JoyBots: Designing a Robotics-Infused Happiness Program for Asian American Children

This design case documents the creation of JoyBots, a robotics-infused happiness education program for Asian American children in grades 1-4. Designed to address the growing need for emotional resilience and well-being among this population, the program aims to equip young learners with happiness-related knowledge and skills that prepare them to navigate future challenges with confidence. Developed by an interdisciplinary team in partnership with a Chinese heritage school, the six-session program was structured around the PERMA model of well-being and grounded in constructivist learning principles. The design process unfolded iteratively, beginning with the challenge of translating abstract psychological concepts into child-friendly activities, followed by the integration of robotics to make those concepts tangible, and culminating in refinements that addressed accessibility, multilingual supports, and instructor readiness. Pilot teaching sessions with 17 students confirmed the promise of combining robotics and happiness education while also revealing areas for improvement in pacing, scaffolding, and language support.