What’s Next? Teach Your Preschooler to Code!
Do your kids know how to code yet?
The teach-kids-to-code movement appears to be gaining traction. From the week-long nationwide “Hour of Code” campaign (the brainchild of Code.org founders), to open source CoderDojo clubs and sessions, along with local coding camps and other resources, children of all ages are being introduced to computer science.
Even the President chimed in. “Don’t just play on your phone -- program it,” says President Obama in a video created to promote the “Hour of Code.”
However, under new guidelines for managing child and adolescent media use, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: “Limit entertainment screen time to less than one or two hours per day; in children under two, discourage screen media exposure.” That includes not only the TV, but also your smartphone and tablet.
In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends pediatricians ask two media-consumption questions at every well-child visit: First, how much recreational screen time does your child or teenager consume daily? And second, is there a television set or Internet-connected device in the child’s bedroom? The operative word here is “recreational,” because even if it’s online learning, it’s still time spent in front of a screen.
However, children as young as three can still become one of the cool kids and learn some coding concepts in a fun way—without sitting in front of a screen. A board game that promises to “teach your kids to code before they learn to read” has been generating buzz at the 2014 International American Toy Fair.
Originally launched on Kickstarter, where its originators say it became the bestselling board game in Kickstarter history, Robot Turtles will be introduced with a target age group of four to eight years by Thinkfun, a publisher of kids’ educational games.
The concept originated with a former Google programmer, Dan Shapiro, who wanted to give his own kids “the superpower anyone could wish for - an understanding of computer programming.” A company spokesperson told Mashable, "If parents don't work at Google all day, they might not know the best way to introduce coding and other tech to kids."
The beauty of the game is that it combines old-fashioned board games with learning new technology. Watch the video overview of the Robot Turtles game below, and tell us what you think.
