Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 5th grader Doug from West Virginia! When he grows up, he’d like to be a computer programmer! Besides coding, he likes baseball and soccer. And his favorite subject in school is math! Doug recently spoke with us about his experience coding with Tynker:
How did you get introduced to Tynker?
My dad’s a computer programmer. That’s why I started Tynker!
How long have you been coding?
Two or three years.
How did you learn to use Tynker?
I started with my school iPad. Our teacher for robotics showed us some coding apps. Then I started doing it at home because I liked it so much.
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
They’ve improved dramatically. I didn’t even know how to move a code block when I first started as a beginner but now I can create a game.
How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
I was really excited. I was like Dad, Dad, Mom, Mom! My project has so many views. And my dad’s like they want to interview me and I’m like, yeah, that means I did really well on my projects!
What’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
My favorite overall is Turbine Clicker. That was my most famous!
How long did it take you to make?
It took me about a day to make.
Where did you get the idea for your project?
I got it from the community. I saw how a bunch of people were making clickers and stuff. And then when I went to school, I was learning about how renewable and just regular energy was made. So I just combined those together, and I made a turbine.
How do you get inspiration for your projects?
When I go to the community, I see people way ahead of me with millions of views on their projects. And I’ve been trying so hard just to learn how to get better. That’s my main goal.
Why do you like to code?
Mostly because whenever you code it just feels right. Because when you’re coding, it’s fine. It’s hard. And you get through. You face a lot of problems. And you just have to keep going until you finally finish those problems.
What’s your favorite way to use code?
If I had a favorite code block, like, the onStart is kind of regular because everything has to have that, but my most favorite code block will probably be the first or the Forever.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
First, I don’t show it to anybody. I like to go through it and make sure there are no bugs really. And then once I figured out that there are no bugs, I publish it.
What are you planning to make next?
Probably some sort of game with triggers where you can move, like maybe an escape through.
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
You come, you face problems, and you have to defeat those problems to move away and that’s probably the best thing I think.
Has learning to code prepared you for the future?
Because not many people really know how to code. And I think that just learning the first steps of coding would have helped me.
Do you think other kids should try coding?
I do because it seems really fun to me!
What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker?
If you, like, fail on any of your projects, just keep trying!
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that I have really different opinions about the world.
Parent Questions
Doug’s father, also a Doug, spoke with us about his son learning to code with Tynker:
It’s very exciting actually to know that he enjoys it. I think your platform does a really good job of giving them exposure. So you know, when he started seeing the likes and the hearts on his projects, man, it just exploded. And I think that positive feedback is really crucial for coding, especially in the learning phase because it is complicated.
Has coding helped him in other areas?
Well, it’s probably the math. And like I said, you know, in general troubleshooting and debugging, and being able to systematically figure out where the error is in my line and being able to go back and correct that and see it work correctly. I think that’s a great thing.
What other skills does coding teach?
Patience and to think outside the box, right? So when you’re troubleshooting, you get to think of what could possibly happen. So if it doesn’t seem like it’s working the best way, you can try another method.
Do you feel that he’s better prepared for the future?
I do. Absolutely. Very thankful for that. Everything is going to have a computer, right? We’re already there in the world. I think getting him a step ahead and giving him something to start with and then being able to branch out into multiple different languages, I think this is the icebreaker.
Thank you!
We want to thank Doug and his father for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what he creates next – HAPPY CODING!
