Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 7th grader Amaya from Georgia! In addition to designing video games, she wants to be a veterinarian and a third-grade teacher when she grows up! Amaya talked with us about her experience coding with Tynker:
How did you get introduced to Tynker?
My mom was like, do you want to code on a coding website? I’m like sure what’s it called, and my mom was like Tynker. It was about two years ago!
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
When I started I didn’t know how to use variables or functions or lists or anything like that and now I literally have used functions and variables for my Tynker code Jam Project, and that was very simple. I put it together in like 30 minutes!
How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
It was like a sugar rush. For at least 30 minutes I was just running around in circles, punching my pillow because I was just trying to get rid of all that excitement.
What’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
There’s so many of my most recent projects I’m extremely proud of.
How do you get inspiration for your projects?
Books! But sometimes I’ll surf the web!
Why do you like to code?
Because it’s fun, extremely fun, to use the code and it’s fun getting ideas!
What’s your favorite way to use code?
My favorite code block is the function block. You can just make a function, so I’m having this long string of code with things happening over and over again.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
I see if there’s any bugs. I can show it to my sister, or I can show it to my parents, depending on how I feel about it!
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
It’s that you can share and create and basically you can show the world your happiness and your inspiration for projects and help inspire others!
What’s your favorite subject in school?
Science because you get to learn about the world around you!
Has learning to code prepared you for the future?
It’s prepared me a lot! I’ve been coding for about 4 or 5 years now!
Do you think other kids should try coding?
Yes, I think we should try to teach code so that way they can learn how and be able to actually express their feelings on to a good thing, like an actual place that’s very friendly to kids.
What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker?
My advice is that when you are coding, if you don’t like your code, then you can always look at it and see what you like best about that and keep that part and just move it somewhere else. That’s what I do sometimes.
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that when I am reading a book, there’s no way to stop me from reading the book, no matter what!
How did you come up with your Code Jam idea?
I literally just saw the picture on the front of the Code Jam and I was like, I should make something that looks like this!
Have you done a Tynker Code Jam before?
This is actually my second one. I did it the entirety of the Code Jam last year!
How long did it take you to complete the project?
About 30 minutes. I was like this is easy. I’m just gonna sit here experimenting, playing with the code until it looks good!
Will you keep learning more about coding?
Yeah, I’m actually trying to learn about that right now!
Amaya’s dad, Matthew, spoke with us about his daughter coding with Tynker:
I’m all for her learning how to code, both my wife and I are computer people. And we’ve always encouraged them to, if they’re interested in coding, to pursue it because it’s a very valuable skill to have. And they just, they love it, and we’re always encouraging them, and the projects that both of my girls come up with are amazing.
How do you support Amaya’s coding endeavors?
I’ve always tried to let them have their own computers to do coding with. They had to earn them by doing chores to be able to get it, and we gave them fairly decent computers in our opinion.
What benefits do you think coding has for her?
I think it’s helping her kind of organize her thoughts. I know it helped me too when I first learned how to code.
Do you feel she is better prepared for the future?
Yes absolutely. Knowing how to program is a very important skill in today’s world with all the technology that we have. There’s so much now that you just have to have those kinds of skills in order to succeed.
Thank you!
We want to thank Amaya and her dad for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what Amaya creates next – HAPPY CODING!
