Discover the Magic of Learning Code Without Screens: How Unplugged Programming Toys Are Revolutionizing Early Computer Science Education
In an age where digital screens dominate children’s learning environments, a revolutionary approach to computer science education is emerging that requires no technology at all. Unplugged coding activities teach basic coding skills without the use of technology, offering parents and educators a powerful way to introduce fundamental programming concepts to children as young as three years old.
What Are Unplugged Programming Toys?
Unplugged coding is learning how to code without writing lines of code. When coding unplugged, students use their knowledge to work on computational challenges that will help them understand the concepts they’ll use in coding projects. These innovative educational tools focus on teaching the core principles that underpin all computer programming: logical thinking, problem-solving, sequencing, and debugging.
The key is to provide hands-on, engaging learning experiences that encourage children to think like a coder. This means projects that foster resilience, critical thinking, logical reasoning, and creative problem solving skills for students- the same skills used by computer scientists every day!
Popular Unplugged Programming Toys That Make Learning Fun
The market offers an impressive variety of screen-free coding toys designed for different age groups and learning styles. Fisher Price’s Code-A-Pillar is an adorable, intuitive toy that’s exclusively designed to introduce basic coding concepts to children as young as 3 years of age. Made up of 8 separate—but easy to connect—segments, this little plastic caterpillar moves according to how the segments are arranged. Kids have to figure out the right sequence and arrangement to get Code-A-Pillar from point A to point B.
For slightly older children, ThinkFun’s Robot Turtles is a popular board game that introduces the principles of programming, from coding to functions, and has been praised for its fun, interactive nature. Cubetto, the friendly wooden robot toy for kids aged 3-6, has been chosen by 20,000 parents & teachers to guide kids on 21st century skills without screens. Children place blocks on the board to tell Cubetto where to go, hit the blue button and Cubetto executes their very first program.
The Code & Go Robot Mouse—also known as Colby—is a fully programmable robot mouse toy that’s great for teaching coding through hands-on learning. Children can build a maze using bases, walls, and arches. A piece of cheese is used to mark the finish point. Using the coding cards, they must then figure out which path Colby should take to solve the maze and reach the cheese. Once they’re sure of their sequence, they can program it into the Code & Go Robot Mouse using the buttons on its back.
The Educational Benefits Beyond Coding
Unplugged coding activities can teach children critical thinking, computational thinking, problem-solving, and the hows and whys of coding. Then they can put all these skills into practice when they are sitting at the computer writing code. These toys introduce children to the fundamental principle of coding (which is basically figuring out correct sequences and patterns), and can also help kids develop critical STEM skills. Children will learn skills like situational analysis, problem-solving, and sequencing.
Unplugged coding is important, especially for beginners, because many of the skills they need to write code are ones they have already used or could use outside of the technical sphere. If they dive right into the new world of coding, the complexity of the programming languages and tools may hide this connection. Coding is more than just writing code, and unplugged coding can help students learn how to think computationally before even writing a single line of code.
Simple Activities You Can Start Today
Parents don’t need expensive toys to begin unplugged coding education. You can learn basic coding skills with a simple deck of cards. Creative unplugged coding activities can get kids learning to code screen-free. Most activities require little prep and use simple household items you already have.
Simple partner activities work well: one partner is the “coder” and one partner is the “robot”. The coder decides on a simple task for their partner “robot” to do; the simpler the task, the better, like “walk across the room”. Origami can teach kids some of the principles of coding by incorporating the concept of decomposition into lessons. Students will have fun with computer coding concepts and also get to make some cool origami creations.
Supporting Your Child’s Learning Journey
For families in Northern Virginia seeking quality educational resources, School & Office Annex is a teacher supply store in Lake Ridge, VA that has been a trusted resource for everything needed to fuel learning and success. Since 1990, they’ve been a proud pillar of the Woodbridge and Lake Ridge communities, providing a convenient one-stop shopping experience for teachers, students, busy professionals, and creative minds alike.
Parents looking for Educational Toys in Prince William County, VA will find that School & Office Annex’s vast collection of educational supplies caters to all ages and learning styles, including homeschool supplies that create a nurturing and enriching environment with curated selections of homeschooling essentials, from workbooks and manipulatives to activity kits and educational games.
Preparing for the Future
Knowledge of technology, computers, and coding is becoming increasingly critical to many careers in the present and the future. That’s why kids benefit from becoming familiar with coding concepts at a young age. Parents are already on board; more than 90% want their kids to learn to code.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations are projected to grow over two times faster than the total for all occupations in the next decade. By introducing unplugged programming concepts early, parents give their children a significant advantage in developing the computational thinking skills that will serve them throughout their educational journey and future careers.
Unplugged programming toys offer an accessible, engaging, and developmentally appropriate way to introduce young children to the fundamental concepts of computer science. By starting with hands-on, screen-free activities, children develop the logical thinking and problem-solving skills that form the foundation of all programming, setting them up for success in our increasingly digital world.