Press

Mountain View, Calif. — June 12, 2017 — Tynker, the creative computing platform that is teaching more than 50 million kids how to code via gamified courses and projects, today announced the launch of its first-ever “Summer Code-A-Thon,” a free 10-week series of code-based projects and challenges to help keep kids engaged over summer break. The program is open to all kids who wish to participate, as no programming experience is required.

Beginning today, Tynker will introduce a new themed challenge each week through August 25. Examples of specific projects include animating a fireworks celebration, building a summer-themed arcade game, creating a project that illustrates how they would change the world, or showcasing their own creativity be using their existing coding skills to come up with a unique project. These activities challenge and build upon kids’ creativity and analytical skills, while showcasing the amazing talents within Tynker’s maker community.

“Summer learning loss is a major issue that slows down the great learning momentum kids gain throughout the school year,” said Tynker co-founder and CEO, Krishna Vedati. “We came up with the idea for Summer Code-A-Thon to encourage children to create with code, while staying active and engaged all summer long. Kids can explore their creativity and become motivated by the weekly prizes, all while learning a new skill and keeping their brains sharp, helping them transition back into the next school year more swiftly.”

Any kid can participate in the Code-A-Thon via the Tynker tablet app or a computer, recommended for kids ages 7+. Prizes for the best 20 projects will be awarded each week beginning June 26, through the week of September 18, resulting in a total of 200 winners overall. Each of these 200 winners will receive a limited-edition Tynker t-shirt, in addition to the participation certificate that every single child involved in the program will receive. The top 20 weekly projects will be chosen as follows: four projects will be awarded for receiving the most “likes” and votes from the Tynker community, and 16 additional prize winners will be chosen by a Tynker panel of judges. Any available challenge may be completed and projects may be submitted for voting until September 17, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Parents of participating kids will be notified of new projects added at the beginning of each week, and kids will be notified via the Tynker website. Kids with an existing Tynker account may sign up for the Summer Code-A-Thon, and those who do not yet have a Tynker account may sign up at www.tynker.com at no cost.

To learn more, please visit www.tynker.com/play/summer.

About Tynker
Tynker’s award-winning creative computing platform helps children develop computational thinking and programming skills in a fun, intuitive, and imaginative way. The platform is used by one in three U.S. K-8 schools and 50 million kids, spanning over 150 countries. Tynker was founded by a seasoned team of technology entrepreneurs who share a passion for giving children the critical life skills needed to become leaders in the technologies of tomorrow. Global partners include brands such as Apple, Microsoft, iDTech, Mattel, PBS, Sylvan Learning, and more. For more information, please visit https://www.tynker.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @GoTynker.