Ten years ago, children were handed a pencil and some paper, and were told to use their imagination to create the impossible. For the schoolchildren of today, the BBC micro:bit is their blank page.

London-based start-up Technology Will Save Us, has worked with the BBC on an initiative to provide one million BBC micro:bits to 11 year old schoolchildren across the country. The pocket-sized device allows children to express their creativity through technology, letting them be active participators in designing new tools for both learning and playing.

The BBC micro:bit has been described as the “Swiss army knife” of tech. It is not a computer but a tool in itself. The micro:bit is designed to be hacked, played with and continuously altered. The more the child understands about the device, the more they can do with it, from building robots to designing musical instruments.

The device was developed to be employed across the school curriculum, not just for STEM subjects. It can also be used by a range of age groups, from primary through to secondary education. It helps children solve problems themselves through trial and error, rather than through a passive absorption of information.

Visit the BBC micro:bit website to find out more.