CodeMonkey – Coding for Children
Coding for children is the new literacy! We have said this before, but we’d like to emphasis. Digital platforms are the new canvases for kids. With games, designs, and writing, children can express themselves in wonderful ways, and coding helps them do all that and more.
Code languages for children are the new paint brushes, pencils and colours. They empower kids to bring their imaginations to life in a very intuitive manner. There are endless possibilities to create with coding for children. Only your imagination is the limit.
CodyMonkey is a problem-solving coding platform, where kids have to move a Monkey around to fetch all the bananas stolen by a gorilla. To complete a challenge, one has to write codes to make the monkey collect all the bananas. The language used for this game is Coffee Script, which has been presented in a very simple manner for kids, and children learn the coding language while completing 420 challenges available in the game.
The humorous appreciation or feedback kids get along the way are fun. The lesser number of attempts kids takes to complete the challenge, the higher score/stars they get. I feel that the stars and the appreciation given at the end of each challenge are a wonderful way to motivate kids.
Once students have learnt the basics of Coffee scripts through the game, they can move on to create art and games using their knowledge. In the Game Builder section of CodeMonkey, the students can code their own apps and games.
Coffee script is in compliance with java script. They both are primarily used for web applications. Hence, the platform teaches kids important computer science concepts like loops, conditions, variable and functions.
CodeMonkey enhances students’ cognitive skills, and emphasises on problem-solving and creativity. The platform is designed to impart multiple-step, critical and analytical thinking. It is one of the best platforms that teach coding for kids.
Game Building with CodeMonkey – Coding for Children
With the Game Builder, teachers can lead a class to code art and games. It’s a self-paced and auto-assessed platform, and is easy to implement in the classroom. Children can use Coffee script to build games for computers and mobile devices, and share them on the platform.
The platform first guides students through various learning to code courses—Platformer for game design, interface design, and keyboard functions; Frogger for learning to create a game for the touch environment of mobile and tablet devices; Sprite Animations for learning to animate and use characters in games.
Upon mastering these three courses, students can create their own computer or mobile games in the CodeMonkey’s Challenge Builder using Coffee Script and share them with the world!
To access more challenges (total 420) and Game builder, including Game design courses, and Challenge builder, individual students can subscribe to a $59 annual subscription, which is totally worth it considering the skills a student will learn.
CodeMonkey for Teachers
With the teacher’s kit, anyone can teach the basics of computer science to children. Teachers get 35 lesson plans that help them lead students to learn cognitive skills, and cultivate logical and creative thinking in kids by teaching them application of coding to create stuff.
With the dashboard, students’ performances can be tracked, and even their individual work can be shown to the class. Teachers can start with a 30-day free trial, with which they get access to 30 challenges, lesson plans, a dashboard and 30 student accounts.
A teacher can get a CodeMonkey instructor certification for just $49 with unlimited student accounts .
Coding for children is an imperative to prepare kids for the 21st Century’s learning and working environment, and the earlier we start, more successful we will be. There are many more platforms that help children learn to code while playing games or creating art. Like CodeMonkey, ScratchJr is a wonderful tool for Elementary school kids to learn to code. They both do not have any perquisite for skills, and have very easy-to-use interfaces. Where Scratch Junior coding app (free) is more creation based, CodeMonkey is more solution-oriented.
Coding classes for primary school pupils to be rolled out next year
SINGAPORE: The Government is taking steps to make sure that Singaporeans, both young and old, will have the fundamental skills and attributes to thrive in the digital age.
This was the theme for this year’s Ministry of Communications and Information’s (MCI) Workplan Seminar, and everyone – from primary schools students to Merdeka Generation seniors – are set to benefit.
An expanded Code For Fun programme will be piloted this year at some schools after the Primary School Leaving Examinations. It will be rolled out islandwide next year.
Introduced as an optional programme in 2014, it aims to help students learn computational thinking through basic coding. Its next phase targets all upper primary school students, who will participate in a 10-hour programme in school.
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence will also be covered.
A new national programme will also be introduced for youths to guide them in their cybersecurity journey.
The Singapore Cyber Youth Programme (SG Cyber Youth) will involve students from secondary to tertiary level. Students will benefit from exposure to relevant knowledge and skills, and it will also give them the opportunity to consider a career in cybersecurity.
The programme aims to reach out to 10,000 youths over the next three years, through activities such as training boot camps, learning journeys and competitions.
These are just two of several announcements made by the MCI on Wednesday (Jul 10), as it aims to get everyone on board Singapore’s digital journey.
“We want this digital transformation to be inclusive so it’s not just about digitalising our economy, but making sure our enterprises, our workforce and all our Singaporeans are able to reap the benefits,” said Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran.
Seniors are also getting help.
An additional 100 Merdeka Generation Digital Clinics will be set up over a year, starting in September. These clinics, set to benefit 10,000 seniors, will teach skills like how to use a smartphone and navigate social media.
Businesses are also being targeted through a variety of programmes.
One such programme is the SME Go Digital programme, which helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) build stronger digital capabilities.
SMEs are also taking up Smart Digital Packs, which help new companies with competitively-priced digital solutions.
“We will accelerate the digitisation of our companies, especially our small and medium enterprises, which is probably where we need to put the greatest emphasis,” said Mr Iswaran.
“SMEs, as all of you know, are depending on which measure you want to take, 50 per cent of GDP, two-thirds of our workforce, 99 per cent of your enterprise numbers, so whichever way you look at it, it’s an important part of our economy.”
To date, about 10,000 SMEs have benefited from these initiatives.
A dedicated team will also be formed by the end of the year to look after telecoms cybersecurity.