Coding for Kids
Tynker is excited to introduce new and dynamic updates designed to make coding more interactive, user-friendly, and enjoyable for children. Recognizing the growing importance of digital proficiency, these enhancements are crafted to provide young learners with vital coding abilities, preparing them for a future in a tech-centric world. Explore the world of coding with Tynker School in 2024 – tailored for educators.
Tynker School in 2024 NEW: AI Projects and Courses
Tynker sets itself apart as the sole platform offering AI block courses, creating an exceptional opportunity for educators to introduce their students to Artificial Intelligence. With engaging, webcam-enabled, AI-powered projects, these courses provide an interactive and intuitive approach to learning AI concepts. Tynker’s AI system recognizes hand and finger movements, making it an effective educational tool for Tynker School in 2024.
The courses cover a comprehensive range of AI topics, from basics to advanced areas like machine learning and computer vision, which are ideal for a thorough AI education. Tynker offers an in-depth AI with JavaScript course for students advancing in their studies, exploring sophisticated programming with Google’s MediaPipe and delving into neural networks and ethical aspects of AI. This ensures students develop practical AI skills and understand its broader impact in the tech-driven future.
NEW: Hour of Code Projects, including AI
Tynker’s Hour of Code activities are available all year and offer a captivating range of over 50 coding activities for educators to engage their students in programming. These activities, suitable for various grades, include innovative AI-powered projects like ‘Weather Control’ using AI Pose Tracking and ‘Balancing Act’ that combines physics and AI. With Tynker’s intuitive block coding and pre-trained AI models, these activities make advanced technological concepts accessible and enjoyable for students. They provide a unique opportunity for students to explore AI, coding puzzles, and game design, enhancing their coding skills in a fun and interactive way. For more detailed information and to access these activities, visit Tynker’s Hour of Code page.
NEW: Spelling Bee & Fun with Words
Launched in 2023, Tynker’s ‘My Favorite Word’ project creatively blends language and coding, offering an engaging learning experience for Grades 3-8 students. Originally part of the Hour of Code, these projects are now accessible year-round to enhance creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. In collaboration with Lumio by SMART Technologies, Tynker also offers an interactive classroom experience, including a live lesson for Computer Science Education Week. Furthermore, Tynker provides the Tynker Curriculum Grant, allowing free access to their extensive coding curriculum for up to 30 students per school year, benefiting a range of educational settings. Please refer to this video for more details on this grant and the Lumio collaboration.
Tynker School in 2024 NEW: Classroom Grant
The Tynker Curriculum Grant offers free access to Tynker’s comprehensive coding curriculum for up to 30 students per school year. It includes tailored plans for Elementary (32 courses for Grades K-5), Middle (21 courses for Grades 6-8), and High School (4 courses for Grades 9-12). This grant is open to educators using school email addresses and supports non-profit organizations running free community education programs. However, for-profit businesses like coding centers and camps are ineligible. This grant allows schools to integrate Tynker’s coding curriculum into their educational offerings. For more details, please visit the Tynker Curriculum Grant page.
ENHANCED: Character Builder
Tynker’s Character Builder is an innovative tool designed for educators to help students unleash their creativity in coding. By offering the ability to customize actors of different sizes with various animations, the tool is an excellent resource for teaching animation concepts and enhancing coding skills. Students can experiment with creating their custom animations for distinctive storylines or humorous scenarios, ranging from simple actions like flips and growth to more complex sequences. This hands-on experience boosts their programming abilities and nurtures creativity and storytelling skills.
For educators looking to diversify classroom activities, Tynker’s Character Builder provides an array of rigs:
- Larger ones in the ‘Teens’ category, perfect for platformer games, and smaller ‘Kids’ rigs, ideal for top-down gaming experiences. The tool’s flexibility to animate characters not based on rigs, using static images and costume blocks, opens up even more possibilities for creative expression.
- Additionally, the ‘Monster’ rigs, along with imaginative options like Rovers and Dragons, offer a variety of simple animations, ensuring that students of all skill levels can engage and create in an educational yet fun environment.
ENHANCED: Teacher Dashboard
Teachers, Tynker’s updated dashboard streamlines your experience with a new Help Center, simplifying classroom setup and providing immediate teaching support. The platform now offers grade-level-specific lesson suggestions for tailored teaching and a gradebook feature for a comprehensive view of student progress. Introducing concept mastery helps track students’ understanding of key coding concepts, while standards mapping ensures lessons align with educational standards. This enhanced dashboard reflects our dedication to a user-friendly and effective teaching environment on Tynker.
COMING SOON! Tynker Copilot
For educators and schools seeking to provide students with a cutting-edge learning experience in coding, Tynker Copilot represents a significant advancement. This innovative tool transforms children’s simple text prompts into comprehensive coding projects using visual code blocks, making coding more accessible and intuitive for young learners. Tynker Copilot effectively translates complex ideas into code, enabling students to understand and apply advanced coding concepts quickly. This platform isn’t just an educational resource; it’s a portal into the extensive universe of coding specifically designed for young minds.
Tynker Copilot goes beyond teaching coding basics; it nurtures creativity and enhances problem-solving abilities. Incorporating Large Language Models (LLMs) like Llama 2, the platform provides a unique coding language tailored for children, encompassing a range of topics from animation to Minecraft modding. It prioritizes privacy and safety, offering a secure and reassuring school environment. Tynker Copilot aids not only in coding and understanding code but also in real-time debugging. As Tynker continues to evolve, Tynker Copilot is becoming an essential tool in students’ educational journey, making coding as natural as conversation. We invite schools and teachers to join in this exciting evolution of coding education with Tynker Copilot.
As a leader in children’s coding education, Tynker stands out in educational technology with a curriculum that carefully guides students’ coding journey. Tailored to individual needs, it covers everything from beginners to advanced students exploring Python, ensuring meaningful coding education. In 2024, Tynker continues its mission to enrich children’s lives globally through coding, equipping them with essential future skills and fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Schools and teachers are invited to join in exploring the vast opportunities that coding with Tynker offers.
