Coding for Kids
Meet our newest Featured Maker, 8th grader Wes from the Badger State, Wisconsin! He wants to be a coder when he grows up, but for now he likes to shoot baskets and play tag with his siblings. Wes talked with us about his experience coding with Tynker:
How did you get introduced to Tynker?
My dad found it, and he thought it would be a great thing for us to do last summer during COVID since we’re all stuck at home and doing it for a year.
How did you learn to use Tynker?
Well, I started with Minecraft modding. And then, my older brother taught me a little bit of the ropes as far as animating and building games.
Have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker?
I started knowing absolutely nothing about coding, and now I have the ability to create animations, games, and lots and lots of Mods For Minecraft.
How did you feel when you found out your project had been featured?
Pretty great, we all cheered her at our house!
What’s your favorite project you’ve made so far?
I’m making a tower defense game. I’m really proud of it! I just like it because it’s a whole lot of new concepts, and it’s very challenging. So, I’m enjoying learning how to use more advanced code!
How do you get inspiration for your projects?
A lot of it has to do with games that I play like Zelda and Minecraft and things like that. I can pull things from there and add it to my code and try to find game ideas. And a lot of it comes from my brothers and my sister, and they have lots of ideas!
Why do you like to code?
I like to code because, I don’t know, it helps keep me learning and keeps me expanding my mind.
What’s your favorite way to use code?
I don’t know, I’ve been working a lot with functions lately and variables.
What do you do with a project when you’re done with it?
Well, my dad has been very good at breaking my games so I have him test them out. He’s my beta tester!
What’s the best thing about Tynker?
Ah, that’s hard. You have a good community. I enjoy creating with my siblings and so probably just the normal block coding format, and I really enjoy the Minecraft modding.
Do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future?
It’s created a new path, as far as becoming a programming or game designer. It’s created a new understanding that will help me grow.
Do you think other kids should try coding?
Yes, definitely, because It’s lots of fun, and it kind of involves lots of people, and it makes people smile so it’s, it’s great.
What advice would you give to kids starting out with Tynker?
Just stick with it because if your project doesn’t end up working the way you want it, you can always come back and use code that you learned from other things to fix it. And if you stick with it, you’ll learn code that you can use for other projects.
What’s your favorite subject in school?
Math is always helpful with coding so it’s kind of interlock.
Bonus: What’s a fun fact about you?
I’m a cancer survivor!
How did you come up with your Code Jam idea?
We had gone to the beach with my cousins earlier, so that may have been part of it. But, I just thought it was a great scene, and I kind of used what was there at that beach to put in the one that I drew.
How long did it take you to complete the project?
5 days.
Did you have any interesting challenges?
This is my first time using a pen. So this is my first pen project. So, yeah, creating the circle is really hard until I learned that you can just up the size of the pen and just use that as a circle.
Are you going to do other Tynker Code Jam Challenges?
Yes, as many as I can!
Do you like to code and will you keep learning more about it?
Yes, yeah, I’m trying to work on the JavaScript course now.
Wes’ mother, Kelly, spoke with us about her son learning to code with Tynker:
Wes is super creative so I love that he has gotten into this, and I get to see the things that he has made. He’s always impressing me with the ideas he comes up with. And the new different types of codes that you guys bring in that he’s like, oh I could try that and so it’s really interesting to watch him grow and use his super awesome creative ability.
How do you support his coding endeavors?
A lot of this stuff I don’t understand. But I watched him do it and then I just am pretty much completely impressed. So I think that’s encouraging to him. He has projects at school that he’s learned some of this coding stuff to help him make his projects at school even cooler than they were. He learned some things from Tynker. He’s like, I can also add more, which is really neat.
What benefits do you think coding has for Wes?
I think perseverance because coding can go horribly wrong and then he perseveres past that and when he finally gets it to work, it’s exciting to see.
Do you feel that he’s better prepared for the future?
Definitely. I think all the things that he’s gone through, just going through the Code Jam and trying different things that he’s never tried before, has been very stretching for him. But he’s really progressed, I think, in a lot of areas. I mean, besides like just technically, but like perseverance and like keeping on going and trying, so it’s been good.
Thank you!
We want to thank Wes and his mom for taking the time to speak with us about coding with Tynker. We can’t wait to see what Amaya creates next – HAPPY CODING!
