Games that Teach Coding without Computers

ComputerProgrammingFYIImage1Conventional wisdom tells us that in order to teach coding, teachers and their students need a computer. After all, that’s where they will be doing all their coding. However, that might not be entirely the case, according to Matthew Farber of KQED’s MindShift. He addresses this in a recent article titled “No-Tech Board Games That Teach Coding Skills to Young Children.”

Farber writes, “There are several digital games designed for kids as young as 5 that turn coding into a fun activity, such as Kodable and Scratch Jr. But some game designers are going further back to programming’s fundamentals by creating physical games that can’t be found in any app store… Another board game that captured imaginations, and major crowdfunding on Kickstarter, is Robot Turtles, which teaches basic coding concepts to preschoolers. Unlike other children’s games (think: Candyland, Chutes and Ladders), the mechanic of play does not rely on luck. All cards are face up and the players work together cooperatively to win. A child can build cognitive skills by playing Robot Turtles because when a child plays, or ‘programs,’ a card, he or she is applying logic, according to Bill Ritchie, CEO of ThinkFun, which published the game. ‘Robot Turtles is a great example of what coding means for a preschooler,’ Ritchie explained. ‘It is about sequencing instruction by instruction, and then being able to recognize the consequences. It’s a mental framework that is appropriate for a preschooler.’ In other words, Robot Turtles helps growing minds think about thinking.”

According to Farber, many of these games revolve around giving the student opportunities to learn from their mistakes, rather than simply correcting them and telling them what they did wrong. Farber writes, “Rather than correcting a child’s mistake, the adult is instructed to simply make a beeping sound. The child Turtle Master can then tap on the “Bug Card,” a round card adorned with a ladybug. After announcing “Debug,” the child can adjust his or her set of commands. Here, failure becomes iteration.” As anyone with some basic coding experience knows, sometimes you have to work out a solution by utilizing your problem solving skills rather than any set answers.

At CodeRev Kids, we understand the need to develop a student’s problem solving skills so he/she can be a confident, successful coder. This is why we provide a number of after-school programs and summer camps with instructors who specialize in making learning not just informative, but fun. Unlike many other programs, ours are customized for each student. They begin when your student arrives and end when he/she leaves.

If you’re looking for a thorough, engaging coding education experience for your child, your best bet is CodeRev Kids!