5 toys to teach young children to learn programming

Children who learn programming have many different benefits, and there are ways to teach programming to children more easily than we think. But people think that children have to learn a lot, let them have time to play. Please let children have fun. But we have ways and tools for children to play and learn programming. In this article, the author introduces us to five items in these toys.

1. Scratch

Developed by experts at the MIT Media Lab, the world's leading technology laboratory, Scratch is a programming tool for children aged 6 and older. With a simple, easy-to-use interface and good design, Scratch is the platform that attracts many users; There are currently more than 3.5 million users, sharing more than 5.79 million projects on the official Scratch port.

With just the browser, you can start with the children and start "proclaiming" the world to know "programming is as easy as playing".

In Vietnam, some small groups are trying to bring Scratch to the community, as a positive move after the "all-people learning" calls of big names like President Obama, billionaire Bill Gates or Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

2. Alice

Perhaps this is the most famous tool in the industry. Born very early (1998) from one of the leading software schools (Carnegie Mellon University), Alice is a 3D programming tool for children to practice logical thinking, starting to learn programming. However, this heavy tool cannot run on browsers like Scratch, you will have to download it with almost 1GB of storage. But when you need an advanced tool to teach difficult concepts in object-oriented programming, you may have to study Alice carefully. There are many places that have succeeded in teaching Alice, also have many positive research results from teaching Alice, adequate books and instructional materials are an important feature to choose Alice as a teaching tool set up. submission for young children.

In Vietnam, a number of universities and colleges have put Alice in to introduce programming for students.

3. Tynker

Those who own iPads really can't ignore the great Tynker tool. The lessons are well designed in the form of very attractive games. Games like this (called gamification) are a very promising trend in education. It is an interesting idea instead of letting children play a ship or slash fruit, play Tynker and develop logical thinking and step by step familiarity with programming.

Unfortunately, Android fans don't have Tynker to play on their devices yet.

This toy is suitable for children 6 years and older. Do not prohibit the elderly.

4. Hopscotch

Currently a popular app on Apple's AppStore, Hopscotch is a more creative tool (like Scratch) than a game-learning programming tool (like Tynker). However, to be creative, children also need to "experience" things like coordinates, events, basic controls such as linear commands, repeat commands … This is an interesting way to introduce. Thinking programming.

With a very natural and exciting experience on leading technology devices, Hopscotch is currently receiving very high ratings from network media, from TechCrunch, the Huffington Post to Parents -Choice.org site. .

5. Move the turtle

This is the only free app on this list. However, if you really care about a well-designed software, there is a unique philosophy that inherits from the Logo of the leading educator, MIT professor S.Papert; And, if you don't want to sit too long to support the kids who play, you can't help but consider spending more than US $ 2 to buy kids to play.

Move the turtle designing in a self-directed direction, you won't have to interfere or instruct the child much.

The award-winning software of Parents Choice, available only on Apple AppStore, is suitable for children 5 years of age and older.

ITZone via tapchilaptrinh