Coding is JuniorGamerGuy’s Fourth Language!

Twelve-year-old JuniorGamerGuy is in the 7th grade in Ukraine, and he has lots of fantastic hobbies! He’s an incredibly impressive maker who loves black and white TV shows (his favorite two shows are the Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction) and enjoys drinking warm fresh milk from his goats every day.

He also likes creating with Minecraft and Tynker, playing on the computer, building with LEGOs, making things out of modeling clay, and spending time with his family. We caught up with JuniorGamerGuy and his mother to learn more about him and why he codes –and we learned a lot! 

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a game programmer.

What’s your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject is math.

Why do you like to code? I like to code because when I make a program and then use it, I can play with what I have created.

How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured? I felt really excited that Tynker sent me a message about getting featured on Tynker’s blog! I was really happy.

How do creativity and coding fit together for you? Well, creativity and coding are the same for me. Coding counts as creating something, and I like creating things!

How do you get inspiration for your projects? I look at other people’s projects, and ideas just come into my head.                   

What are you planning to make next? I am planning to make Minecraft LEGO Life 2 in Tynker.

What is your favorite project you’ve made so far? My favorite one is Minecraft Lego Life 1. I got 54k views and 413 likes!

Minecraft LEGO Video !!! – see more of JuniorGamerGuy’s projects here

What do you do with a project when you’re done with it? I check my project when it is done, then if it works I publish it.

How did you get introduced to Tynker? My dad introduced me to coding and Tynker!

How did you learn how to use Tynker? I dragged blocks to Codey (the little fuzzy monster in the top right corner) to see what they do.

What’s your favorite feature in Tynker? I like that you can play your projects!

Do you ever Tynker with your friends? My friends don’t Tynker, but I Tynker with my sister.

How do you think learning coding now will help you in the future? When you want a program and no one has it, you can make it yourself and use it!

Do you think other kids should try coding? Yes, I advise other kids to try coding, because coding is very useful.

What advice would you give for kids starting out with Tynker? If it doesn’t work, never ever give up – just TRY AGAIN!

Calling herself “the proud parent of JuniorGamerGuy,” his mother Alla said that she has encouraged her children “since the age of five years old to learn English and how computers function.” She impressed us with her passion for education, saying, “They have always had access to technology. They speak three languages fluently and coding is to be their fourth. I know as a parent that without the knowledge of coding they will only have a mundane life. The future is here and there is no alternative for them other than to code.”

While she doesn’t have much coding experience himself, she is an engineer and is “very computer literate.” She told us, “I have been working with computers since 1992. I know them pretty well.” Her main focus is on “building skill sets within my children that can carry them forward in the future. My time is dedicated to their personal growth and education. Computer science skills are very necessary for their future, and without these skills they will be lost.”

She said, “I encourage them to free think and apply this creativity to their coding projects. I want them to understand that whatever they think they can do in life they can achieve and these thoughts as well can be applied to coding and brought to life virtually.”

When asked what benefits coding has for her children, JuniorGamerGuy’s mother told us, “There are really too many to list! The main few are: focus has been dialed in, attention span has been completely captured, and daily child’s play is starting to come to life virtually. Their focus and desire to build has increased.”

It made us really happy to hear that Tynker has had such a positive impact in Alla’s family! She said, “I think Tynker is one of the best things that has happened to my children. My children started learning coding through this tool and as a result of this interest in coding in Minecraft I sought out Tynker.”

Thank you for speaking with us, JuniorGamerGuy and Alla! It was so great to learn more about you and why you love to code. Thank you for all your awesome contributions to the Tynker community – we can’t wait to see what else you come up with. Happy coding!