IT from the cradle. 6 games that will introduce children to programming

If you are in love with programming, you will want to drag your child “to this side” one day. Of course, it is too early to tell a one-year-old about JSON (although it will work as a lullaby), but with children 4+ you can already touch the basics. Special games for children will help with this – 6 of them are collected in this post. Some are suitable for preschoolers, others – for older children.

The creators write that with the help of such games you can pump up algorithmic thinking, sequences, cycles, branching and other superpowers of a programmer. So take the post to bookmarks and, as usual, tell in the comments what your children play and the result.

Games for five-year-olds

First, games intended for children aged 4–5. Of course, this does not mean that older children cannot play them. But this is the lower limit.

Scratch Junior

The collection opens with the cartoon-style Scratch Junior app. The game is free! There are versions for iOS and Android, and the app is also available in the Amazon and Chrome online stores.

In Scratch Junior, children can create complex interactive stories, bring characters to life, and program their reactions to certain events. The set also includes movements, from simple walking to dancing. All of this can be set using separate logical blocks, each of which is responsible for certain capabilities.

As the game progresses, the child begins to understand what algorithms, cycles, and animation are. He develops the ability to think logically, which will always come in handy in the future, even if he fails to get hooked on programming.

Box Island

The plot of Box Island is simple: the player goes on a journey around the island and collects scattered stars. As in the previous game, children learn to create sequences of actions, set algorithms and understand cycles.

The game has 100 levels at once. If the child likes it, he will not be bored: the young gamer will have the opportunity to conquer new horizons.

And here are the basics of programming that children learn through this game:

• algorithmic thinking;

• pattern recognition;

• sequences;

• cycles;

• branching;

• debugging.

Lightbot

The game is available on smartphones and tablets. The child must light the lights to control the little robot and pave its way.

The main tool is the robot's behavior algorithm, which the child writes. As the developers assure, the game allows you to acquire skills in such areas as planning, testing, debugging, procedures and cycles.

To complete the game, you need to complete 20 different tasks – levels. This is a free option. If the child likes it, the developers offer another 50 levels, but for money.

Games for children of middle and older age

Now let's talk about games for older kids. There's less cartoonishness here, but more real programming.

ScratchJR

Not a game, but a whole environment for children. An advanced version of ScratchJR – here both 3D graphics and much more serious programming. Children can create cartoons, animations and real games. Moreover, in Scratch you can learn not only coding, but also the basics of design.

This version of the game is something between object-oriented and functional programming. If a child masters Scratch, it will be much easier for him to understand any modern programming language.

CodeMonkey

A bright and simple game. The gameplay is divided into separate levels, and they are not very difficult. But as the game progresses, the stages become more diverse, and knowledge from the previous level helps to complete new tasks.

The game gradually explains basic programming concepts to children, shows in practice what an object, cycle, variable, array, conditional operators IF, THEN, ELSE are. In addition, children begin to understand how to break down a complex task into its component parts, track errors and plan the next steps.

Codingame

The Codingame gaming platform includes small games and puzzles that can be solved using code. Children encounter about 25 popular programming languages, including Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, Lua, Go. There is a lot of information, but thanks to the game form, the child does not get bored.

Codingame has tutorials, courses, and guides that encourage gamers to learn new concepts and programming languages. You can even compete with each other in skills – there is a rating that shows the success of different players. The difficulty of the tasks gradually changes: from the “for beginners” stage to “for experienced developers”.

That's all for today. If you can recommend similar games for kids, write about them in the comments. We'll definitely watch them and give them to all the parents we know!