School Arduino Lab Setup: Kit List, Layout and Budget Plan

For a school Arduino lab setup, split your shopping list into three layers: group kits (the board, breadboard, wires and basic parts on each table), shared equipment (multimeters, hand tools, a spare-parts box and, if you want, a soldering station) and infrastructure (computers, USB connections, power outlets, tables and lockable storage). Say you are building it for a class of 24: 8 groups of 3, one Arduino Uno kit per group, 4 ESP32 boards and 4 Raspberry Pi Pico boards for the whole lab, 2 spare Unos, 5 multimeters and 8 computers make a solid start. Spend the budget on the first layer first and expand with sensor and module boxes in the second year. The first year of a lab is about buying; every year after that is about running it, which is why numbered boxes, colour coding and a stock count every term matter as much as the parts themselves.

This post covers setting up the lab and running it over the long term. We covered a single student's first shopping list in the Arduino starter kit post, and group roles, the help queue and handing out boxes at the start of a lesson in teaching Arduino to a large class. Here you will find, in order, the kit table, the shared equipment, the table and computer layout, a budget template with an empty price column, the second-year expansion boxes, the cupboard layout, a consumables estimate, safety rules, a yearly calendar and a funding pack. We don't list prices, because they change from country to country and month to month; instead we give every item with its quantity, and you fill in the price from your own supplier.

Three layers: group kits, shared equipment, infrastructure

Splitting the lab into layers helps in three ways. The first is priority: on a tight budget, group kits come first, because everything a student touches is in there; multimeters and tools can start in small numbers, and most of the infrastructure already exists in the school. The second is responsibility: a group kit is that group's box and the group counts it at the end of the lesson, shared equipment stays under the teacher's control and is lent out, and infrastructure is school property. The third is lifespan: boards, breadboards and multimeters last for years, while LEDs, resistors and jumper wires are consumables that need topping up every year. In the budget template you will track this split with two types, one-off and yearly.

8 groups, 24 students: the core kit table

The table assumes 24 students, 8 groups of 3 and one or two lessons a week. The total column adds roughly 20–25% spares to what 8 groups need and rounds the result; sturdy parts such as boards and breadboards get few spares, easily lost parts such as LEDs and wires get more. The parts were not picked at random: most of the sensors and outputs in the list match at least one project that is free in BlueGrays with its circuit diagram and code, so the lab's first term fills up without buying anything extra. If you have a different number of groups, multiply the per-group column by your group count and add the same spare ratio.

The reason to give most of the board mix to the Arduino Uno is simple: it runs at 5 V, almost every beginner sensor connects to it directly, its USB-B socket survives constant plugging and unplugging, and most teaching material is written for it. Of the 200+ projects in BlueGrays, roughly 110 are for Arduino, 50 for ESP32 and 30 for the Raspberry Pi Pico. Buy the ESP32 for an Internet of Things unit that needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the Pico for moving on to text-based programming with MicroPython. Since these two boards usually come in during the second half of the year, 4 of each are enough in the first year: in that unit, 4 groups work with the ESP32 or the Pico while the other 4 carry on with an Uno project, and they swap the following week. You can compare the boards in Arduino vs ESP32, and find first lessons in the ESP32 first lesson plan and the Pico MicroPython lesson plan.

Shared equipment: what lives in the cupboard, not on the tables

The soldering station is optional in this list on purpose. Projects built with a breadboard and jumper wires need no soldering, so the lab's first year can go by without any. The first need for soldering usually comes with modules sold without headers and with the Pico; buying Picos with soldered headers removes that need for the first year. When permanent circuits, exhibitions or club work begin, you set up a soldering corner with 2 temperature-controlled stations, ventilation and teacher supervision; details are in the soldering guide. A multimeter, on the other hand, is needed from day one: it is the fastest way to find a broken jumper wire, a flat battery or a leg pushed into the wrong row. In the first weeks, teach students only the continuity (beep) test and how to measure voltage correctly, and leave current measurement for later; we explain how in the multimeter guide.

Infrastructure: tables, power, computers and storage

• Table layout: 8 group tables, each with 3 chairs and 1 computer. Arrange the tables in a U along the walls or as islands of 2; put the teacher's desk next to the projector and leave a path of at least 1 metre between tables so you can move around easily. Stick the same number as the box on the corner of each table.
• Power: One switched, earthed power strip per table is enough. Run cables behind the tables or through a cable channel rather than across the floor, and don't daisy-chain power strips. Switching the strips off at the end of the lesson should be part of the routine for closing the lab.
• Computers: 8 group computers and 1 teacher computer. The desktop versions of the Arduino IDE and Thonny run on Windows, macOS and Linux; devices that only run a browser are not suitable for this setup. Older but reliable computers are good enough for the job.
• USB connection: If the computer's port is at the back, a short USB extension cable fixed to the table keeps the board from dangling. If there aren't enough ports, use a USB hub with its own power adapter (a powered hub); unpowered hubs can make the board reset when parts that draw current, such as a servo, are connected.
• Storage: A lockable cupboard or shelving system, with separate shelves for group boxes, theme boxes and spare stock. Inside the cupboard, a separate locked metal box or compartment for batteries and soldering irons.
• Display: A projector or an interactive whiteboard. Increase the font size of the Arduino IDE on the teacher's computer; letting the back-row group read the code takes less time than rewriting it on the board.

Computer and software setup

1. Install the Arduino IDE on every computer and wait for the extra components it downloads on first launch to finish; the steps are in the Arduino IDE installation post.
2. Install the driver for the USB chip on compatible boards (usually a CH340); on Windows this step needs administrator rights. If the port doesn't show up, follow the checklist in the Arduino upload error post.
3. Install the ESP32 board package from the Boards Manager (covered in what is the ESP32). The package is large, so download it before lessons, while the school network is quiet.
4. Install Thonny for the Pico and flash the MicroPython firmware onto each Pico once (what is the Raspberry Pi Pico). If you do this at the start of term, all that's left in the lesson is writing code.
5. Install the libraries the year's projects need in advance (for example the DHT and I2C LCD libraries); the Servo library comes with the Arduino IDE.
6. On each computer, upload the Blink example with that table's board, and once it works, stick the table number on the computer.
7. Write all the steps on a one-page setup checklist. Whenever the computers are reset or a major update arrives, you run the checklist again from the top.

Sort out school network and computer restrictions before term starts. In most schools, the right to install software and drivers sits with the IT department; send them the setup checklist at least two weeks ahead and agree together which computers will be used with which user account. Some schools block USB storage devices; while the MicroPython firmware is being flashed, the Pico shows up on the computer like a USB drive, so if there is a block, do this step together with IT. ESP32 projects bring a separate issue: the classic ESP32 only connects to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and most example code expects a simple password-protected network. On enterprise networks where you log in with a username and password, or on guest networks that open a sign-in page in the browser, these examples won't work as they are. With IT's approval, a simple 2.4 GHz access point dedicated to the lab and switched on only during lessons solves this problem for good.

Budget template: fill in prices from your own supplier

The table below is not a quote; it's a template to fill in. The quantity column comes from the tables above; you fill in the unit price and total columns with quotes from local suppliers. Get at least two quotes for each item and note which one you chose and why; when you apply for donations or grants, these notes become the strongest part of your application. Add up one-off and yearly items separately: in the first year you need the sum of both, and in later years mostly just the yearly items. Add a 10–15% contingency at the end; shipping, a broken board or a price that changes mid-term is covered by it. Sticking to a single board model and, if possible, a single supplier makes drivers and spare parts much easier for years.

Second year: sensor and module expansion boxes

Once the core kits have settled in, set up theme boxes instead of adding new modules to every group box. A theme box holds 2–8 of each module on one topic and is lent out by project: groups doing a display project that week take from the Display box and put everything back at the end of the lesson. That way you don't have to buy 8 of a module you rarely use, and the group boxes stay as simple as on day one. Put a lending sheet on the theme box's contents card where you write down which group took what next to the module names. When you decide which modules to buy, the BlueGrays Workshop list described below helps: when you enter the contents of a single group box, you see which missing part would unlock how many projects.

Cupboard and box system: numbers, contents cards, colour coding

Everything portable in the lab should have a name and a place. Number the group boxes G1 to G8, the ESP32 boxes E1–E4, the Pico boxes P1–P4, the theme boxes by name and the spare box S; the board, USB cable and breadboard inside each box carry the same number. Fill the cupboard by weight and frequency of use: group boxes at eye level, G1 to G8 from left to right, theme boxes on the shelf above, heavy spare stock at the bottom, batteries and soldering irons in a separate locked compartment. Hang the hand tools on a wall board and draw around each one with a marker; at the end of the lesson an empty outline shows the missing tool without any counting. Stick a laminated contents card inside each box lid: part name, quantity, colour and a small drawing. The card should also have the date of the last count and a line for missing parts.

• Blue: Arduino Uno group boxes (G1–G8) and their cables.
• Green: ESP32 boxes (E1–E4); the 3.3 V warning is written on the lid.
• Purple: Raspberry Pi Pico boxes (P1–P4); the lid notes that MicroPython is installed.
• Yellow: Theme boxes; the lending sheet is inside the lid.
• Red: Things used only with the teacher: batteries, soldering irons, the power supply and the Power box.
• White: The spare box and consumables stock; not opened during lessons, only used to fill gaps.

The counting routine works layer by layer. The group counts its box at the end of every lesson; we covered this two-minute routine in the large-class post. You count the shared equipment and theme boxes once a week; thanks to the tool board and contents cards, it takes no more than five minutes. Don't count small consumables such as resistors, LEDs and wires one by one: put a "minimum" line on every bag or compartment, and when the level drops below the line, add it to the order list. Boards, sensors and modules, on the other hand, are counted individually, because losing an HC-SR04 is not the same as losing an LED. At the end of each term you do a full inventory and test the boards one by one. Instead of punishing lost and broken parts, record them: which part goes missing from which box and how often tells you what to order next and which rule isn't working.

Consumables: how much gets used up in a year?

Consumables are the small parts that break, get lost or get damaged during lessons. The numbers below are not measurements but a rough planning estimate based on 8 groups and one lesson a week; use the count records from your first term to find your own rate and update the table. There are three main reasons parts run out: legs bent so often they break, LEDs connected without a resistor or the wrong way round, and small parts dropping under the tables. The first two shrink with good wiring habits, the third with compartment boxes and an end-of-lesson table check. Buying LEDs and resistors in large packs, in separate bags per colour and value, lowers the unit price and makes counting easier. So that students can put spilled resistors back in the right compartment, teach them to read values from the colour bands; the free Color code tool helps with this exercise.

Safety: the 5 V limit, soldering, batteries and first aid

The lab's core safety rule is the power limit: in the first year, every circuit is powered from the computer's USB port, that is, from 5 V. That voltage is low in terms of electric shock; the real risks are parts and wires heating up in a short circuit, soldering iron burns and lithium batteries. Projects that use a relay to switch mains-powered devices are not done in the lab; relay projects use only a low-voltage load. If there will be soldering, make clear from the start that the iron tip is above 300 °C, that it is never left without its stand and that solder fumes are removed with an open window or a fume extractor; if leaded solder is used, hands are washed afterwards. Li-ion and 18650 cells are stored in a locked, fire-resistant box with their terminals unable to touch each other, and half charged for long storage; a swollen, crushed or warm battery is not used but taken to a battery collection point, and charging is never left unattended (details in the TP4056 charging module post). For minor burns, first aid means holding the area under cool running water for about 20 minutes; the location of the first aid kit and fire extinguisher should be posted by the door, and every incident is reported following your school's procedure. Hang the 8 rules below on an A3 poster by the door.

1. The USB cable stays unplugged while you build or change a circuit.
2. The only power source is the computer's USB; batteries, adapters and power modules are used with the teacher's permission.
3. If you see a part that is hot, smells or smokes, unplug the USB and raise your hand.
4. No food or drink on the tables; bags stay on the shelf by the entrance.
5. Every part goes back to its own box; no swapping parts between boxes.
6. Soldering irons, batteries and the power supply are used only at the teacher's desk and with the teacher.
7. Wear glasses when trimming legs, and hold the end you are cutting off.
8. Don't hide a broken, lost or damaged part; write it on the contents card and tell the teacher.

Yearly maintenance calendar

BlueGrays for lab inventory and project planning

You can keep the lab's inventory in BlueGrays with Workshop; since Parts is a Premium feature, you do this on your own teacher account. In Parts you add parts with their quantities, write details such as "330R" or "Red LED" in the Custom Name field and location information such as "G boxes, cupboard 2" in the note; a part whose quantity is running low shows up with a Low Stock label. The real gain is in planning: since Parts is a single inventory, if you enter the contents of one group box rather than the lab's total, the Projects You Can Build list shows the projects each group can build with the parts in its box, while Projects with Missing Components tells you, with labels such as "2 Missing", which projects open up if you add which part, so you can choose the second-year theme boxes accordingly. Details are in the finding projects with the parts you have post. While students follow a project on their own screens, the Required Components list shows quantities, so you can prepare that lesson's boxes to match. When you move beyond the free projects, you can give students Premium with educator packages, as codes bought with a one-time payment that need no card and don't renew automatically. If you want to bring a project specific to your lab into lessons, you share it under Learn > Forum > New Post in the Tutorial category: add photos of the circuit, your code with Add code and the related ready-made projects, then send the post's link to students with Share (steps in the teaching with your own project post).

Document checklist for donations, sponsors and grants

• One-page summary: The lab's purpose, how many students and which subjects it will serve, and how many hours a week it will be used.
• Three-layer needs list: The kit, equipment and infrastructure tables from this post, with quantities.
• Completed budget template: At least two quotes per item, the chosen quote and the reason, with one-off and yearly totals kept separate.
• Room information: Current photos of the room, a simple layout sketch, the state of power outlets and computers.
• Safety plan: The rules poster, how batteries and soldering equipment are stored, first aid and the person in charge.
• Operating plan: The yearly calendar, the counting routine and the name of the teacher responsible for the lab.
• Sustainability: Where the consumables and replacement budget for later years will come from.
• Measurable goals: For example, the number of projects completed per term, an end-of-year exhibition, club activities.
• School leadership approval: A letter of support from the school leadership and how the equipment will be entered in the school's asset register.
• Reporting commitment: When and with what content (photos, project list, inventory) you will report back to the supporter.

A school lab is never set up once and done; in the first year the kits, boxes and rules settle in, in the second year it grows with theme boxes, and in the years after that your count records tell you what runs out and what actually gets used. Once you have packed your first group box, installing BlueGrays on your phone and checking which free projects can be built with the parts in that box is an easy way to draw up your first term's lesson list.