#Lightbot vs. lightbot jr. how to#
#Lightbot vs. lightbot jr. code#

“Lightbot” has gone all-in on the argument that coding can be a sort of subversive, accidental learning experience while one is having a good time.

#Lightbot vs. lightbot jr. code#

There are also modes in which users can code their own Minecraft modifications, and can program drones remotely to gain confidence in their new abilities. After learning the basics, kids can move on to JavaScript and Python as their skills grow.

Using Tynker, kids can not only learn the basics of coding, they can also create their own video games and videos.

The company refers to it as a “Lego-like visual language.” You don’t have to worry about writing complex code or that you’ll make a typo which that throw off the whole code. Tynker is a children’s’ coding app that has a drag and drop function that is very similar to that of Scratch. It’s intuitive and easy enough that even a middle-aged parent can learn it. Users just drag and drop blocks that have instructions on them (move 10 paces, turn left, etc.) in order to animate small cartoon icons on the screen. With Scratch, you can create your own art project, and then share them with a community of users. Scratch was designed by programmers from MIT for users aged 8-16, a–d it is currently used by millions of kids in countries across the world. Provides introduction to coding languages including HTML, Python, Ruby, PHP, and moreīoard games that use cards, figurines, and so on, and do not need an electric device of any sort Teaches Javascript - changing the Javascript creates changes in images, teaching cause and effect and commands Teaches object-oriented programming (dragging objects to make icons/characters move) Put simply, the kids are so busy having fun they don’t notice that they’ve actually learned something.Īllow kids to design and program their own video games Part of the point is for them to be educational, without the kid realizing. So go ahead and take a look at what coding games have to offer, if your kids are going to have their faces glued to a screen anyway, they might as well be learning a skill that will be beneficial in today’s tech-heavy market.Ĭoding games run the gamut from simple puzzle-solving games, to platforms on which kids can design and build their own computer games.

It can help them gain a greater understanding of the world around them, as well as a skill that they will definitely use someday long after they’re out of school.

#Lightbot vs. lightbot jr. how to#

The basics of coding are easy enough for children to pick up as young as age 4 or 5, even before they know how to write or spell words.Ĭoding is a great mental exercise that helps train young minds to grasp complex ideas and principles, and build problem solving skills. These games teach kids how to code, which is basically just using written instructions to tell a computer, or app, phone, or website what to do. In some way or another, coding games for kids have been around since the 1970s. These days, more and more parents are purchasing coding apps for their kids, to get them started at a young age learning a skill that could be essential in a world that is becoming more digitized and automated with each passing day. If you’re like most of us, you probably spent countless hours in school wondering when you will ever use any of the stuff you’re learning, all while trying not to nod off.

How to Choose a Coding App for Your Child