Introducing Kids to Programming and Video Game Design

Instructor: Johnny B Allen - Digital Media Designer & Owner of Evolving Creativity, LLC

Cost of Class: TBA

Class Meeting Times & Dates:

Spring
Summer
Fall

• Class Location: TBA
• Class Size: 5 to 10 students per session
• Age Group: 2nd or 3rd grade (ages 7-9)
• Required Materials: Headphones with mini headphone jack, needed to keep noise levels low.
• Required experience: Students should already have had some hands-on experience using a computer(Windows, MAC, or Linux), tablet, or a gaming console to understand how to navigate in a web browser.

Why Kids Will Love This Class: This class will use video game-based learning to teach programming and computational thinking concepts in a fun way. The class will provide a combination of structured and open-ended activities that teach and allow students to create interactive projects.

Class Description: In this class students in 2nd or 3rd grade (ages 7-9) will learn to code and build awesome video games they can share and solve fun programming puzzles using the super easy coding platforms Tynker and CODE Studio. These easy to learn programming concepts will let students create almost anything they can imagine such as animating characters, making greeting cards, music videos, and fun video games.

Class Structure: Students will be using a web browser to visit two main websites to practice, learn, and save their programming projects/lessons. They will be given a print out containing their username and password and the website URLs to log in. Students will create unique digital media projects and games that they can share with friends and family. During class, students will watch short training videos before starting a lesson/project and a variety of other videos from professionals in the field to help them broaden their world of the programming industry. At the end of class, students will share their projects and have discussions about the coursework, video games, programming, and their aspirations for the future.

Goals & Rewards: Students will continue to have access to their projects so they can continue to work on them after the class and be able to share their projects with family and friends. Students will also receive a Certificate of Completion with their full name printed. 

Imagine, Program, & Share! 

At the young age of 12, Thomas Suarez developed his own iPhone app "Bustin Jeiber", a whack-a-mole game.