Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 6th grader Aleena from Ontario, Canada! When she grows up, she wants to be a mechanical and electrical engineer. Incredible! Meanwhile, her hobbies are nature photography, bird watching, reading adventure novels, and of course coding. Aleena recently spoke with us about her experience coding with Tynker.
How did you get introduced to Tynker?
I got introduced to Tynker at summer camp. I’ve been coding for three years.
How did you learn to use Tynker?
When I first started to learn how to use Tynker my classmates and I gave each other instructions before we did Tynker coding on the iPads. The first course I did was the Tynker Space Quest. My favorite Tynker tutorial is Augment Your Reality using the AR blocks.
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
Since I started using Tynker my coding skills have improved significantly.
How did you feel when your project was featured?
When I found out my project had been featured, I was happy and shared the joy with my family and friends.
What’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
My favorite project I’ve made so far is Surf Olympics. I like the surfing characters I drew.
How do you get inspiration for your projects?
I get most of my inspiration from nature and events happening in my daily life.
Why do you like to code?
I like to code because I can express myself, make a positive impact, and inspire other kids like me to share their own story.
What’s your favorite way to use code?
My favorite code block is play sound because it can bring stories, animations, and games to life.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
When I’m done with my project, I first debug it, then I show my family and friends to get feedback. Finally, I publish the project.
What are you planning to make next?
Next, I’m planning to make a zero-plastic project for Plastic Free July to reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste in our everyday life.
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
The best thing about Tynker is the interactivity which enables me to share my projects in the community.
Has learning to code prepared you for the future?
Learning to code prepared me with the necessary skills such as creating, problem-solving, planning, designing, and debugging for my future career.
Do you think other kids should try coding?
I think other kids should try coding because they can create anything they can imagine.
What advice would you give to kids starting to code with Tynker?
If you’re starting out with Tynker, I advise them to begin planning out their projects before coding it and follow tutorials if they need help with any of the code.
What’s your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject in school is science because I can learn new things while doing hands-on experiments.
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you?
One of the stories I wrote will be published in an anthology soon.
Anything you’d like to add before we’re finished?
I’m grateful for Tynker that learning to code is possible for millions of students worldwide in an educational and engaging way.
Parent Questions
Aleena’s mother, Aziguli, spoke with us about her daughter learning to code with Tynker:
Aleena enjoys coding and expresses her ideas by making different projects with Tynker. Since she was introduced to coding at summer camp, she learned how to make games, animated stories, and composing music with Tynker code blocks. When she shared her projects with the family, I felt very impressed by what she created with Tynker.
What benefits do you think coding has for Aleena?
I am really happy that Aleena not just learned how to code, but also learned the strategies of solving real-life problems. Tynker helped her to be more creative, more confident, and helped her better understand the technologies around her.
Do you feel that she’s better prepared for the future?
I think by coding with Tynker Aleena is better prepared for the future. Tynker improved her digital skills that are necessary for future workforces. Aleena never gives up when she debugs her projects. I think this is a great way to learn and stay optimistic.
How do you support her coding endeavors?
By motivating Aleena with positive feedback for her projects, providing her more supportive coding resources, and encouraging her to finish her projects until she reaches her goal. I would like to support Aleena with more coding challenges so that she can be more confident especially when coding skills are important in this fast-growing technology world.
What do you think of Tynker?
I think Tynker is a safe and fun learning platform that engages kids with lots of exciting coding activities.
Thank you!
We want to thank Aleena and her mother for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what she creates next – HAPPY CODING!
