Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 4th grader Jett from Maryland! He likes to play video games, his favorites right now being Minecraft and Roblox Minecraft. Jett recently spoke with us about his experience coding with Tynker:
How did you get introduced to Tynker?
When I decided that I wanted to learn coding, I found Tynker, and then I saw that it was cool so I started giving Tynker a try.
How did you learn to use Tynker?
I just started doing it because lots of blocks made sense. And eventually, I figured out what some of the blocks did.
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
When I started I barely knew what everything did. I also looked in the community to figure stuff out, and then I just got better at it.
How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
I was like, wow!!
What’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
Probably Ice Cream because it was for a media expo, and I won a gold medal.
Where did you get the idea for the project?
I wanted to make a game for the media expo. I just started looking at my old projects that were kind of unfinished, and I saw this ice cream game project that I barely started so I decided to finish it, and then put it in the media expo. I think it took two weeks.
How do you usually get inspiration for your projects?
I just kind of think of things and think it’s like a good idea and try to make it.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
I just see if there’s any bugs or cool updates I can make to it. And then once I think it’s the best it could be, I publish it.
Why do you like to code?
It’s just fun to make your own games and see how people like it.
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
That you can make your own games and show it to everyone.
Do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future?
If I want to be a game developer then I kinda have to know how to code.
Do you think other kids should try coding?
Yeah, cuz it’s just really fun!
What advice would you give to kids starting with Tynker?
Just always be patient.
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you?
My dog is from Mexico, and we got her as a rescue on vacation.
Parent Questions
Jett’s mother, Rebecca, spoke with us about her son learning to code with Tynker:
I think it’s amazing. I mean, some kids come home from school or just, you know, spend the whole weekend playing video games. So to see Jett create his own games is amazing.
As a parent, you wonder how much you should limit the video gameplay. But when I see him using Tynker, and he’s creating these games that he’s thinking of the inspiration for and he is, you know, showing his patience and problem-solving techniques.
It’s just pretty amazing to watch him work out these kinks and stay patient through it all and not get too frustrated and then see the end result which is always something pretty amazing.
Do you think coding has helped him in other areas?
I think it has helped him with his confidence. You know, I think when you’re a little kid and you’re trying to figure out where you fit in or what you want to do and what your favorite things are, it’s really hard.
So I think coding and Tynker has given him a lot of confidence where he can, you know, find that creative outlet and just make these games, and then when he sees the kind of response that he gets, whether it’s 200,000 views or whether it’s just his family members playing the games and telling him how great they are. It’s a pretty cool thing.
What skills does it help him learn?
Problem-solving. Just, you know, not going crazy with frustration in life. You go through times where things don’t work out as you plan and that’s just part of life. I think he gets this little taste of that with Tynker because he’ll have an idea, and we’ll play the game or he’ll play the game and he sees that it didn’t work out how he thought.
So he takes a step back. He figures out what he needs to do to correct the problem. And then when he corrects it, you know, he’s excited and I think that those are just skills that are going to take him very far in life. When things don’t go your way, you’ll find a way to push through and make it work and it will be okay.
Do you feel that he’s better prepared for the future?
Absolutely. We live in a world where technology is just off the charts. I think he has a really bright future, and if he wants to be a solo game developer, I have no doubts that we will be here for him every step of the way.
Thank you!
We want to thank Jett and his mother for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what he creates next – HAPPY CODING!
