Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 6th grader Pranathi from California! She likes to play the clarinet and her other hobbies include reading and drawing. Awesome! Pranathi recently spoke with us about her experience coding with Tynker.
How long have you been coding?
Well, it’s been a while now. I remember I started coding when I was younger, working my way up to Python, JavaScript, and HTML CSS.
Wow, you’re already into those text-coding languages. That’s amazing.
Thank you.
How did you learn to use Tynker?
I just started working things out. I liked how the Tynker courses were very adaptable, and I could work at my own pace. It was challenging, but not too challenging, so it was very good for me. So I did some of the basic courses, and then as I started getting more used to block coding, I started making more projects.
Do you have an idea of what you want to do when you grow up?
It depends. I want to be a scientist or maybe an interior designer.
That’s really cool.
I have many interests, but I know being an author is definitely on the list.
So what’s your favorite subject in school?
Definitely English. I really like English because it introduces me to new things. And also it’s actually very fun for me.
Very nice. So have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
Most of my projects were just really basic ones in the beginning. They were things that didn’t appeal to the public. It was just small snippets of code, just very small pieces. Like, I made a small animation of a cat.
But then I started making more complex versions of block coding and one of them got 25 likes. So it was like a game, and it allowed you to do different activities. So, I’ve been making games with block coding recently, and I’ve been doing slideshows or things like that with HTML CSS.
Excellent. How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
I was just so, so happy. I couldn’t believe it. I was just really happy. I was really excited to hear the news.
So what’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
It was a simulation of you going up a mountain. And then there was another one, a simulation like you’re snorkeling underwater. And then there was also a timer and lessons on the environment, food change, and recycling.
That’s great. How do you get inspiration for your projectS?
Sometimes it’s the books I read, sometimes it’s the things I do. Sometimes an idea pops into my head, and I just code it.
Why do you like to code?
It’s just very fun. It helps me express my creativity so I can do whatever I want. And it’s also very practical. You can use it in the real world.
Absolutely. What’s your favorite way to use code?
Sometimes I like making functions to make the code clear when I’m using block coding. And I also always use a lot of motion in mine, and sometimes visual effects, like color changing.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
Sometimes, if it’s a really big project, I usually look through the code, fix the tiny errors. Then sometimes I show it to my parents either before it’s done or after it’s done. And at the very end, I always publish it.
What are you planning to make next?
I’m already working on a Life 2, the prehistoric edition featuring Dinos.
Excellent. I look forward to seeing it.
Thank you.
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
The best thing about Tynker is that there’s not too much pressure on you. It’s like home school, but it’s at a nice pace. You can take a break if you want to. It’s very adaptable, and it’s also very fun.
Do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future?
Well, I know a lot of people who work in code, usually text coding, which I’m learning. I know that if I learn Python, I can use it when I grow up. So mostly that’s what I’m focusing on.
Do you think other kids should try coding?
Definitely. Because, number one, it prepares you for the future. Number two, it can help you with math. And number three, it’s just fun. It’s a way to express yourself.
What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker?
I think you should just take it easy. Challenge yourself, but don’t challenge yourself too much. Just make sure you’re having fun and learning at the same time.
That’s great advice. What’s a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that I don’t have a favorite book because I’ve read too many.
Excellent job, Pranathi. I really enjoyed chatting with you. Now, I’m going to ask your mother some questions.
Parent Questions
We asked Pranathi’s mother, Lakshmi, about her daughter coding with Tynker:
Oh, wow. She started out really young. And she really liked Tynker because it was like playing games in the beginning and her friends started coding, and they recommended Tynker.
She started playing games and learning how to code as well, and it kept her engaged. She would love to do Tynker every day, all the time. So it’s really engaging for younger kids as well as old.
And the best part is, we encouraged her not to give up whenever she made errors, and she kept going on and on, and she improved her skills. And now she’s making her own games because she likes to draw and everything.
So whatever she learns in class she uses those concepts, and then she uses coding and makes games out of it. So she’s just improving, and she’s loving it and having fun, which is great.
That’s amazing. What benefits do you think coding has for her?
I would say logical thinking and also creativity. And she loves to draw and paint and everything, so we just told her, you know you can use coding and your drawing skills. Maybe you can become a game developer someday. It gets her ready because you need computers nowadays and maybe in the future as well. So it’s great.
Yeah, for sure. Do you feel she’s better prepared for the future?
Yes, definitely, because Tynker always introduces new concepts. I even saw AI and data science. So it’s great that they’re introducing each new concept in a fun way, and it’s raising kids to just explore on their own time, and that’s amazing.
How do you support her coding endeavors?
She shows me her concepts, and as soon as she codes something, she asks me what I think about it. And I do give her feedback, and sometimes she likes it, and she develops the idea, and she changes it according to the feedback, or she just keeps on going and making it better and better. So yeah. I’m so proud of her.
And you should be. She’s a featured maker. Congratulations and thank you both for meeting with me.
Thank you so much. Tynker is great, and we just expect Tynker to be better and better, and I think Pranathi will be on Tynker for a long, long time.
That’s fantastic. We want to thank Pranathi 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!
