Aim. The aim of this article is to analyse various terminological approaches to digital competences and to present the results of a study on the use of the Photon educational robot as an innovative tool implemented in the education of third-year full-time undergraduate students enrolled in the Preschool and Early Childhood Education program at the Faculty of Education, University of Bialystok. The study sought to examine the digital competences of students in preschool and early childhood education and their readiness to implement new technologies in the education of young children. Methods and materials. The study employed an approach combining a literature review with original quantitative research. A diagnostic survey method was used, applying a questionnaire technique. The students completed the same questionnaire before and after the implementation of the educational activities. The mean scores from the pre-test and post-test measurements were compared, using the paired-samples Student’s t-test, in order to determine the statistical significance of the implemented educational intervention. Results and conclusion. The results of the educational intervention conducted among the students, which combined theoretical and practical components related to the potential use of the Photon robot, demonstrated that the implemented activities contributed to the optimisation of students’ digital competences and increased their readiness to use new technologies. By becoming familiar with the functions of the device, the students broadened their understanding of its potential applications and were prepared to develop their own educational materials in the form of lesson plans.