Pygame With Code Angel

Learning to build video games is a popular reason kids are excited to try coding. Code Angel has some great Python game projects with videos to teach Pygame concepts. Code Angel gives students the code, images and audio to make a great game. Instead of typing the full code into an editor, I created a few templates for each video tutorial that makes starting with game development even easier for students. Continue reading

Web Development 101

Children know what a web page is, but if you have a child who wants to learn web development, it’s important to know the main parts that make up a website. Websites are build using a combination of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language and creates the structure of the website. It’s a blueprint for how the site will be designed. Examples of HTML elements use tags like <h1>, <div>, and <p>. Continue reading

Start the New Year Coding with Scratch

Happy New Year! 2021 is a new beginning and it’s the perfect time to introduce a child to coding by learning Scratch. Scratch is a coding language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations – and share your creations with others around the world. As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st century. Continue reading

Konami Code

Kids love secret codes and one of the most famous secret codes is: ⬆️ ⬆️ ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬅️ ➡️ ⬅️ ➡️ 🅱️ 🅰️ This sequence of button presses was originally used as a cheat code in classic video games developed by Konami. Today the Konami Code can unlock hidden easter eggs in some modern video games and websites. An example is the WWF-UK site, when the code is entered, the panda logo spins a few times. Continue reading

Python Is Fun!

One of my students this week said “Python is Fun!” Coding is an important skill for kids to have and I try to make sure my students are always excited to learn more. Younger students often begin with Scratch code blocks (which we’ll cover in a future post) but I often get asked what’s the best way for more advanced students to get started with Python? I’ve found that Python with Turtles on Trinket is a great way for kids to begin their Python journey. Continue reading