[STEM-Announce] Coding for K-9 Kids

[Weeks, Thomas]

A friend of mine recently asked me "how can I introduce my 7 year old to coding?"

I told him that I would not teach traditional (textual) coding to kids 7 yrs old. I mean I've tried, and like 20% of the kids get it.. but abstract concepts such as variables, functions/classes, objects, etc combined with lack of keyboarding skills takes far too much time, and don't always "stick". Some will get it, but some will not and will be frustrated as their first intro to coding. Not good.

Instead.. there are tons of other options.. Here's the info I gave him for his 7yr old:
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Sure.. there are many puzzle/mechanics/thinking games on Google Play. At 7, my middle son really liked "Cut the Rope" and other similar logic, sequential thought games.. but at around 9-10 he started off programming Android game apps using a mechanical programming system called "Bloxels": http://home.bloxelsbuilder.com/

He really loved Bloxels.. and is now 11 and for Xmas got a "PIPER" RaspberryPi kit that teaches coding and electronics via minecraft running on a RaspberryPi that they build and breadboard themselves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqAEOhJNjqY
(which I highly recommend for 4-14 yr olds)

Now he's 11 and is asking me to install python + PyGame:
https://www.pygame.org/news


BTW.. there tons of other top coding/educational games that are reaching younger and younger audiences. See here:
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-coding-apps-kids-learn-programming/


as well as Scratch Jr (for tablets):
https://www.scratchjr.org/


And this cute little robot called "mBot" I've been following:
https://www.makeblock.com/steam-kits/mbot




T.Weeks

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