Chase’s Building Blocks to Success!

Chase’s Building Blocks to Success!

Chase loves to actively seek adventure and challenges, so this ten-year-old gets involved in basketball, flag football, and loves to read—he likes to feel like he is within the story of the book! He’s from California and codes whenever he gets the chance.

Chase would like to be an architect when he grows up and knows that coding can help him achieve that goal! We had the pleasure of learning about Chase and why he loves to code.

How did you get introduced to Tynker and how long have you been coding? This year, I got introduced to Tynker because it was the first year that we got our school iPads and it was one of the apps on the iPad. I’ve been coding since the beginning of the 4th grade.

How did you learn how to use Tynker when you were first starting out? I actually didn’t do any of the tutorials. My friend kind of helped me make my first game. And then I followed off some of that code and learned about it easier than I kind of thought. Like, the code, you type in what you want them to do and it pretty much is what you want them to do.

How have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker? I would say a lot because I only started a little bit ago, but I would say a lot!

How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured? I was really excited and happy that people liked my project and that my project was good!

What is your favorite project you’ve made so far? Probably the space battle one because I like how a lot of other people liked it and how it’s fun and how you want to play it again after you just played it!

“Space Battle”

Where did you get the idea for your favorite project? Probably took me a week to make and it kind of just popped into my head!

How do you get inspiration for your projects? They just pop into my head and sometimes I’ll use the community board.

Why do you like to code? I like to code because it’s fun and it’s different than playing other games, you get to make your own game and make your own rules and everything!

What is your favorite way to use code? I use broadcast a lot!

What do you do with a project when you’re done with it? I usually play with it a few times and then show it to someone and then publish it!

What’s the best thing about Tynker? I just like how you get to make your own game instead of playing other people’s games. But also being able to play other people’s games!

How do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future? I think it has helped a lot because the job that I would like to do is architect, so I’m kind of seeing myself using computers a lot with that job.

Do you think other kids should try coding? Yes, I think that they would have a lot of fun if they tried it and that it would be very helpful!

What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker? I would say that you should definitely ask for help a lot because there are a lot of kids that know how to use Tynker and that you should also try to go back to your first game that you made and go off that code if you want to make another game!

We got the chance to speak with Kim, Chase’s mom, and ask her about what she thinks about Chase learning to code. “We’re excited about it! I didn’t know anything about Tynker to be honest, his teacher introduced him to it, so it’s sort of like, if they finished their homework or their work throughout the day, then they got to try Tynker and it really took off.” Kim continued: “He loves it! So, it’s really exciting to see them take something from their imagination and conceptualize it and actually put it into a game.”

Kim is so happy about Chase learning to code and supports him in any way that she can. She said, “We just kind of started out, but he always wants us to try his games. He’s coming up with good ideas and we’re excited for him to just keep working on it.”

Kim is sees the benefits of Chase learning to code: “I think it helps him realize that, from their head, whatever they’re thinking they can make it happen, which is really neat to see the follow through, it just doesn’t stay an idea, it actually becomes something. They’re all interested in games and gaming, everybody is, it seems like at this age, so then they actually get to see the thought process and the mechanics behind gaming and what goes into it and how they can possibly do the same thing.”

When we asked Kim how she thinks coding will help Chase in the future, she told us: “I definitely think coding will help, absolutely. I think that with all the technology in the world now, they all need a little bit of that computer and technological background in order to advance for sure.”

Thank you Chase and Kim for taking the time to speak with us! We would love to see what you come up with next, Chase!