Coding for Kids
Our 2020 Summer Code Jam is well under way, and we’re so excited to talk to some of our winners to learn more about them, their awesome projects, and their experiences with Tynker!
Elizabeth was one of the winners of Week 1 of our Summer Code Jam! Elizabeth spoke to us from her home in Vancouver, Canada where she’s headed into 6th grade. Elizabeth loves to code, but she also likes to draw and read. Her favorite subject is art because, as she told us, “you can be free and there are no rules!” We’ve certainly been lucky to see Elizabeth express herself through code!
We talked to Elizabeth about her experience with Tynker and with the Summer Code Jam!
How did you get introduced to Tynker and how long have you been coding?
I think since grade three. I went to a school where there was a coding club, and I really liked it.
How did you feel when you found out you had won? My mom woke me up and she whispered in my ear that I won! I ran out of my bed and I jumped around in circles!
What is your favorite project you’ve made so far? What do you like about it? So far? It has to be my guy! He’s just too cute.
How long did it take you to complete the project? My little dude dancing took me until Friday. So it started on Monday. Then I finished it on Friday. I sent it out on Saturday because we just checked one more time.
Did you have any interesting challenges that you had to figure out – like how to move legs or add the right music? At one point my guy – you know how he’s supposed to turn to the sides when he dances? He was turning upside down! He would turn upside down and the notes wouldn’t move. So I had to change that. Now he’s doing the left/right sequence thing.
How do you get inspiration for your projects? Sometimes I look online, sometimes I look at other people, sometimes I just draw something or code something. And then it turns into this big thing. And then I’m like, “Yay, that’s awesome!”
Why do you like to code? Just…fun! It’s just so much fun.
How have your coding skills improved since you started using Tynker? I didn’t know about the “On Start!” I’d put in all these like block codes or JavaScript things, but then I didn’t put “On Start.” So I would always press play and wonder why it’s not working.
What is your favorite way to use code? Do you have a favorite code block? My favorite code block is “On Start!”
What’s the best thing about Tynker? That there’s multiple people using it! You can look at other people’s code, because sometimes you’re trying different things. I’ve tried lots of different coding apps, websites, things like that. Tynker is probably the best one, because you can see other people’s projects, you can see what other people have done. And then you can change their ideas or find ideas that kind of are cool things.
How do you think learning to code has prepared you for the future? I could go into NASA!
Do you think other kids should try coding? Yes! It’s just fun. It tells you how to make websites. And a bunch of other things I can’t name right now. For example, creativity, it teaches you things, it helps with my math.
Elizabeth’s mom Samantha told us she loves that Elizabeth is learning to code, and that she’s picking it up like a sponge! “It’s an extension of her creativity,” she told us. Samantha, a creative herself, thinks Elizabeth is learning valuable lessons about the creative process. She also noted that “[Coding] helps in abstract thought and in actually having to look at something and break it down into its parts and elements.”
Samantha told us that Elizabeth is drawing ties between coding and other subjects. “She sees the relevance in her other subjects, whether it’s math or art or something else, and how it all comes together into what she loves!”
Even though Samantha isn’t too familiar with coding, she’s able to support Elizabeth in her coding endeavors because of Tynker. She told us that they’ve only been coding consistently since April or May, and that she loves how much content Tynker has. “It’s clear there’s room for advancement, which is great. What else can you ask for?”
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Elizabeth and Samantha! On behalf of the Tynker Team, congratulations again on your win. We can’t wait to see what you make next!
