Coding for Kids
Pea of Sweetness
12/07/13
When we think of programming we usually think of adults or even older children. I know when I would hear the words “programming course” I didn’t assume it would be something children as young as ours could take! Tynker not only makes that possible, it’s what they are all about! They enable children to learn programming and design, and they get to think creatively and use their imaginations as well! They offer home courses, which are great for homeschool families like ours because we can fit it right in to our curriculum, but they can definitely be used by children who attend a school on evenings or weekend as well because the courses are totally flexible! They also offer grade specific curriculum for schools as well!
Tynker’s Introduction to Programming is recommended for children in grades 4th-8th, but we have been using it with our 7 year old who will be starting 2nd grade in a few weeks when we start our new homeschool year. One of the reasons for the age recommendation is that it does require reading, so I knew my husband or I would have to sit with him during the time he was working on his course. He is on the Autism Spectrum, and reading has been a struggle. Doing things on the computer, though, is something he LOVES, so I knew it would be worth it to see his excitement as he goes through the course!
The course introduction does start off with a story that involves a lot of reading, so I definitely saw right off the bat where that recommendation comes into play. I read all of it, though, and actually had all three kids standing around because it starts off as a fun adventure! Who doesn’t like a good adventure? Not only did it start off as a fun adventure where he is gets to be a superhero, but Brayden was told he would earn badges along the way. So he gets to do something on the computer, which he enjoys, and he gets to have a fun adventure and earn rewards, too!
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