Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, Riley, an 8-year-old from England! He likes to color, draw, and play video games. He also likes computing and math because he’s very good at it! Riley talked with us about his experience coding with Tynker:
How did you get introduced to coding?
I started coding in school!
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
A lot! Now I know how to use the broadcast block.
How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
I felt so excited! I told my mom and dad!
What’s the favorite project you’ve made so far?
It’s called, My Game and SpongeBob ClickPants!
Where did you get the idea for your project?
I just started creating and it turned out to be my favorite!
How do you get inspiration for your projects?
I just create random games, but sometimes I’ll get inspiration from life!
Why do you like to code?
Because you can create things and whatever you want!
What’s your favorite way to use code?
New variables and new functions!
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
I see what level I am at in my game, and then I’ll publish it!
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
Tynker has so many blocks that I like!
Has learning to code prepared you for the future?
I want to have a place where I can teach children how to code!
Do you think other kids should try coding?
Yes!
Do you have an idea of what you want to be when you grow up?
A coder maybe? Game creator?
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you? I make some really silly creations!
Riley’s mother, Sarah, talked with us about her son learning to code with Tynker:
Well, I’m very proud of him. Some of the things he’s learning and talking about just seem amazing. It’s just really incredible that you can do all of that and the fact he understands them as well and enjoys it. There’s a lot of logic in it, and he just seems to have really taught himself everything.
Do you think coding has helped him in other areas?
I think it’s helped a lot. I mean we’ve encouraged him to learn more. I think it helps him with logical things because he can calculate things and work with the code he’s using. It’s probably going to help him as well at school. And he seems to really enjoy it so we’re very encouraged that he likes it, and we want to learn more about it.
What benefits do you think coding has for him?
I think in this day of technology we need to know how to use computers and things. And, he got so excited when he saw that there was a web-based version, and it had more features and things and he was just straightaway trying to learn more and understand it. I think it will help him to be able to use technology in other areas.
I think it will be helpful for other things, maybe in the future if he wants to work in that or study those kinds of subjects. And even in the kind of disciplinary aspect of it like patience and learning not to get frustrated easily and that kind of thing and trying to work it out if there’s a problem, problem-solving, as well.
Do you feel that your child is better prepared for the future?
Yeah, I do. I think he is quite far ahead with things like this, and we didn’t have computers like they do now. But there are words he’s using and things he’s coming out with that we didn’t know anything like that when we were that age.
So, I think he’s very clever to have got as far as he has already, and I just think he’ll keep learning and developing the knowledge. I think it’ll have good transferable skills into other areas.
Thank you!
We want to thank Riley and his mother for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what Riley creates next – HAPPY CODING!
