CODING FOR KIDS

H O W T O T E A C H C H I L D R E N T O C O D E F O R F R E E

Section One:Coding with

Apps

BEE-BOT APP

• The iPad version of the popular coding robot the BeeBot• You will guide the BeeBot around 12 different mazes,

developing your computational thinking and coding skills as you progress• The app has a star rating system and you can improve

your star rating by using longer code

LIGHTBOT

• The next step up from the BeeBot is LightBot• A fun and addictive coding app which will develop your

computational thinking• The aim is to programme a character around a maze, lighting

certain squares as you go• You will learn about Procedures and Procedural Loops• Great for the classroom when covering the Year 3 and 4

computing curriculum (UK)

CARGOBOT

• The most challenging coding app I use in the classroom (predominantly with Year 6)• Children are given a set of colourful crates and must use a

crane to reposition them in a specified manner• This will develop exceptional computational thinking as well as

refine their knowledge of procedures and procedural loops• Is an excellent tool in a problem solving maths lesson

KODABLE• Kodable is much more than a coding app• You can teach the entire Year 1 (K5 in the US)

computing curriculum using this app• Children will progress through different coding challenges• They’ll eventually have to use procedural loops once they’ve

develop excellent computational thinking• The app has several colourful characters which can be

unlocked• Easy to understand tutorials and help to debug code

DAISY THE DINOSAUR

• Children are given control of a colourful dinosaur called Daisy• They’re guided through coding based challenges designed

to teach them about direction and using the repeat function• Once they’ve completed the challenge mode, they can then

command Daisy to do anything they want in the “free play” section

Section 2:Using the Internet

HOUR OF CODE: ANYBODY CAN LEARN• Visit www.code.org to access 5 exceptional FREE

programmes that your child can work through to develop their coding skills• Each programme will help you or your child learn:

– How to embrace computational thinking– What procedures and procedural loops are– Why it’s important to shorten and simplify code wherever possible

• After finishing several coding challenges, complete with handy tutorials, children can put their skills to use in the “free play” section

THE 5 KEY CODING PROGRAMMES ON

CODE.ORG• Beginners can develop and hone their coding skills by working

through the following activities• Coding with Frozen• Coding with Angry Birds• Coding with Flappy Bird• Coding with Star Wars• Coding with Minecraft

• These different activities can be completed in any order and they will teach you everything you need to become an accomplished coder.

Section 3:Creative

Coding and Scratch

SCRATCH• Scratch is a coding application built by MIT• It can be accessed online or downloaded onto a computer for

FREE• I’d only recommend using Scratch once children are

comfortable with coding• The application can be used to create animations, games or

presentations• It will help children to improve their coding skills, understand

variables and encourage independent computational thinking• The next three slides will feature three types of code from

Scratch which your child can use to get started

SCRATCH: HOW TO CONTROL A CHARACTER

WITH THE KEYS

SCRATCH: HOW TO CHANGE THE COLOUR OF THE SPRITE

SCRATCH: CREATE A PATTERN