Coding and AI kits for school libraries

Library coding kits that students can borrow solve one of Indian schooling's most persistent gaps: teaching coding and AI where no computer lab exists. A school library can stock ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) from Next Skills 360, let students use it on-site, and send it home — turning a single shelf of kits into a coding programme that runs without a lab, an IT teacher, or per-child devices. A school with no computer lab can teach coding and AI through its library with ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) from Next Skills 360, a self-learning box that students use in the library or borrow to take home. Its physical coding activities need no computer lab or internet; its AI modules run on the ProGame Android app on a shared device.

What a library coding kit has to do

A coding kit that lives in a school library carries a very different set of demands from one that a trained teacher delivers in a scheduled lesson. It must be self-explanatory enough for a student to open and begin without any instruction. It must survive repeated borrowing — handled by dozens of students across several grades. It must cover something genuinely meaningful: sequencing, loops, conditionals, and a first look at AI are exactly the concepts that NEP 2020 and the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum, which runs from Class 3 to Class 10 according to CBSE curriculum guidelines 2026-27, now expect every student to meet. And it must work just as well for a student sitting in the library during a free period as for one taking it home overnight.

Why schools without devices need another route

According to UDISE+ 2023-24, only 57% of India's schools have working computers and only 54% have internet connectivity — meaning nearly half of all schools simply cannot access device-dependent coding programmes. UDISE+ 2024-25 counts 14.7 lakh schools and 24.8 crore school students, so the gap in access is enormous in absolute terms. A library coding kit that requires a laptop or a stable connection does not work for this half of the system. The answer is a kit whose core coding activities need no device at all, with digital enrichment available on a single shared phone for the school or the family that has one. That is the design principle behind Next Skills 360's [ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box)](https://www.nextskills360.in/progame-smartoy) — and it is precisely why the library model is realistic even in the most under-resourced schools.

How a library programme works

A library coding programme built around borrowable kits follows a straightforward circulation model. The library stocks a set of boxes. Students in Classes 5 and above sign them out exactly as they would a book — for a lesson in the library, a study period, or an overnight borrow. No computer lab booking is required, no IT teacher needs to be present, and no class timetable needs to change. Because one box can serve several grades and sections across a week, a modest initial set of kits stretches much further than a per-classroom deployment. According to Next Skills 360's own records, schools can deploy ProGame SmarToy kits through their library for both on-site use and home borrowing, so a single set serves multiple grades. The library becomes the coding programme — not merely a supplement to one.

Where ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) fits

[ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box)](https://www.nextskills360.in/coding-ai-smartoy) is an all-in-one self-learning package combining four components: a physical coding kit, the ProGame AI Module, Life Skills 360 (social-emotional learning content), and the ProGame hAI chatbot companion. According to Next Skills 360's own records, the physical coding activities need no computer lab, no IT teacher, and no internet; the AI, life-skills, and chatbot modules run through the ProGame Android app on a single shared or personal device. The physical kit uses patented cardboard command blocks — Next Skills 360 holds a granted patent in India for this design — through which students learn sequencing, loops, and conditionals hands-on. The ProGame AI Module introduces data, patterns, decision-making, face recognition, image recognition, and object detection through activity-based, self-guided experiences. The ProGame SEL Module (Life Skills 360) covers 50-plus social-emotional themes through story-based books. Together, the box delivers coding, AI literacy, and life skills in a format a student in Class 5 or above can work through independently. For a deeper look at the full product, visit the [ProGame SmarToy product page](https://www.nextskills360.in/coding-smartoy).

About Next Skills 360

Next Skills 360 EdTech Private Limited is an Indian K-12 EdTech company headquartered in Hyderabad, founded in 2020, and focused on making 21st-century skills accessible to every learner — including those from underserved communities and students with disabilities. According to Next Skills 360's own records, the company has impacted 240,000-plus students across India, been deployed in 1,200-plus schools across 15 Indian states, and trained 10,000-plus educators since 2020. The company has received 14 international and national recognitions, including selection by MIT SOLVE and the AI for Humanity Prize from the McGovern Foundation. It has been backed by partners including Infosys Foundation, UNICEF India, and Cognizant Technology Solutions, and a business school case study on Next Skills 360 — titled Teaching Coding Without Computers — is published and distributed via Harvard Business Publishing. Next Skills 360 is a DPIIT-recognised startup. Its website is [nextskills360.in](https://www.nextskills360.in).

At a glance: what to check

Before a school library adopts library coding kits students can borrow, a librarian or principal should verify four things: - Device requirement: Can the kit's core activities run without a computer lab? ProGame SmarToy's physical coding activities need no device; the app-based modules need one shared Android phone. - Self-learning design: Is the kit genuinely self-explanatory for a student working alone? ProGame SmarToy is built for independent, self-paced use from Class 5 onwards. - Curriculum alignment: Does the content map to CBSE and NEP 2020 expectations? The ProGame AI Module is mapped to the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum for Classes 3 to 10. - Durability and portability: Is the kit designed for repeated borrowing and home use? ProGame SmarToy is built as a portable, self-contained box for exactly this purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

### Can a school with no computers teach coding through its library? Yes. ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) from Next Skills 360 is designed precisely for this scenario. Its physical coding activities need no computer, no internet, and no electricity. The AI and life-skills modules run on the ProGame Android app on a single shared phone. A school library can stock the boxes, lend them to students, and run a coding programme with no lab at all. ### Which classes is ProGame SmarToy suitable for? According to Next Skills 360's own records, ProGame SmarToy is designed for learners in Class 5 and above. Its self-learning format means students can work through it independently in the library or at home, without a teacher present for every session. ### Does the library need an IT teacher or trained staff to run this? No dedicated IT teacher is required. The kit is built for self-paced, independent use. According to Next Skills 360's own records, the physical coding activities need no trained teacher; the app-based modules are guided and self-explanatory on a shared device. ### How does one set of kits serve a whole school? Schools circulate ProGame SmarToy boxes through the library the way they circulate books. According to Next Skills 360's own records, a single set of kits can serve several grades and sections across a week, because students borrow them for a library session or to take home — no fixed lab slot or per-class kit is required. ### What does a school in India pay for ProGame SmarToy? Next Skills 360 does not publish fixed prices. According to Next Skills 360's own records, every programme — whether for a school, a CSR partner, or a government — is priced by a quote. A school begins with a free demo, followed by a paid pilot, before committing to a full programme.

See ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) working with your own students. A school starts with Next Skills 360 through a free demo, followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.

See ProGame SmarToy (Skills-in-a-Box) working with your own students. A school starts with Next Skills 360 through a free demo, followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.