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From robots to Minecraft, there are thousands of different ways to introduce programming to your class in fun and interactive ways for the upcoming Hour of Code (December 8-14). While most apps and tutorials do require internet connected computers or mobile devices, it does not mean that schools without this level of technology cannot get involved. In fact, coding with paper can be an even more engaging and meaningful way to introduce students to early programming concepts.

The Game

The object of the Space Race game is to navigate your rocket ship safely through the galaxy of aliens and satellites, all the way to the moon. Using the pre-made coding blocks students can create a 'program' of directions for their rocket to follow and complete its mission.

I would encourage you to have your students work together as pairs or groups on this exercise. One student can set up the 'course' using the printed character blocks (Earth, moon, aliens, satellites). Their partner can then attempt to program the solution using the printed code blocks, and together they can 'execute' the program to navigate the ship. This not only gets your students working together but it will help them practice some of the collaborative aspects of coding and problem solving.

Getting Started

1. Print copies of both of the below files for each student or group

2. Have your students cut out the objects and code blocks from sheet 1

3. Using the cut out objects, place objects on the display (sheet 2) to create a course

4. Using the cut out code blocks, create directions for the rocket to follow

5. Run the program!

Objects and Code Blocks (sheet 1)

Use this sheet to cut out each individual object to place on the display and each code block to place on the console.

Display and Console (sheet 2)

This sheet is used for the gameplay. Use the display to set up a course and use the console to assemble the program.
Feature image adapted from image courtesy of Flickr, Sweetie187.

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Coding with Paper: FREE Printable Space Game for Students

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From robots to Minecraft, there are thousands of different ways to introduce programming to your class in fun and interactive ways for the upcoming Hour of Code (December 8-14). While most apps and tutorials do require internet connected computers or mobile devices, it does not mean that schools without this level of technology cannot get involved.

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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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Code Studio Unplugged Series of Activities

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Code Studio Unplugged Series of Activities

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Accelerated Intro to CS Course - Code.org

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Anyone can learn computer science. Make games, apps and art with code.

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Today we're talking coding and I had one goal in mind. Help kids learn to code with no expensive equipment. No computer, no tablet, no apps, just their bodies and their mind. So we're starting with one of the most basic parts of computer programming, the If Then statement and turning it into a fun and active game. It's an If-Then Backyard Coding Game for Kids. This post contains affiliate links.

The If-Then Statement

If Then is what's called a conditional statement in programming. The program queries if one condition exists, then it commands it to do something. It can be as basic as a True or False question and answer or it can prompt an action.

If-Then Coding Game Rules

For every round, there is one Programmer and everyone else is a Computer. The Programmer stands in front of the Computers and gives them his command. If I ____ (fill in the blank), then you _____ (fill in the blank). For example, the Programmer below gave the command " If I turn in a circle, Then you turn in a circle."

You can set up your rounds however works best for your group of kids. We did three rounds per Programmer and then switched. Because you know kids love giving commands to other kids so everyone wants a turn as a Programmer!!!

A Game for All Ages

In order to test out (and photograph!) the If-Then Game, I invited The Babe's preschool crew to come and join me at the park. And they brought some of their older siblings, too. So first, thank you to everyone for coming to play (you know who you are)!! But what was really interesting for this mama of an only child, was seeing how kids ages 3-8 could play this game to their best abilities at varying levels of difficulty. So here are some variations, depending upon the developmental age of your kiddos.
Difficulty Level 1 - If I Do This, Then You Do This
This one's perfect for the preschoolers. It's basically just monkey see, monkey do with some coding language thrown in. The Programmer commands the Computers to do the same thing she does and to stop when she stops.
Difficulty Level 2 - If I Do This, Then You Do That
Now for the kindergartners, you can add the twist that the Computers should do something different than the Programmer, but still start and stop when they do. This one works the brain because they'll hear something different than they are seeing.
Difficulty Level 3 - If I Do This, Then You Do That, Else You Do Something Else
Moving on up the grade levels, you can move on up the coding complexity too with If-Then-Else statements. For example, the Programmer commands "If I raise my right arm, Then you raise your left arm, Else raise your right foot." So if he just stands there and does nothing, the Computers should all be raising their right foot. This gets pretty funny, pretty fast.
Difficulty Level 4 - If-Then-Else Speed Round with Eliminations
Want to make it really challenging? Have the Computers "break" and sit down when they don't follow commands correctly. The last Computer standing wins.

P.S.: So many thanks to my programmer husband for fact checking this activity and for being my biggest blog supporter, tech, promotional, emotional and otherwise :)

If-Then, Check. What's Next?

So your kiddos are interested in computers. There are so many ways for them to explore!

For the older kids (or younger ones with your help), check out Scratch. Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games, and animation with people from all over the world. It's a project from the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab and is free. Need a little help getting started with Scratch? There's a great guide on Amazon {affiliate}...

Also, I just filled up my STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Pinterest board full of Coding for Kids resources. Follow me and take a look!

Follow Anne @ Left Brain Craft Brain's board STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Activities on Pinterest.

Giving Kids the Power to Create

This post is week 4 in a 5 week series with some of my favorite bloggers who all love STEAM. Because learning with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math gives kids the power to do almost anything they can dream up. Like make a train move or colors change. This week is all about ways to Compute.

PVC Pipe Xylophone // Frugal Fun for Boys

Secret Code Activity // What Do We Do All Day?

Spring Garden Glyph // Meri Cherry

Easy Math Trick for Kids // All For the Boys

Patterned Multiplication Circles // Lemon Lime Adventures

Paper Toys: Flextangles // Babble Dabble Do

Did you see last week's Spring Play or the rest of the Harness posts? Or Maybe you caught my Color Changing Chemistry Clock. Or the week before where we all learned to Fly. Be sure to follow along for our final week while we Grow, all with the power of STEAM.

Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math Fun for Kids

Looking for some more STEAM inspiration that use can use right now? Instant gratification style? Check out STEAM Kids: 50+ Hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math Hands-On Projects for Kids ebook! It's packed full of a year's worth fun learning activities that will wow the boredom right out of your kids.

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If-Then Backyard Coding Game for Kids - Left Brain Craft Brain

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Today we're talking coding and I had one goal in mind. Help kids learn to code with no expensive equipment. No computer, no tablet, no apps, just their bodies and their mind. So we're starting with one of the most basic parts of computer programming, the If Then statement and turning it into a fun and active game.

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Fun LEGO computer coding for kids! Technology is a huge part of our lives today. My son loves his iPad and although we monitor his use of it, it's a part of our home. We also love LEGO activities and have tons of fun building neat contraptions and gadgets with our bricks. We have played around with a couple of fun ways to do computer coding with LEGO® with and without a computer.

FUN LEGO CODING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS!

LEGO CODING FOR LEARNING

Computer coding with LEGO® is a great introduction to the world of coding using a favorite building toy. Yes, you can teach young kids about computer coding, especially if they are highly interested in computers and how they work.

My son was astounded to hear that a person actually wrote/designed the Minecraft game. We even had to use the iPad to lookup more about this guy. With the realization that my son could very well make his own game someday, he was pretty interested to learn more about computer coding.

How can you combine computer coding and LEGO®?

There are a few ways you can combine computer coding with LEGO® for the younger crowd or depending on the skill level. My son is kindergarten age and is also highly interested to learn more at this time. You can test out the world of computer coding on and off the computer.
Looking for easy to print activities, and inexpensive problem-based challenges? We have you covered... Click below to get your brick binary code activity.
LEGO CODING GAMES

I was introduced to Bits and Bricks, an online computer coding game made by LEGO® . It is part of the Hour of Code initiative aimed towards kids as young as 5 and 6, to get them excited about computer coding. Hour of Code is a global project reaching millions of kids. You can find many versions of Hour of Code to try out. Of course, the LEGO® lovers that we are, we enjoyed working with Bit the Bot.

BINARY ALPHABET

Our computers don't read the letter A like we read the letter A. The computer has a special code called the binary alphabet where each letter, both upper and lower case is assigned a set of numbers containing 1's and 0's.

My son first encountered this at school, but it was an activity for an older grade. He was curious so I read up on the binary alphabet and showed him how it worked. Mom has some learning to do too! We made a computer coding Christmas ornament. You can also take a base plate and LEGO® bricks and play around with the binary alphabet.

BUILD MINI LEGO ROBOTS

LEGO coding doesn't have to be just about the computer. Grab a bin of LEGO® pieces including the neat, super tiny pieces and see if you can make your Bit the Bot from Bricks and Bits mentioned above. Can you use your LEGO bricks to make a robot?
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: LEGO ROBOTS
DIY LEGO CODING ALGORITHM GAME

You have a robot made, now make a coding game for it. Create a world with obstacles or an algorithm game. Make movement cards including forward, right turn, and left turn. Set a challenge with a start and a finish, and code your Bot to get through the obstacle course.

Layout the direction cards to plot the movement of the robot then try out your code and see if you are right! Create a new challenge and try again. It's a fun way to play with code and LEGO®! Read more about algorithms here ( and look for a FREE game printable).
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Superhero Computer Coding Game {no computer needed}
These fun ideas for LEGO® coding activities and games are a great introduction to coding, with and without the computer. Young kids CAN learn to code! Parents can learn about code too! Try LEGO coding today! You will love it!

LEGO CODING FOR PLAY AND LEARNING FOR KIDS
Want to explore more screen-free coding with kids? Check out our SHOP!
Click on the image below or on the link for more fun LEGO activities for kids.

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LEGO Coding Activities For Kids STEM | Little Binns for Little Hands

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Fun LEGO computer coding for kids! Technology is a huge part of our lives today. My son loves his iPad and although we monitor his use of it, it's a part of our home. We also love LEGO activities and have tons of fun building neat contraptions and gadgets with our bricks.

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Make your own spy decoder wheel! In just a few steps, you'll be sending and receiving coded messages with the help of this clever device.
The fun part about this decoder is that it provides 27 different codes, making it difficult for someone to crack. If you make two decoders, siblings or friends can send encrypted messages to each other, even if they are not in the same physical location. It might be fun to have friends in another town or cousins in another state print their own decoder, and then the kids can send coded messages back and forth!

This post was originally published in April 2014, and we updated it in June 2020 to provide a printable version of the spy decoder wheel.
To make a decoder, you will need:

Printable template - see the link below

Scissors

A paper fastener

And that's it!

I recommend printing the template on card stock for durability. I had some colored card stock, so we decided to mix and match colors.

To assemble your spy decoder wheel, cut out a top, middle, and bottom circle.

There are two choices for the middle circle. Either use the one with the letters filled in, or use the spaces to draw your own letters or symbols. It might be fun to use symbols like a star, heart, smiley face, etc. instead of letters.

Line up your three circles and attach them with a paper fastener. It's important to have the circles lined up precisely, so you may want to poke the holes one at a time.
To write a message:
First, set the code. You'll need to decide what letter "A" on the outside circle will correspond with.

Some ideas:

Turn the decoder so that the "A" on the outside circle matches up with the first letter of the receiver's name.

Set the decoder so that "A" matches the letter of the current day of the week.

Make "A" match the first letter of a code word that you send along with your encrypted message.

To write a message, find the letter you want on the outside circle and write down the corresponding letter on the middle circle.

To read a message, find the letter on the middle circle, and write down the corresponding letter from the outside circle.
Ready to print your spy decoder template? Click the link below. The file will open, and you can print from there.
CLICK HERE: Spy Decoder Wheel

The Thomas Jefferson Cipher Wheel - Here's an interesting tidbit from history... Thomas Jefferson created a cipher wheel which was used to send encrypted messages in a similar way. The wheel was made from 36 discs on an axle that could be turned to spell out a message. To encrypt the message, the sender would copy down any other row from the cipher wheel other than the intended message (which would appear to be nonsense). The receiver would line up the discs on his (identical) cipher wheel so that they matched the nonsense message and then turn the cipher wheel until they saw a row with the hidden message. Click here to read more about the Jefferson Cipher Wheel - it's quite interesting! You can also purchase a replica (that really works) from monticello.org.
Have fun with secret codes! Looking for more spy and detective activities? We've got several!
Make some Pencil and Tape Fingerprints. It's amazing how much detail you can see!

This Spy Obstacle Course is an absolute blast! Fun for a rainy day, and it would also make a great spy birthday party activity.

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Code Activity for Kids: Make a Spy Decoder Wheel - Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

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Make your own spy decoder wheel! In just a few steps, you'll be sending and receiving coded messages with the help of this clever device. The fun part about this decoder is that it provides 27 different codes, making it difficult for someone to crack.

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Advertisement

Key concepts
Computers
Computer programming
Problem solving

Introduction
You probably use computer programs every day. Every time you are on the Internet, play a video game or use a smartphone you rely on computer programs. Do you know you can learn a little bit about programming without needing to use a computer? In this fun activity you will write a "program"-a set directions for a volunteer to find the way through a maze. Can you help them find the way through without crashing?

Background
A computer program is a list of instructions or commands that tell a computer what to do. For example, when you are typing on a computer, there are commands that instruct it to display certain characters on the screen when you push a certain key on your keyboard. The program for a video game might have different instructions that tell the game to move the on-screen character when you push on a controller. A Web browser has instructions to tell it what to do when you mouse click on different buttons. There are many, many more examples of what computer programs can do. Can you think of more?

Computers are very good at following directions-but that can lead to a problem: What happens if a human programmer accidentally gives a computer the wrong directions? The computer can't think for itself-it will go ahead and follow the directions it was given, even if they're wrong! This can cause the program to "crash," or not function as it was intended to. Computer programmers call errors in computer code "bugs" and the process of finding and removing them is known as "debugging." In this project you will write a set of directions for a volunteer to navigate a maze, using commands like "move forward," "turn left" and "turn right." If you make a mistake with your directions, the volunteer will "crash" into the wall of the maze and you will have to debug your program and try again!

Materials

Preparation

Use a sheet of graph paper to create a small maze that fits on a rectangular grid. All of the maze's walls should be vertical or horizontal-no diagonal or curved lines.

Start out with a small, easy-to-solve maze. (You can make a more difficult one later.)

Make sure the maze has clearly labeled "start" and "finish" points.

Procedure

Imagine that you are a person walking through your maze, starting at the "start" point. On a separate piece of paper write directions, one step at a time, for how you would walk through the maze. For example, use commands like "move forward two squares," "turn left" and "turn right." Continue writing directions until you have enough to reach the maze's "finish" mark.

Optional: If you prefer, you can draw arrows for your directional instructions instead of writing out the words. Does it take awhile to write out the step-by-step instructions? How does this process compare with drawing the maze?

Now, hand your maze, the directions and a pencil over to your volunteer. Instruct them to follow your directions exactly as they go through the maze, even if they see a mistake. They are not allowed to solve the maze on their own or change the directions.

Watch closely to see if the volunteer successfully completes the maze by following your directions. Did they crash into any of the walls or make it all the way to the finish line?

If your volunteer made it all the way to the finish line, then congratulations! Your program did not have any bugs. Try making a bigger, more complicated maze and start over.

If your volunteer crashed into one of the maze's walls, however, you need to debug your program! Carefully trace through your program step by step to see where things went wrong. Did you tell them to move one block too far or turn one block too early? Just one mistake can throw off your entire program and cause a crash later on, so look carefully!

After you discover the bug, rewrite your program. If you only need to change one or two steps, you can just erase them instead of rewriting the whole thing.

Have your volunteer try the maze again, following your new program. Did they solve it this time? If not, keep debugging your program until they solve the maze. How difficult was the process of finding and fixing bugs for your maze instructions?

Extra: Computer programs are written in many different "languages," which all have slightly different formats but very similar underlying concepts. For example, some computer programs use punctuation and spelling differently-this is called the program's "syntax." Can you come up with a different "language" that accomplishes the same task of solving the maze? For example, what about using commands that are defined relative to absolute directions on the piece of paper like "move up," "move down," "move left" and "move right;" as opposed to turning left or right as if you were a person standing in the maze? Although these two languages are different, can you see how they both be used to do the same thing?

Extra: Try this project with more complicated mazes that include diagonal or curvy lines. If you can no longer rely on a rectangular grid for movement, how would you write the program? What sort of language might you need to introduce? (Hint: You can also try introducing new commands like "move forward until you reach an intersection" or "move forward until you hit a wall.")

Extra: Instead of using a maze on paper, write a program to navigate a person walking through your house or school. Can they move from room to room without bumping into a wall by only following your directions?

Observations and results
You probably found that it only takes one bug early on in a program to cause a crash. When solving a maze, there is little room for error-make one wrong turn and you can-literally-crash by bumping into a wall or you can get lost!

Have you ever used a computer program that crashed or played a video program with a glitch? Did you find the experience frustrating? This is why companies do lots of debugging and testing before they release a program to the public-and even so, sometimes they have to release "patches" or "updates" for a program after a bug is discovered.

More to explore
Science Activities for All Ages!, from Science Buddies
Scratcha kid-friendly way to learn to program from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Computer Science Project Ideas, from Science Buddies
This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Recent Articles by Science Buddies

Ben Finio is a senior staff scientist at Science Buddies and a lecturer at the Cornell University Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Follow him on Twitter @BenFinio.

Recent Articles by Ben Finio

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Program with Paper: A-Maze Your Friends with a Hand-Written Computer Program

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Learn more about how computer programs work by writing one yourself-to solve a maze of your own creation!

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A computer coding game is a really fun way to introduce the basic concept of computer coding to young kids. Even better if you make it a superhero computer coding game! Plus you don't actually have to have a computer, so it's a cool tech-free idea. This homemade coding game was pretty easy to set up and can be played with over and over again with any type of pieces. Use superheroes,LEGO, My Little Ponies, Star Wars, or whatever you have to learn a little about programming.

Superhero Computer Coding Game. No Computer Required.
SUPERHERO CODING FOR KIDS!
Use basic programming ideas to help Batman avoid the bad guys and get the jewels! You have to get him to move on the right path around the obstacles using basic programming commands. Plus it's an awesome STEM activity. STEM is science, technology, engineering, and math.
MAKE A COMPUTER CODING GAME BOARD
Let's get started on your computer coding game board
SUPPLIES:
I didn't even use a ruler! Amazon Affiliate links below.
Poster Board
Post It Note or Business Card Sheets {we have used these too!}
Superheroes LEGO Obstacles {or whatever you have!}
I used the size of my post it note pads (had 4 separate little pads) to determine the size of the squares to make the grid. Then I went ahead and laid out the tape using the pads lined up for reference to create a pretty straight line with the tape. Obviously if the tape is creasing and folding, you aren't straight! I wasn't going for perfection but a simple grid that was mostly straight. You can also use a marker and ruler.

HOW TO PLAY A SUPERHERO COMPUTER CODING GAME
CODING COMMAND CARDS
We used three commands. Forward. Turn Left. Turn Right. We did not label each sticky note but took the bottom one from the pile. You can cut cards and label each one with the appropriate action. Both ways are pretty reusable.
COMPUTER CODING GAME OBSTACLES
If you don't put obstacles on the board for your chosen character, you will not have a lot of fun commands to program. Set up obstacles in any of the squares. An adult can do this for kids. You can scan to make sure a route is available.
HAVE AN END POINT OR FINISH TO THE GAME
Remember the game can be different each time! You choose the obstacle placement and the finish. We chose a cluster of jewels to be our finish point. Multiple kids can play with multiple characters and multiple finish points. I used Wonder Woman and a separate set of jewels.
CHOOSE A STARTING POSITION
You can also choose to have your character start facing different directions, forward, facing left, or facing right!
WRITE THE CODE
Start the game. Write the code! You want ample space to lay the code out in front of you. You may have to overlap the cards. What is the shortest or most efficient route to get to your finish point. Lay out forward, left turn, and right turn cards as you move. You can not turn and move forward in one command. They are two separate commands. Move your character as you go.

ADVANCED VERSION: Do not move your character as you go and plan the commands out in your head and place them out on the table. Then move your character through the series of command and see if you got it right!

There are endless possibilities with this homemade computer coding game. You can even create your own special cards such as your character can push an obstacle as his/her move! Play it over and over again with a new route each time. Although this game is fun with a couple players, it can also be a great independent play game. Great rainy day activity!

Superhero Computer Coding Game for Kids

We are participating in the 28 Days of Hands-On STEM activities for kids! Check out the homepage to see a list of all the great STEM activities you can look forward to this month. Looks like some amazing ideas!
MORE STEM IDEAS FROM THIS SERIES. Click on photos.

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Computer Coding Game No Computer Needed Superhero Activity

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A computer coding game is a really fun way to introduce the basic concept of computer coding to young kids. Even better if you make it a superhero computer coding game! Plus you don't actually have to have a computer, so it's a cool tech-free idea.

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Learning Code for Preschoolers Without A Computer - Amy Pessolano

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A Free Printable Game to making learning code for preschoolers fun, even without a computer and practice basic programming skills.