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Are you ready for a LEGO Challenge?

If you live with LEGO fans, issue them a 30-Day LEGO Challenge and let their imaginations run wild!

** Make sure you also download the 31-Day LEGO Challenge Printable Calendar with all new prompts!

30-Day LEGO Challenge Printable Calendar

Sometimes, it only take a little bit of a prompt to get the creative juices flowing. The prompts included in this printable LEGO calendar do just that!

For each day, a specific LEGO building idea is presented.

For example:

Day 2: NASA needs you to build a new rocket.

Day 24: The local bank keeps getting robbed. Build a safe no one can crack!

Each day is assigned a task, and it's up to your creative kiddo to complete it!

Using the 30-Day LEGO Challenge in Your Homeschool

There are a multitude of ways to use this free printable LEGO challenge. Here are a few possibilities:

→ Choose a specific time of day to complete the LEGO challenge - each morning after breakfast, during your morning Family Time (Circle Time, etc), or maybe even as an after dinner activity with Dad!

→ Have a LEGO Challenge race: Who can complete their challenge the quickest? Using the most LEGO? Using the least? Using only one color? The possibilities are endless!

→ Help your child take a picture of each day's creation. Then create a collage at the end of the challenge.

→ After the challenge each day, encourage your child to write a few sentences (or paragraphs, depending on ability) about their creation.
What other ideas can you think of to use this 30-Day LEGO Challenge? Before you download your free pack you agree to the following:

This set is for personal and classroom use only.

This printable set may not be sold, hosted, reproduced, or stored on any other website or electronic retrieval system.

All downloadable material provided on this blog is copyright protected.

Click here for additional LEGO Homeschool resources !

Be sure to follow the on Pinterest for the latest Lego resources for homeschooling.

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Free Printable 30-Day LEGO Challenge (instant download!)

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Are you ready for a LEGO Challenge? If you live with LEGO fans, issue them a 30-Day LEGO Challenge and let their imaginations run wild! ** Make sure you also download the 31-Day LEGO Challenge Printable Calendar with all new prompts! Sometimes, it only take a little bit of a prompt to get the creative juices flowing.

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CS Unplugged is a collection of free teaching material that teaches Computer Science through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of running around.

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Robots are cool. Everyone can agree on that, right? Maybe I just think so, because I'm a nerd, but I definitely think robots are awesome and several of the little kids I know agree with me. Unfortunately, while I learned a lot of programming and machining in school, I never took any classes on robotics. That's okay, because now my kids and I get to learn how to build robots together. I'm confident we can do some pretty fun stuff.

Presently, the projects on this site are for absolute beginners. To be honest, they are not even REAL robots, since they don't have computer chips, sensors, or decision making capabilities. However, as my kids get older and our robotics projects get more complicated, I'm sure we'll get there sooner or later. Sign up for my newsletter if you would like to stay up-to-date.

Here are the robotics activities on this site in reverse chronological order. Be sure to check out the electrical engineering activities on this site as well, which are pretty similar.

If your child has a serious interest in the field of robotics, you might also be interested in some of the recommended products below. Click each picture for my full, detailed review:

Click here for more Technology and Engineering activities for kids.

Related Links
Science Activities for Kids
Electrical Engineering Activities for Kids
All Learning Activities

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Easy Robotics Projects for Kids - ResearchParent.com

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Homemade robotics projects for young kids. At the moment, these activities are for absolute beginners, but over time more complex robots will be added.

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Work with The Research Parent

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Our world has so many problems that seem unfixable in the present moment: social inequality, discrimination, unemployment, terrorism, and climate change, just to name a few. All I know for certain is that if there is any hope of our children living in a better world than exists today, future generations are going to have to be more open-minded, tolerant, and resourceful than is common.

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Okay, so technically this is not a robot. It doesn't have any sensors. It doesn't have a controller or computer chip. It isn't responding directly to external stimuli. But, hey, you have to start somewhere and my kindergartener definitely thought our homemade wigglebot was cool. He was so excited by our wiggly, spinning, little motorized guy that he's already making big plans for our next "robot", which he says will have arms. (I had to explain to him that, unfortunately, I did NOT know how to make microbots like in Big Hero 6, but he was impressed enough by my skills that he didn't immediately assume they were off the table.)

The idea for this bot came from the book Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future. The specific project that motivated this activity was the Art-Making Vibrobot on pages 24 to 26, though I modified the supplies considerably and the technique slightly. Basically, this little "robot" is just a cup with marker legs that vibrates and spins due to the motor being off balance. As it jiggles around on a piece of paper it makes interesting designs. While I hope to make more exciting and complicated projects with my kids as they get older, this was a nice unthreatening activity to start with which showed my child how to hook up a simple DC motor to a battery. He's already familiar with some of these electrical concepts through our Snap Circuits set (link to my review), but this was a fun, hands-on supplement to the more structured activities in that set.

Check out this video if you would like to see a demonstration of how one of our wigglebots moved, though they each have their own unique personality depending on the length and position of the legs.

Recommended Age Range: Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School (younger kids will need adult supervision and assistance since this project uses hot glue)
Time Required: ~30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Less than $8 in used supplies (The motor was $3.50 and the battery holder was $1.50 at Radio Shack (our local electronics store). Everything else we already had on hand.)

Materials:

Disposable cup

Electrical tape

3 Markers

2 "AAA" battery holder (affiliate link)

2 "AAA" batteries

1.5-3 V DC Motor (affiliate link)

Clothespin

Popsicle stick

Googly eyes (optional, you could always just draw them on)

Supplies & Tools:

Scissors

Permanent marker (to draw face, not shown)

Glue (optional, for attaching googly eyes. Note that the picture shows Elmer's Glue, but we ended up finding the hot glue gun worked better.)

Instructions:
1. First, tape the markers into the cup as legs.

2. Next, attach the battery pack to the DC motor by wrapping the wire around the leads on the motor. (When my kids are older, I'll teach them how to solder, but for now, this is sufficient.)

3. Now that the battery pack is attached to the motor, tape the battery pack onto the top of the disposable cup slightly off-center. I cut the strips of electrical tape in half.

4. Next, tape the DC motor onto the cup.

5. At this point you could turn on the motor by placing the batteries into the holder, to see that with the motor not off balance, nothing exciting happens. Next, add on the clothespin to the motor and it should start to wiggle a little bit.

6. To make the wigglebot wiggle more, you need the motor to be more off-balance. I accomplished this by taping a popsicle stick to the clothespin. However, then my clothespin would frequently fall off of the motor due to the strong vibrations, so I folded the end of a long narrow piece of electrical tape over the motor and then wrapped the tape around the motor so that the sticky side was facing out.

7. Attach the clothespin and weight to the motor.

8. Make a face on your wigglebot, plug in the batteries, place it on a piece of paper and watch it wiggle and spin!

Note that unlike a prepackaged robotics kit which provides very specific instructions, this can be viewed as an open-ended activity. While the "tape fix" to get the clothespin to stick to the motor worked, one could definitely try to think of improvements to be able to cantilever more weight off the axle in order to make the wigglebot vibrate even more. The robotics book mentioned above recommends sticking a piece of cork into the shaft. There are also other adjustments that could be made and you should definitely encourage your child to ask questions and try to find solutions. What would happen if the legs were not all the same length? What if we attached the motor at an angle or sideways? What if we taped on more legs? I don't know. What if?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider signing up for my newsletter to have more ideas delivered to your inbox.

Click here for more Robotics activities for kids.

Popular Posts

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Technology and Engineering Activities for Kids
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Full, step-by-step, picture tutorial for making an easy, fun, drawing robot. A great first robotics projects for kids of all ages.

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Bot People: Code - a - Partner; Code-a- Pillar; BeeBot; Cubetto; Floor Games

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Wom-bot

Duration: 1-2 hours

Design and follow simple sequences of instructions to move Flatso the Wom-bot.

Learn about simple algorithms using Flatso the wom-bot! Draw arrows on Flatso and test out simple sequences of instructions.

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Duration: 1-2 hours Design and follow simple sequences of instructions to move Flatso the Wom-bot. Learn about simple algorithms using Flatso the wom-bot! Draw arrows on Flatso and test out simple sequences of instructions.

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Learning coding and computational thinking has several benefits for children, including nurturing creative expression, demystifying technology, teaching problem solving and persistence, learning by doing, and learning to think about thinking. For 3- to 4-year-old children, play and learning are not separate concepts, so it makes sense to teach them through play...

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5 ways to teach coding without using screens

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A few years ago, computer programming for kids was a niche subject that only children of select parents were exposed to. Fast-forward to today, where coding for kids has embedded itself into many m...

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Approximate timings have been allocated to each sequence, however that is highly dependent on the level of detail to which suggested activities are investigated and more so whether only selected activities are used in the class program.

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Bot People: Code - a - Partner; Code-a- Pillar; BeeBot; Cubetto; Floor Games

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Literature Links: Off Line Games: Unplugged

Digital Technologies Education Programs

We run a range of Digital Technologies Programs for Australian teachers, including our free, online CSER MOOC courses, free professional learning events, and our National Lending Library.

Register for the CSER Robotics Stream

Free Download Slideshare and more Rosie Revere

CS Unplugged

Unit plans, lesson plans, teaching videos, curriculum integration activities, and programming exercises to plug in the Computer Science concepts they have just learnt unplugged.

Code.org have compiled a list of unplugged lessons for you to use in your classroom. You can teach the fundamentals of computer science without screens.

Ages 4+, English only

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Literature Links: Off Line Games: Unplugged We run a range of Digital Technologies Programs for Australian teachers, including our free, online CSER MOOC courses, free professional learning events, and our National Lending Library.

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Books as Hooks - Design and Digital Technologies by Robin McKean | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for individual educators, schools and districts

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More Books as Hooks

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The Books as Hooks - Digital Solutions by Robin McKean

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ABC of Bits Bots Books

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SFUSD's creative computing curriculum introduces computer science as a creative, collaborative, and engaging discipline to children in kindergarten through second grade. Across 4 units and 15-20 lessons, students will learn about algorithms and programming, computing systems, the Internet, and

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Scratch Maths Quiz Selection

Age:

7-11 years

Concepts / Approaches:

Debugging, Collaborating, Selection, Programming

Curriculum Links:

Maths

Pupils create a maths quiz in Scratch and learn about selection which, in this activity, allows the flow of the program to be altered depending on the player's answers to questions. Initially pupils will use an 'If... then...' selection command, before moving on to using an 'If...then... else...' command.

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Supporting primary school teaching | Barefoot Computing

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DISCOVER how Barefoot Computing equips teachers with the confidence, knowledge, skills and resources to teach computer science in primary schools.

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Think & Learn Code-a-pillar™ on the App Store There are many ways to use the code-a-pillar to help set a foundation for coding. But...

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Did you know you don't need fancy technology or equipment to get started coding?

Coding games for kids engage young children in beginning steps to thinking like a programmer.

>>> Click here to read more about how to get started coding with young children.<<<

This coding game combines STEAM storytime (one of our favorite ways to integrate read-aloud books) with a fun coding STEAM challenge.

STEAM represents Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

Understanding how technology works is important for the future our preschoolers. Not only so they have the necessary skills to live in a future world but so they can help build the future world.

Brown Bear Coding Game for Preschoolers
Materials: Teaching Strategy:
Before playing the game start with reading the story, Brown Bear and allowing the children to explore the story through different re-telling activities.

Once children are familiar with the pattern of the story then introduce the coding game.
Adult Prep:
Mark a 9 square grid on the floor or drop cloth with painter's tape.

Tape a large animal from the Brown bear story to a square of the grid. Repeat for each animal.

Print and cut out smaller versions of each animal and place on the corresponding animal square.
How to Play the Brown Bear Coding Game:
Select one child to be the "robot" and one child to be the "programmer".

The "programmer" uses the arrow cards and verbally tells the "robot" which way to move.

Use the arrows to direct the "robot" through the grid towards the first animal of the Brown Bear book (the brown bear).

Pick up and collect the small version of the animal.

The programmer repeats giving directions until the "robot" has collected each animal.
Coding Game Modifications:

Use a timer to see which team can collect the animals in the quickest amount of time.

Use a robotic toy like the Fisher-Price Code-a-pillar or Beebot and direct the toy to each animal.

Sign up and Get the Brown Bear Coding Lesson Pack for Free

You can get your children to start thinking like a coding programmer with very few supplies and no screen time. For more coding games for kids check out:

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Screen-Free Brown Bear Coding Game for Preschoolers

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Did you know you don't need fancy technology or equipment to get started coding? Coding games for kids engage young children in beginning steps to thinking like a programmer. >>> Click here to read more about how to get started coding with young children.<<< This coding game combines STEAM storytime (one of our favorite ways to integrate read-aloud books) with a fun coding STEAM challenge.

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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?

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CSER Lending Library Lesson Plans and Exemplars Follow these lesson scaffolds: F-2 Get to Know Your BeeBot F-2 What's the Buzz? F-2...

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A shape mat for Bee Bots along with 30 A5 sized challenge cards. I've included mats that can be made on both A3 and A4 pages - there is a 3cm overlap on both edges to help with aligning. All comments welcome!...

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Graph Paper Map

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Introduce Cubetto as a friendly robot that children can program. Children should be told that Cubetto cannot think for himself, and can only move as programmed by the child, just like any other machine. If in a group setting, sit children in a circle, and allow them to pass Cubetto around to one another, saying hello or acknowledging the presence of the object.

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CS Unplugged Unit plans, lesson plans, teaching videos, curriculum integration activities, and programming exercises to plug in the...

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Object Detection & If/Then Programming

If/Then programming is a way to teach robots how to behave in certain conditions. We use If/Then behavior and logic all the time. For example, IF it looks like rain outside, THEN we might carry an umbrella.

Robots can be programmed to use sensors to interact with the world around them. Botley has an object detection (OD) sensor that can help him "see" objects in his path.

Using this sensor is a great way to learn about If/ Then programming. Try this (in CODE mode):

1. Place an object (such as a cup) about 10 inches directly in front of Botley.

2. Press CLEAR to delete the old program.

3. Enter the following sequence: FORWARD, FORWARD, FORWARD.

4. Press the OBJECT DETECTION (OD) button. You'll hear a sound and the red light on the Remote Programmer will stay lit to indicate that the OD sensor is on. Next, enter in what you would like BOTLEY to do if he "sees" an object in his path-try RIGHT, FORWARD, LEFT.

5. Press TRANSMIT. Botley will execute the sequence. IF Botley "sees" an object in his path, THEN he will perform the alternate sequence. He will then fi nish the original sequence. Note: Botley's OD sensor is between his eyes. He only detects objects that are directly in front of him and at least 2" tall by 1 1⁄2" wide. If Botley isn't "seeing" an object in front of him,

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Object Detection & If/Then Programming If/Then programming is a way to teach robots how to behave in certain conditions. We use If/Then behavior and logic all the time. For example, IF it looks like rain outside, THEN we might carry an umbrella. Robots can be programmed to use sensors to interact with the world around them.

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Dash is a real robot, charged and ready to play out of the box. Responding to voice, navigating objects, dancing, and singing, Dash is the robot you always dreamed of having. Use Wonder, Blockly, and other apps to create new behaviors for Dash - doing more with robotics than ever possible. No books or camps needed!

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Dash is a real robot, charged and ready to play out of the box. Responding to voice, navigating objects, dancing, and singing, Dash is the robot you always dreamed of having. Use Wonder, Blockly, and other apps to create new behaviors for Dash - doing more with robotics than ever possible.

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Play with Ruby

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Dance time!

Code is a sequence of instructions written in a language that the computer understands. Computers need instructions that are precise, in the right order, and cover everything the user might try to do with it.

We'll practice these three things by writing a code for dancing!

What does the Internet look like?

No one really knows what the Internet looks like. According to technical drawings it's a cloud, an explosion, a star or a weird lump.

You'll need to draw what you can see. Draw what you think are the steps that take place inside the Internet to move all the data. In essence, design the Internet.

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Welcome to the whimsical world of computing. Hello Ruby is a children's book and an app that teaches programming fundamentals through stories and kid-friendly activities. It's suited for kids between 5 and 8 (but even adults might learn something new).

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Welcome to the whimsical world of computing. Hello Ruby is a children's book and an app that teaches programming fundamentals through stories and kid-friendly activities. It's suited for kids between 5 and 8 (but even adults might learn something new).

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Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends

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Fold 'N Fly " Paper Airplane Folding Instructions

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A database of paper airplanes with easy to follow folding instructions, video tutorials and printable folding plans. Find the best paper airplanes that fly the furthest and stay aloft the longest.

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littleBits and Lego combination project 1

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Iggy Peck loves to build things and solve problems, sometimes out of the strangest materials. His teacher declares that she is not a fan of architecture. WIll Iggy be able to win her over? This book is part of the Read for Success collection. To learn more about Read for Success, click here.

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Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) was the daughter of Lord Byron, a poet, and Anna Isabella Milbanke, a mathematician. Her parents separated when she was young, and her mother insisted on a logic-focused education, rejecting Byron's "mad" love of poetry. But Ada remained fascinated with her father and considered mathematics "poetical science."

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This is a super fun (and silly!) activity to get kids thinking about the problem-solving skills needed to code. Teaching kids to code starts with the very basics. Preschoolers and early elementary school kids can start to apply the basic concepts of programming. This activity is great for kids age 4+!

I love any chance I get to try out some screen-free coding activities, especially in the summer months when we love to be outdoors. Hands-on learning for kids has so many benefits and this activity puts some coding concepts for kids to life.

Coding Concepts for Kids

At its core, computer programming involves making computers do things. If I write ABC, the computer will do XYZ. This is the essential skills that we are going to be learning today! Even if your child NEVER uses code in their future, the problem-solving skills you get from coding are helpful in any field!

In this activity, we will be using the concepts of sequencing and logic to get your 'robot parent' to the water 'spray zone' squares. For the advanced version, we will have a chance to 'write code' and learn from our mistakes by 'debugging'.

Coding Unplugged

This easy STEM activity for kids requires basically NO PREP. All you need is some sidewalk chalk and a water squirter. Having the water squirter was definitely the motivation for my son to participate! He's otherwise pretty adept at figuring out when the 'fun games' I've planned are actually sneaky ways to help him learn math or science 🙂 When I told him that this game involved bossing mommy around and spraying me with a water gun he was PRETTY DARN EXCITED.

What You Need

How It Works

One person is the robot parent (MOM, in this case!) and one person is the 'programmer'.

The programmer has to direct the robot using simple commands to the 'spray zone' squares where they get to spray their parent with water. WAHOO!

How to set up this activity

Draw out a 6×6 square grid on your driveway. It doesn't need to be pretty. You can adjust the number of squares to suit the size of driveway or pavement you have. It could also easily be done on a sidewalk.

Color in a few of the squares in white or blue. These are the SPRAY ZONE squares. When the robot lands on these squares the programmer gets to spray them with the water squirter!

Fill up the water squirter from a large bucket of water. Or use a water gun that has a tank to fill.

How to start

The robot can start anywhere on the grid. The programmer then has to direct the robot to land on one of the SPRAY ZONE squares. The programmer can only speak in 'code', meaning that they have to tell the robot EXACTLY how to get there (one step forward, two steps back etc).

Examples of Commands:

Take x steps forward

Take x steps backward

Now Turn (easy version, the parent will only turn in one direction)

Turn left

Turn right

Mommy Robot duties

Being a robot is tough work! My son loved it when I used my best robot voice to tell him 'I DO NOT COMPUTE' when he wasn't speaking in 'code'. My husband went full out with his arms straight out in a robot stance and that actually helped my son to understand the direction the robot was facing.

EASY VERSION

The Robot can ONLY move forward and turn in one direction

The programmer should tell the robot to move x steps forward, then turn (as many times as needed to get the robot facing in the right direction), then x steps forward to hit the target

MEDIUM VERSION

Create less SPRAY ZONE squares

The robot can move forward, backward, turn left and right

The programmer needs to direct the robot to the splash zone squares

Challenges understanding of LEFT and RIGHT

HARD VERSION

This activity can be made harder with the following modifications

"Write The Code" - The programmer has to give the ENTIRE sequence in advance.

'DEBUG' - If the program given to the robot didn't work, the programmer will get a chance to figure out what went wrong and 'debug' his code

The Objective of The Game

When the robot makes it to the colored square the programmer gets to squirt the robot with a water gun. This is the reward for completing the programming, and is a lot of fun on a hot day!

Switching Roles

On the day we did this activity, there was an approximately ZERO % chance that my son was going to cooperate with me as the programmer. At age 4, he is probably a bit on the young side for acting as a robot and he also isn't a huge fan of getting squirted with water (just loves to squirt us, SIGH!). This is something we are going to work on because I believe turn-taking is an important skill to have!

Modifications

There are lots of ways to modify this game to suit your needs!

Chalk only - LAVA squares game: Using red chalk draw a 6×6 grid and fill in at least 5 squares in red. These are the LAVA squares and the idea will be to get from the START to the FINISH without stepping in the Lava. If there's one thing all kids seem to love, it's playing 'hot lava!'

Silly String - If water guns aren't your thing, silly string works in place! You can also try confetti or water balloons!

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Super Silly Screen Free Coding Activity with Chalk - Teach Your Kids Code

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This is a super fun (and silly!) activity to get kids thinking about the problem-solving skills needed to code. Teaching kids to code starts with the very basics. Preschoolers and early elementary school kids can start to apply the basic concepts of programming. This activity is great for kids age 4+!

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Sixth Bloom- Lifestyle, Photography & Family Blog

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure and Privacy policies here
Search for Seashells at the beach, then print off this free seashell printable for a fun seashell activity. Teach seashell screen free coding for preschoolers through this easy activity that can also duel as an easy shell craft while painting seashells.
We were at the beach week before last and one of my preschoolers favorite activities was walking the beach and picking up seashells! So I got creative and we decided to use her tiny seashells for this easy shell activity. Why not turn our experiences and adventures into a learning time, right?

Seashell Screen Free Coding for Preschoolers

Materials you need:
40 Tiny/Small Seashells
paint
paint brush
Free Seashell Screen Free Coding Printable (there is a printable for: ages 2-4 and ages 3-5)

First let your preschooler paint their seashells to the colors that match the printable!
Let your seashells dry and that might be enough for this activity for a sitting. The seashells have to dry anyway, so let the painting be the fun part of the day and let your preschooler go play and explore!

The next day...come back and let your preschooler sort all of their shells into color piles! My little one loves this part, it's become easy to her and she enjoys it!

Grab your Free Seashell Screen Free Coding Printable and let your preschooler code by sequencing and following the patterns on the printable.

Coding activities without a computer starts with simple sequencing while engaging their minds in creativity, problem solving and math. I'm a firm believer in letting my preschooler explore and learn through hands on activities. I find myself drawn more towards the screen free coding activities as she is so young and I truly feel like the manipulative only strengthen her fine motor skills. I hope you'll use this free coding worksheet as a resource to help you out!

STEAM Activities for Preschoolers

Remember the entire process with STEAM is so vital and important. If you are new to the idea of STEAM Activities for Kids and the process please be sure to hop over to my article on Everything You Need to Know about STEAM. Here I try to go in depth on why STEAM is important in Early Childhood Education.

Also remember STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. So how can you incorporate these five areas into this activity?

I always remind myself of the learning process through the STEAM activity:

Let your preschooler

For more SCREEN FREE CODING ACTIVITIES:
Screen Free Earth Worm Coding + FREE Printable! Screen Free Coding Activities
Fantastic Fun and Learning has some great insight on more Shell Activities for Kids!

We are a husband and wife team, pairing our strengths together to teach our preschooler in the most fun and engaging way we possibly can. The mister is a high school educator at Northlake Christian school in Covington Louisiana and over the Innovation Center, which is all things STEAM. I am a SAHM that blogs pretty much everything we do in our little paradise, from what we eat, to where we travel to how we teach our little one. We hope you are inspired to incorporate STEAM into learning with your children.

Follow us: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

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Seashell Screen Free Coding for Preschoolers - Sixth Bloom- Lifestyle, Photography & Family Blog

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Search for Seashells at the beach, then print off this free seashell printable for a fun seashell activity. Teach seashell screen free coding for preschoolers through this easy activity that can also duel as an easy shell craft while painting seashells.

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Screen-free and hands-on activities to teach coding for preschool and kindergarten. Play board games, make binary code jewelry, and invent secret spy codes. *This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
I keep hearing about teaching young children, even preschoolers, to code. I have to admit that this used to intimidate me. What does coding for preschool even look like?

In spite of being the daughter of a computer programmer and the sister of three more, the first time I actually sat down to do anything with coding was when I started blogging a few short years ago. It turns out that if you want to blog you need to know how to do much more than simply type on a keyboard.

However, when we talk about teaching children to code we aren't talking about teaching them the specifics of Python, Ruby, Java, or any number of other programming languages. We are talking about laying a foundation, about training their brains to think like computer programmers.

Why Teach Preschoolers to Code?

The developers of the free ScratchJr app put it perfectly:

Coding (or computer programming) is a new type of literacy. Just as writing helps you organize your thinking and express your ideas, the same is true for coding. In the past, coding was seen as too difficult for most people. But we think coding should be for everyone, just like writing.

As young children code...they learn how to create and express themselves with the computer, not just to interact with it. In the process, children learn to solve problems and design projects, and they develop sequencing skills that are foundational for later academic success. They also use math and language in a meaningful and motivating context, supporting the development of early-childhood numeracy and literacy.

A computer science education is literacy for the 21st century. Many educators and researchers argue that the basic skills of coding, such as sequencing, pattern recognition and if/then conditional logic, should be introduced alongside or even before traditional reading, writing and math.

How to Teach Coding for Preschool

There are tons of fantastic apps that teach children to code. However, for preschoolers and kindergarteners I really prefer activities that are hands-on and screen-free.

One of our favorite games that sneakily teaches the fundamentals of programming is Robot Turtles. My sister-in-law gifted us this game for Christmas and it has readily become a family favorite.

Robot Turtles is so simple. The object is to get your turtle from one corner to the center where his jewel is. Sometimes you have to navigate around obstacles or zap them with lasers. One player (usually the adult) acts as the "computer" while everyone else is a "programmer". The programmers issue a series of commands that the computer carries out. It's so simple that after my four-year-old played it a couple of times she was able to teach my mom how to play.

Other reasons we love playing Robot Turtles:

Everybody wins! As long as you get your turtle to his jewel you win, no matter how long it takes to get there.

If you mess up a command you just yell "Bug!" and you get an automatic do-over. I love that you don't lose a turn or get penalized for making a mistake. Just like in real programming, it's easy enough to delete the last command and try again until it works right.

Since Robot Turtles is aimed at teaching coding for preschool and early elementary-aged children, no reading is required to play.

Older kids can take turns being the computer. This means they get to set up the board the way they want to and be the one in charge of moving all the turtles according to the commands issued by the programmers.

We also love playing a game from Left Brain Craft Brain called If/Then. It's similar to Simon Says and gets the kids up and moving. My kids love issuing crazy hard commands, but it makes the game ridiculously fun!

Other ideas for hands-on coding for preschool include coding your name (activity from Mama Smiles) or your birthday in jewelry (activity from Handmade Kids Art). You can also make a spy decoder (idea from Frugal Fun for Boys) to send secret messages to friends or send your kids on a scavenger hunt using secret codes (project from What Do We Do All Day?) while secretly sharpening their reading, writing, and math skills!

There are so many resources out there to teach preschoolers and kindergarteners to code! This post is being written as part of a series on Coding for Kids where you can find over a dozen creative hands-on coding activities. Be sure to check them all out by clicking the picture below.

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Screen-Free Coding for Preschool and Kindergarten

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Screen-free and hands-on activities to teach coding for preschool and kindergarten. Play board games, make binary code jewelry, and invent secret spy codes. *This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy. I keep hearing about teaching young children, even preschoolers, to code. I have to

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How does a robot know what to do? Instructions! Learn about "codes", which are instructions for robots, and then try some codes out yourself.

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Fruit and veggie insects – Similar idea to boats, but inverted. Apple lady bugs (1/2 apple, cream cheese to hold on raisin spots), cucumber caterpillars (small pickling cucumbers sliced lengthwise, children decorate with finely chopped veggies, using dip or cream cheese as “glue”)

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Students will compare and contrast different versions of a story, practice sequencing and retelling skills, and work in groups to build a model.

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Students will compare and contrast different versions of a story, practice sequencing and retelling skills, and work in groups to build and test a model.

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Space Race

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I'll admit, I'm not much of a techy and I don't really love my kiddos to be nose-to-screen with the computer. But I think I'd be more of a fan if they were all DIY cardboard computers! These are the easiest computers ever! The addition of chalk paint allows them do something different on their computer each and every day. It even opens and closes so that they can pack it up and carry it back and forth from friends' houses, a weekend Grandma's, or just around the house. They can even "work" outside on a pretty day! It's the simplest, most crafty computer ever and will make your little busy bodies feel super important.

Alright, time to get down to business!

Large piece of cardboard

Box cutter

Ruler

Black chalk paint

Chalk

Paint brush

Electrical tape

Glue

Pen

Black construction paper (optional, for decoration)

Step 1
First, use your ruler and craft knife to cut an 11″ x 17″ piece of cardboard. Following the straight edge of the ruler, draw a line down the center of this rectangle with your pen. Use your craft knife to slice along the line, but make sure not to cut all the way through (you just want to loosen the cardboard enough so that the two sides to be able to fold).

Fold your cardboard and reinforce the fold with tape so that the computer will remain intact as your kids open and close it.

Step 2
Cut three smaller rectangles out of another piece of cardboard (one for the screen, one for the keyboard, and one for the mouse), each similarly sized to the ones above. Paint each with chalk paint and let dry. Once completely dry, glue them into their respective positions.

Step 3
Take your remaining cardboard and cut out another rectangle (again, similarly sized to the one pictured). Paint it and let dry. Once dry, cut out small squares from it (these will be your keys). Glue the squares onto your cardboard keyboard.

Step 4
Make it your own! Use paint or construction paper to customize your computer with fun drawings or speech bubbles so that everybody knows it's yours.

Your computer is finished! Whether kids use it to take notes, surf the net of their imagination, or do the most serious of business - one thing is for certain - it's the most fun they'll ever have in front of a screen!

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DIY Chalk & Cardboard Computer ⋆ Handmade Charlotte

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I'll admit, I'm not much of a techy and I don't really love my kiddos to be nose-to-screen with the computer. But I think I'd be more of a fan if they were all DIY cardboard computers! These are the easiest computers ever!

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Teaching and Learning in South Australia

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Noarlunga Downs Primary School, South Australia (part 1)

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http://resources.kinderlabrobotics.com/

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Robot Kits & STEM Toys for K-12 Schools and Home Education｜Makeblock

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Makeblock makes it easy for kids to start coding and making with various robot kits, free coding software, and rich educational resources. Start from here, and unleash your imagination and creativity!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5d4iXGbIGs F-2 Introduction to Ozobot 3-4 Ozobot Maze Challenge3-4 The Wonderful Wizard of Ozo5-6 Choose...

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littleBits and LEGO: a littleBits Project by isogawa

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How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk @StoryTimeWithMsMelange #readaloud #girlscode

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As much as screen time can make us crazy, it's what's happening now. Let's make the most of it. Our algorithm coding game printable pack is a great way to introduce some basic skills. Computer coding is super cool for kids. Plus they can start learning more about it at a younger age too. STEM is the future for our kids!

PRINTABLE ALGORITHM CODING GAME FOR KIDS

WHAT IS STEM?

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. People now like to add in the art for STEAM. A good STEM project will combine aspects for at least two of the STEM pillars such as engineering and math or science and math or science and technology. It can even combine three or more.

WHAT IS CODING?

Computer coding is a huge part of STEM, but what does it mean for our younger kids? Computer coding is what creates all the software, apps, and websites we use without even thinking twice!

A code is a set of instructions and computer coders {real people} write these instructions to program all sorts of things. Coding is it's own language and for programmers it's like learning a new language when they write code.

There are different types of computer languages but they all do a similar task which is to take our instructions and turn them into a code the computer can read.

Have you heard of the binary alphabet? It's a series of 1's and 0's that form letters, which then form a code the computer can read. We have a couple hands-on activities that teach about binary code. Check out LEGO Coding For Kids and Beaded Binary Code Project for Kids.

JUMBO SUPERHERO COMPUTER CODING GAME FOR SCREEN FREE STEM

We created our own giant board for a screen-free computer coding game using our favorite superheroes.
WHAT IS AN ALGORITHM?
Simply put, an algorithm is a series of actions. It's a sequence of actions that are strung together to solve a problem. Our printable algorithm coding game is perfect for learning how these actions string together through hands-on play!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Taking Apart a Computer for Kids STEM
There are many fun and interactive ways young kids can get interested in computer coding without even using the computer. We have lots of fun playing with this algorithm coding game because you can change the variables each time for a completely new game.

We have made three free printable levels of difficulty for our algorithm coding game. The three sheets present more of a challenge for stringing actions together. You can download your algorithm game pack below.
SUPPLIES FOR YOUR ALGORITHM CODING GAME
Print Out of Game

Small Objects

Pencil

Marker

Index Cards
SET UP YOUR ALGORITHM CODING GAME
Print out one of the grids and set up your board. Choose a grid. Then choose a location to start the object that will be moving through the grid. Here it is the scientist. Now select a location for a second object that the first object needs to reach. This second object and how to get it becomes the problem to solve.

Next, you need to write out directional cards. To make these cards cut index cards in half and make three piles. You will need a straight arrow, a turn right arrow, and a turn left arrow.

Alternatively, you can have your kids use a pencil to write out the arrow symbols for the different directions on a sheet of paper or directly onto the grid as they move the object. Laminate your grids and use an erasable marker!
PLAY YOUR ALGORITHM CODING GAME
Encourage your kids to use the directional cards to create an algorithm to reach the desired object. The scientist must get to his magnifying glass! There are a few ways you can go about this.

Easier version: Place out one card at a time as you move the object one square at a time.

Harder version: Think out the sequence of actions ahead of time and place out a string of directional cards to show your program. Run your program according to your directions and check your results. Did you make it? Do you need to fix a card?

A SIMPLE AND FUN WAY TO INTRODUCE COMPUTER CODING TO KIDS

Below you will see two easier versions of our screen free computer coding game! Plus you can see how you can use so many different things you have around the house from My Little Pony to Pokemon!

This is a great way to encourage even the youngest computer programmer the basics of programming and learn a little bit about algorithms too!

SINGLE PLAYER OR MULTI PLAYER

Kids can make playing boards for each other. Or you can have two sets of starting objects and end object and have each kid work to get to their object independently. Attach more grids for an even greater challenge. Download here! Click on the black bar below.

Check out these neat coding activities for kids! We love Dash and Dot here.

SCREEN-FREE COMPUTER CODING FOR KIDS!

FREE ALGORITHM CODING GAME PRINTABLE PACK
Male sure to check out all our fun STEM activities for kids!
This Post is part of the 28 Days of STEAM Projects for kids hosted by Left Brain Craft Brian

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER POST IN THE SERIES: ARCHITECTURAL STEM PROJECT IDEAS

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Algorithm Coding Game and Screen Free Computer Coding for Kids

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As much as screen time can make us crazy, it's what's happening now. Let's make the most of it. Our algorithm coding game printable pack is a great way to introduce some basic skills. Computer coding is super cool for kids. Plus they can start learning more about it at a younger age too.

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We've collected a bunch of inspiring stories from educators around the world using Hello Ruby in their classroom. To see all stories, visit here.

"The hustle and bustle was great!"

Teacher: Mikko

Teaches: 10-12-year-olds

Location: Helsinki, Finland

"We have built our own paper computers using Hello Ruby's My First Computer exercise. I also used the exercise as a part of an activity where my students disassembled and then reassembled old PC's. The activities helped students get acquainted with hardware vocabulary and worked as an introduction to how computers work. The children's enthusiasm materialized as a working environment that I would compare to an anthill. The hustle and bustle was great!"

Want to do the same exercise in your class? Check out the lesson plan we made for you!

"Ruby's story inspired my students to go on a scavenger hunt!"

Teacher: Laura

Teaches: 7-year-olds

Location: Helsinki, Finland

"I read Ruby's story to my first graders on their very first day of school. They listened and looked at the pictures carefully. After a break I told them they've got mail: Ruby had sent them a postcard. Ruby had hidden them a treasure that could be found by following a route drawn on a map of our school. Off we went to a scavenger hunt! We found clues and solved riddles I had left for the kids. After we had solved the whole puzzle, the last clue took us back to our class where we found the treasure in a big box: ABC books and other school utensils. At home the children told that they had had the best school day ever!

The students were eager to solve Ruby's riddles. Ruby even stayed with us in the classroom: for many times she left something new and exciting in the treasure box."

"My students built computers into lunchboxes!"

Teacher: Samantha

Teaches: 3-12-year-olds at Computational Thinkers after school program

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

"My students love using the My First Computer exercise. First, the students go on a 'Hardware Scavenger Hunt', where the students take apart all kinds of real computing devices. Once they feel comfortable with the names of the components they have found, they are ready to move onto building their first computer.

I give them a lunchbox for the computer case. We laminate the paper computer parts to make them 'lunch proof'. Students then assemble their computers and apply for example music, emails and videos to their computer. We sing the phrase 'Software tells the haaaardwaaare what to doo', which helps them remember the basic difference between hardware and software.

After explaining to the students the different file types, one student handed a virus (made of paper) back and said: 'I don't want to put a virus in my computer. I'm only using my computer for good". I was proud to take his virus back.

When the students then went to school the next day, using their computer lunch boxes, they all talked as if they were an elite group of kids that had a 'computing power' that was harnessed in their power lunch box. After they finished lunch, they would flip their lunch box over and pretend to type on the keyboard & create a game or a program that was, well, out of this world."

Want to do the same exercise in your class? Check out the lesson plan we made you!

Share your story!

Want to be a part of our Educator page? Share your story by filling in this form!

Did you get all inspired by those teacher stories? Want to get started already?

We have gathered some websites and apps for you to get acquainted with programming. Spend one evening browsing through these so you'll feel more ready to bring coding into your classroom.

Websites for learning programming yourself:

Code.org has a one hour long tutorial that is aimed for kids, but will teach adults the basics of computational thinking. Time required: 1 hour ->

KhanAcademyprovides information and exercises both for you and your pupils. A great way to start is by watching KhanAcademy's video introduction to programming. Time required: 10+ hours

Codecademy is a place for you to learn about different coding languages and the making of websites and apps. This can also be used with your pupils if they are over 12 years. Time required: 25+ hours

Koodi2016.fi. Finnish teachers, this one is for you. Koodi 2016 booklet includes everything you need to know about programming as a part of the new curriculum.

Websites and apps for teaching kids programming:

For downloadable Hello Ruby exercises, see the Play section. You'll also find a few lesson plans attached to our teacher stories, check them out here.

With Hopscotch you can build your own games and then play them. At the same time you'll learn about computer science fundamentals like abstraction, variables, conditionals and loops.

Scratch allows you to create stories, games, and animations. For starters, check out their curriculum guide.

CS Unplugged is a collection of free learning activities that teach programming fundamentals without computers. You'll use cards, post-it notes, crayons and lots of running around.

Want to ideate exercises yourself?

Some resources that can help:

There are a lot more resources online:

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Welcome to the whimsical world of computing. Hello Ruby is a children's book and an app that teaches programming fundamentals through stories and kid-friendly activities. It's suited for kids between 5 and 8 (but even adults might learn something new).