When we discuss coding for kids, we often look at website, app, and game development. What about hardware? Consider a recent article for edSurge titled “Are Hardware Toys the Future of Kids’ Coding?“
Blake Montgomery of edSurge writes, “Plenty of games and apps teach kids to code. But educators and toymakers are betting that teaching computer science isn’t about coding at all. ‘Computers have gotten so user-friendly that modern people, maybe not just kids, expect the computer to come to us,’ Gene Luen Yang, a graphic novelist and computer science teacher, told EdSurge earlier this year. ‘But if you want to get into the nitty gritty of how to create new technology, you need to understand how the computer works natively.’ The proliferation of devices has made technology a ubiquitous presence in children’s lives. But that does not mean they understand how anything works. Enter computer hardware toys, which hopefully build kids’ understanding of how electronics function. The creators of hardware toys believe that playing will endear technology to kids and inspire their academic interest. Kano, a build-it-yourself computer kit, spells out the ideal progression in its company tagline: ‘Make a computer, learn what’s inside, play with code. Spark a lifelong passion for computing and the arts.’ There’s a market for toys like these. In the most recent available data from 2013, Arduino had sold 300,000 units official units, with 700,000 more unofficial imitation units in circulation. Arduino makes a microcontroller that forms the basis of do-it-yourself digital devices. Raspberry Pi, a computer the size of a credit card, has sold three million units to date. The cost of entry is decreasing, too. The latest iteration of the Raspberry Pi, the Pi Zero, is just $5. Some tools are even free: in July, the BBC released the BBC micro:bit, a palm-sized codeable computer, which will be distributed free to every UK student in year seven, usually students age 11 to 13. The hope is to engage students with the new UK coding curriculum.”
When it comes to customized coding education, your best bet is CodeRev Kids. At CodeRev Kids, our lessons focus on computational thinking, which encompasses a wide variety of programming languages and concepts.
Our lessons build upon one another and we adjust starting points to each student’s level of expertise. Thus, the entire curriculum is customized. We are known for saying we are the most educational tech camp out there, but we also keep the focus on having fun. As a result, students stay engaged while learning to blend creativity with technology.