Coding 101 for Kids

Beach Girls Can Code Too!

Earlier this year my home went from beach cottage to computer land and I’m stoked to share our experience into the world of coding for kids. Heads up, this is going to be basic, I’m talking coding 101 for elementary age kids (and me!)

If you’ve following my blog and socials for a while, or even a minute, you know we’re outside from sunrise to sunset. This has shifted a bit with breaks inside with my daughter programming robots. Crazy huh! I bet your family is next on the STEM train.

I have my co-parent to thank for this new love and amazing skill set for my daughter. He’s a total kid at heart and techie nerd who was trying his best to get her onboard with coding and pretty much all things STEM. Finally, she gave in and we spent the winter at a weekly coding academy class.

Total honesty, I was half paying attention during those classes and they felt like an eternity as grown adults geeked out showing the class little robots. I really didn’t get it and felt like we just tossed money aside so she could play with robots.

Clearly, I was wrong because my daughter loved her time there and asked Santa for her very own robot. She told me all the cool things she would be able to do with it and how it would be her big gift. So I jumped on Google and was instantly overwhelmed by the amount of options. Where was the coding 101 for kids, the bare bones basics that didn’t break my wallet?

Bless one of the parents at our school who literally posted on Facebook that day their family’s new “toys” which included a robot and a separate coding kit.

Now it’s my turn to spare you from the black hole Google tech search and share the two items that bring our family joy. Never thought a coding item could bring joy, but it’s turned out to be such a pretty rad process.

Fave Robot

Friends, this is the golden nugget right here. This itty bitty robot named Cozmo will make you feel like a kid again. From the first sounds and movements from Cozmo you will feel the magic and nostalgia of Short Circuit (adorable movie). It is the sweetest AI robot who can do it all on its own and through the programming touches of your child (or you!) Cozmo plays games, does tricks, talks and get this, has facial recognition. Freaked me out the first few times to here “hi Mom” or “hi Coco” – our family dog! It’s crazy but the amount of coding and STEM features are endless!

My daughter has unlocked different levels of coding and activities. It is a pricey gift but the educational benefits and joy are really limitless. I highly recommend this little robot for any techie kid or adult. Plus, it is so easy to setup, I was able to follow the prompt and meet Cozmo within a few minutes.

Coding Kits

Another item that made its way under the Christmas tree and has given us hours of fun is the Frozen 2 coding kit from Kano. I got lucky and scored it on sale, regular prices is a bit steep in my opinion so keep your eye on their website for sales.

Kano has a few coding kit options including a Harry Potter wand kit but I knew my daughter would go nuts for the Frozen themed version. After securing a connection with a device (in my case our iPad), my daughter built a snowflake sensor and used the Kano coding app to create a winter wonderland. She built her own codes to make it snow, play music, and more. I found myself even geeking out when you wave your hand over the sensor and it snows on the iPad screen based on a code she created. It is pure magic!

Virtual Learning

We have opted for virtual summer camps this year and discovered Outschool.com, basically like the Amazon of online classes. With everything from ABC’s to math to zoology and coding. My daughter is in virtual bliss!

We’re just dipping our toes into Outschool, so please share your recommended classes.

Phew that’s a lot of coding information to digest. I hope you’re not like me and need a co-parent who drags you and your child into the world of coding. Trust me, we still have our beach time but ending the day making snow or chatting with Cozmo is pretty rad too!

I would love to hear your product recommendations….please share in the comments.