Five coding sites for kids

Five sites to get kids coding. While I recommend that kids start coding with Scratch, each of these sites are great introductions to programming for younger kids.  #codingforkids

1. Blockly Games

Blocky features a series of puzzles that all require some coding skill to be solved.  Skills covered include repetition, conditions, iteration and parameter passing.  The puzzles include guiding a bird to pick up a worm so she can feed her nest; guiding an astronaut through a space maze; and shooting targets in a pond.

This puzzle soon gets more tricky with targets requiring more than one shot to kill. Time to learn a repeat loop.

Blockly is a Google project aimed at introducing programming concepts and are quite self-pacing.  By the end of the course, kids are writing real lines of JavaScript code.


2. Code Studio

Code Studio from Code.org contains many hours of Computing Science fun for kids and adults aged four and above.  The concept is similar to Blockly Games above, and covers many similar concepts.  Students can work trough a series of games at their own pace with each concept introduced by a relevant video and reinforced with multiple choice questions at the end.  This is an ideal site for getting girls coding before they hit puberty (and social pressures start to rule their lives).

Concepts are reinforced with a multiple choice quiz after each challenge.

Various different themed challenges from helping an 'Angry bird' through a maze to collecting pollen and nectar as a busy bee.

There is also a Spelling Bee section - get it! Use your coding skills to spell the correct word.

Some key programming concepts such as repetition are brought to life.

A really nice looking interface and those creatures look like they are from 'Angry Birds'.

It's not just solving mazes, you can also draw pictures and make stories.  Children exposed to Code Studio will be ready for Scratch within a couple of hours.

3. Code Combat

Code Combat is a great site for getting kids coding, while aimed at older kids than Blockly and Code Studio above, it is a useful experience for kids before they are exposed to traditional written languages.  I did a couple of blog posts about Code Combat a few months ago.

Learn some programming basics whilst playing an adventure game.

One of my students managed to complete all the levels in Code Combat and has now taken GCSE Computing and is doing well learning some Python and JavaScript.


4. PoopScoop

Shameless plug alert!  PoopScoop is one of my own creations.  It is a puzzle game for Windows in which you use programming statements to solve each maze.  The aim of each level is to find and 'scoop' each 'poop' that some thoughless animal has left lying around. There are pits to jump over, walls to push over, blocks to push, magnets to avoid and pools of water to drain.  If the thought of scooping poop gets your students a little giddy then there is a slightly tamer - LitterPik - version instead.

There is also a level designer so kids can create their own puzzles.

Search this blog for PoopScoop

Introducing PoopScoop for Windows.

5. Shapes

Shapes is a programming language designed to get kids interested in programming through drawing colourful images. The language is simply defined using geometric shapes: circle, square, triangle, ellipse, line etc and a coordinate system that uses both relative and absolute coordinates.  If you remember the various incarnations of the language LOGO, then you will recognise Shapes - only Shapes is much easier to start drawing interesting images.  The installation package comes with a user guide for teachers and I have plenty of example code should you need it.

An image programming using the SHAPES language.

Shapes would be useful both to teach programming concepts as well as in mathematics to teach about coordinate systems.  I would be very interested to hear from Mathematicians who have used it in their lessons.

You can download Shapes from this website.  Shapes was written by T Street the author of this blog.

If you made it this far, then you might like to search this blog for other interesting posts:

Circles - a tool for teaching mathematics
The Little Man Computer - for teaching GCSE and A level Computer Science "Low Level Programming"
Goliath - a text adventure game ripe for hacking

#edtech
#codinginschools

Girls rate Code Combat

I introduced a class of year nine girls to Code Combat today, and asked them to review it for me.  Is it good?  Is it too hard/too easy?  Is it for boys only?

The students have already had some experience of Scratch, Gamemaker, Alice and the like, but this was their first exposure to Code Combat- a game in which you learn python programming by solving puzzles, all set in a child-friendly fantasy world.  I first reviewed it last month.  #CodeCombat #CodingInSchool

I asked the girls to send me a review. Here is what they said:

It was okay, the navigation steps could have been more precise.

Better if the coding would be shorter ( too complicated) overall an pretty decent game.

Personally, I don’t not like this game as I find it boring. I do not like typing as it wastes time, I would much rather click on arrows and I would find myself enjoying it that little bit more. However, the graphics and quality of the game was very impressive!

I generally enjoyed the game and even if I didn’t understand certain parts I quickly caught up! #CombatCode4Lyfe ;)

I enjoyed the game because it wasn’t too hard, but some parts were a bit confusing. The game is a bit weird but it’s quite fun. #combatcode4lyfe

I think the game is a good and practical game which is educational for learning coding. However, I think it is quite boring and the prizes are awful!

It was average but could do with more different themes e.g. a wonderland, a farm or a school and the character could do more interesting.

I thought this game was very good and once you start to play it, you feel as if you have to finish all the levels!

I thought it was a really fun game! It gets interesting once you get into the game! I reckon its worth a try!

Really fun, not much of a challenge, banterous, fun once you get into the swing of things, very addictive

Good, entertaining, could be more challenging but I like it as it is. Slightly addictive, fun and easy to follow.

Better than coding a game. This lesson has been better that what we have been doing all year. It’s an ok game?! I enjoyed what I played but I wouldn’t play it again unless we could play it instead of coding in our ICT lessons. J ~combatcode

I think that the Code Combat game is really enjoyable, at times it can get a bit repetitive, but overall a brilliant game.

I enjoy this game but I find it a bit tedious because there is loads of typing and it’s quite hard. But as a summary I think it will appeal well to younger people as it is cartoony and interesting!! #COMBATCODE4LYFE JJJ

It was quite boring but would be quite good for learning how to code. Maybe have different levels not just a castle.

I found the game ok but sometimes I did not understand it

I thought it was alright, a bit annoying though.

The games was ok but I kept dying which was annoying as I lost all my lives a lot.

Alright…I guess…bit annoying & repetitive but was ‘banterous’  Fun once you get into it, great time kill though… J

A few things I noticed as the girls worked through the levels:

• Moving from drag-and-drop programming languages to languages where you type full commands was a culture shock to many girls.
• Many students ignored the features of the game such as claiming rewards for completing puzzles, or the tutorial help features.  One student chose to type her code out three times rather than learn how to perform iteration, and wasn't bothered about missing out on the bonus points for not doing so.

• The girls categorically denied that the game was for boys only.

The average rating for Code Combat by the girls was 3.2 stars out of 5. 

CodeCombat

I've just discovered CodeCombat - a programming game that so far has impressed me greatly.

Each puzzle is solved by typing a script.

Code combat features puzzle-solving and combat, all completed by typing a script for your character to follow.  It has all the recognisable elements of any good rogue-like game, including powering-up your character with items.  New items provide access to new methods for your scripts, for example the sword provides access to the attack() method.

The basics of programming constructions are all here: sequence, selection, repetition, passing parameters etc.

The following code snippet will fend off waves of ogres:

    loop:
        enemy = self.findNearestEnemy()
        self.attack( enemy )


Needless to say, the findNearestEnemy() method can only be invoked once your hero has found a certain pair of magical spectacles.

The sound effects add to the experience, as well as helping to debug your code.  "But it's already dead", my hero says as my code attempts to kill a monster with cartoon violence again.

Each new programming element is introduced gradually, often with sample code partially written to help you out.  In this image I have just acquired a hammer that unlocks the buildXY() method allowing me to build fences.  That will keep those ogres from squashing me.

The start of a new puzzle.

The simple interface, problem-solving elements and cartoon graphics should appeal to boys and girls alike.  A perfect introduction to algorithms and coding for schools.  You don't need to create an account to play either.

Programming games are nothing new, though.  Here is my attempt at a similar idea from a few years ago - PoopScoop.

#codeCombat
#codinginschools