BlockyTalky is a low cost software and hardware toolkit that enables users to create their own networked devices. The platform may be used to create devices that interact purely in the physical world, such as autonomous robots, or that bridge the virtual and physical worlds, such as devices that provide a tangible, interactive representation of data from social networks. BlockyTalky provides users with a web-based visual programming environment hosted on a Raspberry Pi, and a cloud service allows users’ creations to communicate with one-another, as well as other web services, over the Internet. Support for the BrickPi shield offers interoperability with LEGO NXT motors and sensors, and therefore a gradual pathway for learners from LEGO to more advanced computation and engineering. BlockyTalky enables users to learn introductory programming principles, basic robotics, and networked communication as they build custom devices.