Coding for Kids

Coding as a Foreign Language

Coding was introduced to me by a college professor I had during my undergraduate degree program. It was, in no way, a very in-depth study of how to code. He taught us how to input code to move a character left, right, up, and down. I was always amazed with myself when the character actually did what I told it to do. I'm sure the kids would feel the same!

Coding, in general terms, is language for computers. You basically give commands to your computer and it will perform the task. Once you learn the basics, it’s pretty easy to build from there.

Kids pick up foreign languages quickly and learning the language of coding would be no different. There are a ton of great apps out there that I personally like. I could see myself using these with students in the future, once I become more comfortable with coding. My goal is to promote problem solving skills and logical thinking.

I’ve compiled a Top Five list for the apps I play with the most in my own personal life:

Daisy the Dinosaur. It’s super simple and only uses basic functions. So, this app is a must for those 1st/2^{nd    grade students} 

Hopscotch is another good one for beginners. The kids still use the visual drag and drop tool, but they have a few more functions to tinker with.  I find myself playing with this one the most, mostly because I like to make the different animals wiggle and flip…hehe 

Tynker. This one is super similar to Dairy the Dinosaur and Hopscotch. It uses visual code instead of the text code, which makes it easy to use and navigate. It also includes an AWESOME tutorial video for kids....but you have to pay 50 bucks to have them enrolled. 

Scratch. Anther one similar to Tinker and Hopscotch, but I found it would fit 4^th/5^th graders better than the younger elementary kids. That could just be because of my limited knowledge of coding, however.

Codeacademy is more of an in-depth look at coding because it actually uses coding language (JavaScript, CSS, and HTML) instead of the block tool.  This app has a series of lessons the kids can progress through instead of it being a game-like activity. It’s definitely something to used with your advanced kiddos or older students.

We shall see how well I implement this into the classroom in the future. Perhaps, it will just start out as a free-time game and then progress from there. Again, I’m no expert....like at all! I'm pretty much learning with the kids. But, I love a new learning experience and this is definitely one I see myself getting better with over time.