (Titanium), Robot Design - 3rd Place (Mechanical Monkeys), Core Values - 3rd Place (Team A),  Special Judges Award (Motor Codes)  

🏆 2022

  • 2 State Qualifiers: 7 Volts, Exploding Bananas

  • Awards:

    • Champions Award (7 Volts), Robot Performance 2nd Place (7 Volts), Lightning Round Champion (S.T.A.R.K. Industries), Core Values - 1st Place (Exploding Bananas)

🏆 2021

  • 2 State Qualifiers: Click'n Connectors, Waddlers 

  • Awards:

    • States: Lightning Round Champion (Waddlers)

    • Regional: Champions Award 2nd Place (Click'n Connectors), Robot Design - 2nd Place (Handy Hippos)

🏆 2019

  • 1 State Qualifier: Penguins in the City

  • Awards:

    • States: Alliance Round - 1st Place (Penguins in the City), Core Values - 2nd Place (Penguins in the City),

    • Regional: Core Values - 1st Place (Penguins in the City)

Meet our Past FLL Teams

  • Penguins in the City ('19 City Shaper)

  • The Awesome Four ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Handy Hippos ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Clicken' Connectors ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Waddlers ('21 Cargo Connect)

  • Cool Capybaras (2025)

  • Diggin' Dogs (2025)

  • Ground Breakers (2025)

Post Season (prep for Fall 2026)

For students interested in preparing for the next season of First Lego League with a weekly class on building better robots, learning about using gears and gyro, as well as more sophisticated robotics coding. Every week students will learn a new skill or review fundamental robotics concepts & coding. Students will be able to spend more time with robots than the regular season, and have more time for creative problem solving. We bring out mission models from past years so students.

Email us at info@penguincodingschool.com if you have ANY questions about the FLL Teams and Season requirements.

Lexington, MA

Newton, MA

Acton, MA

Brookline, MA

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Sign Up for Season 2025-2026

Email us at info@penguincodingschool.com if you have ANY questions about the FLL Teams and Season requirements.

Lexington, MA

Newton, MA

Acton, MA

Brookline, MA

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Interest Form

If you are interested in finding out more about how your child can participate in one of Penguin Coding School’s competition robotics teams, please fill out the form below and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have!