10 The Modern Family Education & schooling Cracking the code
Helping your child with their homework may seem a chore at the best of times. Introduce coding, and things can get really tricky. We’ve found some great online guides to help navigate the choppy seas of technological language. Words: Helen Warwick
and tech geeks, computer programming is entering the mainstream, and it’s now seen as an essential skill for 21st-century living. There’s every chance you’ll be faced with the task of guiding your child through it. Daunted? Confused? Baffled by even the simplest of commands? We’ve rounded up five handy apps and online resources for child-based learning, to filter through the jargon and introduce the basics of this very modern language.
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CodeSpark Academy Combining fun games with genuine coding principles, this award-winning app introduces a clutch of characters — The Foos — to guide young minds through a range of computer science concepts, from sequencing to conditionals. Cleverly designed puzzles, interactive stories and games help with problem-solving, and savvy play areas lead kids through simple algorithms.
codespark.com
Helping with homework. PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY
Made with Code by Google This initiative was designed to close the gender gap in computer coding and encourage girls to jump on the bandwagon at an earlier age. Made with Code is a collection of free and interesting interactive projects for different skill sets that are designed to inspire — not intimidate — using fun and visual tools. Made with Code has something for everyone whether they’re a complete novice or an intermediate.
madewithcode.com
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icture the scenario: you, your child and a pile of coding homework. Once the reserve of IT specialists
ScratchJr A free coding app with an impressive reputation, Scratch has been introducing kids to code since its inception in 2007. Its revolutionary block-based approach is an ingenious way of pulling together the basic concepts — in essence, kids create animations with building blocks that mirror the structure of computer code, making characters come to life with movement and sound. Buoyed by its phenomenally popular online community, users develop their skills and learn to think creatively and laterally.
scratchjr.org
Tynker Another free coding app that starts at the beginning, Tynker is jam-packed with thousands of activities designed to flex your child’s logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Kids engage in its revolutionary suite of games, which really helps them grasp the basics, and the handy parents’ section gives you a leg up with a bunch of tips and tricks to get you started.
tynker.com
Khan Academy This heavyweight educational website has evolved into one of the most reputable, with its assortment of free online courses in all sorts of subjects. Sign up to one of its coding courses and you’ll have a thorough chronicling of this complex language at your fingertips in easy-to-understand instructions and examples. Covers areas such as drawing animation with JavaScript, making web pages, games and visualisations, and managing data.
khanacademy.org/computing
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That’s something we know all about. For the past 100 years, in the world’s toughest places, we’ve been fighting to make sure children survive, stay safe and get the chance to learn.
That’s something we know all about. For the past 100 years, in the world’s toughest places, we’ve been fighting to make sure children survive, stay safe and get the chance to learn.
Are you ready to run with us as we celebrate our centenary?
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