As computers infiltrate every facet of modern life, parents may want to
give their tiny tots a head start by exposing them to computer science
at an early age.
Apps, toys and games designed to improve children's programming skills
have flooded the market — some targeted to tots who can't even tie their
own shoes. While the jury is still out on whether these toys give kids
an edge later in computer science courses, they do seem to get kids excited about the power of coding, experts say.
From light-up bees to pocket-sized computers, here are some of tools experts use to teach kids the basics of programming.
Earliest learners
Nowadays, kids can start coding before they can read. But that doesn't
mean the computer is the best tool for imparting basic computer science
concepts, such as sequencing, said Alice Steinglass, the vice
president of product and marketing at Code.org, a nonprofit that aims to
improve exposure to coding for younger kids.
"For young kids, lot of them don't have a super long attention span," Steinglass told Live Science. "Sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time may not be the best way for them to learn."
Instead, short, interactive apps may be an easier entry into computer science.
For instance,
The Foos
uses simple icons with symbols, such as monsters, arrows and speech
bubbles to solve adventures like chasing down a donkey thief or rescuing
puppies lost in space. The free iPhone app is designed for kids ages 5
to 10, and kids can learn the basics in an hour.
Another good option for the younger set is
LightBot,
an iPhone or Android app that teaches kids to navigate a robot through a
maze, turning on lights. The program is designed for kids ages 4 to 8.
The free Android or iPhone app
ScratchJr, which is designed for kids ages 5 to 7, allows kids to use simple icons to code their own interactive stories and games.
"All of those tools are really designed to teach them these basic
concepts, they've been evaluated by educators and none of them are
asking [parents] to spend $50," Steinglass said.
Toys for little ones
For those who want something a little more hands-on,
Robot Turtles
is an actual, physical board game that surreptitiously teaches kiddos
the basics of programming. The game, which costs about $25, teaches kids
how to use directions to navigate their turtles through a maze to a
tasty jewel, and can be played by kids starting around age 4.
The
BeeBot
is another simple, real-world toy that can teach kids the basics of
coding, said Sheena Vaidyanathan, a computer science integration
specialist at the Los Altos School District. The BeeBot, which retails
for about $50, uses simple left- and right-buttons on the robot, and
kids have to learn how to sequence their commands to get the BeeBot from
one end of the room to the other, avoiding obstacles along the way.
For parents who are really invested in their children learning coding, there's
Dash & Dot, a programmable robot
pack that can be used by kids ages 5 and up. However, these little bots
aren't cheap: At $190, they may be best for slightly older kids, around
age 8, who are already excited about programming.
Toys for elementary-school age kids
Once kids reach about third or fourth grade and are proficient readers, they can graduate to simple coding languages such as
Scratch,
which allows them to create their own simple animations, Vaidyanathan
said. Scratch is completely free and open to use, and gets them exposed
to fundamental coding concepts, such as repeating loops and if-then
statements using bright, color-blocked textual commands.
Middle School apps and toys
Kids this age may also be excited by coding toolkits such as
Tynker,
Steinglass said. Tynker provides a number of coding courses that allow
kids to create their own games, such as Goblin Quest, Ninja Runner and
Glitch Manor. Games get more complicated as kids develop their skills,
and each package costs about $40.
Once kids are about 10 years old, they may be able to work with coding
languages on a computer. Right around that age, children develop a more
sophisticated theory of mind and are able to predict what others are
thinking and feeling — which also means they are able to make models of
what their snippets of code will produce, said Andrew J. Ko, a
researcher at the Information School at the University of Washington.
At this age, kids may hanker for a pocket-sized computer such as
Raspberry pi, which is run on the open-source coding language Arduino. A
complete starter kit
for the latest version is $80, though older, more basic models can sell
for $15 or $20. These tools can be integrated with physical parts, such
as lights, motors and speakers. Middle-schoolers can use such kits to
code simple, automatic bird feeders, or a light-based alarm that will
flash when someone enters your room, Vaidyanthan said.
Kids at this age often love robot-programming kits such as
LEGO Mindstorms,
she added. However, at about $410, this is a pricy investment, so it
may be suitable only if parents are sure their kids have enthusiasm for
the project, she said.
By the time kids reach late middle-school or early high-school, they
may be ready for learning real coding languages that are widely used,
such as Python or C, Vaidyanathan said.
