Block-Based Coding- The Perfect Start for Young Programmers

Nowadays, coding is very essential for kids as it improves their logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Many schools have even implemented coding as a primary subject in their curriculum.

However, from past years of teaching, I have noticed that directly starting with coding seems hard for kids.

That’s why we start teaching kids with block-based coding. It is the most efficient way to introduce coding to your kids.

Block-Based coding is a simple, fun and interactive way where kids can focus more on logic instead of worrying about syntax errors.

Using Block-Based coding, kids can create interactive animations, games and apps in a much engaging way.

By the end of this blog, you will be able to know everything to start your kids journey of coding.

So, let’s start with our first topic.

Introduction: What is Block-Based Coding?

Block-Based Coding is a virtual representation of blocks that are dragged and dropped to create different functions, variables and events.

I’ve seen kids refer to these blocks as pieces of a puzzle that they use to join together to create different shapes and formations. Similarly, in coding, these blocks are joined together to create logical functions.

There are different types of blocks, and each block has its own specific function. For example, if I want a cat to move forward, there is a motion block I can use to perform that action.

Benefits of Block-Based Coding

Block-Based Coding helps kids learn coding concepts in a fun and interactive way.

1. Syntax Free Learning: The main fear of text-based coding is learning the syntax of a programming language and worrying about errors.

However, block-based coding helps you to build functions without worrying about syntax.

This helps your kids to focus more on learning the fundamental concepts of coding rather than worrying about syntax.

2. Visual Learning: When I teach kids, I have noticed that kids quickly grasp concepts from images and videos rather than text-based learning.

As block-based coding focuses on visual learning with the help of blocks, engaging characters and backgrounds, it is very simple and easy for kids to learn and implement them in their projects.

All your kids have to drag and drop different blocks of code and join them together.

3. Fun and Engaging: Block-based coding provides kids with a variety of characters, sounds, colorful backgrounds and blocks which keep your children engaged in them.

Block-based coding seems like a fun game to them due to which kids don’t get bored from it.

4. Quick Results: It is common for kids to stop working on something if it takes a lot of time to complete.

However, Block-based coding doesn’t make your kids write long lines of code. Kids can quickly create animations and games by just using a few blocks.

Due to these quick outcomes, kids get motivated and continue their process of learning.

What Child Can Create Using Block-Based Coding?

1. Animations: Animations are the simplest projects for starting your child with block-based coding.

Kids can start by creating simple animations like moving a sprite in a forward direction or creating a sound at each step the sprite takes.

By building these simple animations, basic fundamentals of coding gets more clear to your child.

After clearing their basic fundamentals, kids can create complex animations like storytelling by using multiple sprites, sounds, text boxes and motion blocks.

2. Games: Which child doesn’t love to play games?

Kids can create their own games using block-based coding, this will also improve your kids creative thinking.

Kids can make simple games like clicking games to the most complex games like racing games, scorecard games.

3. Programs: Nowadays, robotics is very famous among children. Kids can create their own ROBLOX with the help of block-based coding.

They can create different programs to move the robot, make sounds from the robot, perform tasks and many more.

How Kids Can Learn Block-Based Coding?

There are several platforms where your kid can create amazing projects by using block-based coding.

Some of these platforms are:

1. Scratch Jr ( Free )

If your kid is between the age of 5–8 years, this is the best mobile application where your kid can create cool animations, games and stories using block-based coding.

This is the most handy and easy to use platform for kids to start with block-based coding.

2. Scratch ( Free )

This is the web version of Scratch Jr. It allows your kid to create fun and interactive animations, games and stories through a laptop.

This actually gives your child the feeling of coding. It’s simple and engaging user interface makes it unique from other platforms.

3. MIT App Inventor ( Free )

If your kid is fond of gaming apps, this is the best platform for them.
This platform allows you to make amazing apps using block-based coding.

Here, your child can also design their app by themselves which will improve their designing and creative skills.

4. Code.org ( Free )

This is a bit of a complex platform where your kid can create games, apps, dance labs, party labs and much more.

This is the most famous platform among schools and its systematic approach to teaching kids make this platform unique.

Also, this platform provides you to swap between block-based coding and text-based coding, so it makes the best platform for your kid to switch from block-based coding to text-based coding.

5. Debe Learning ( Paid )

Debe Learning is a platform where kids can become masters of coding with guidance of experienced teachers.

Debe provides 1:1 live online classes, 24*7 Doubt support and a fun and interactive teaching environment which makes it unique.

Kids can learn from industry experts. At Debe, kids are taught coding from basics to the most advanced level.

The best part of Debe is that along with concepts we also focus on how to implement those concepts to create amazing projects.

Block-Based Coding vs Text-Based Coding

The block-based coding uses visual representation in the form of blocks that represents the code concepts. This form of coding is preferable if your child is a beginner in coding.

It is simple and easy to learn and implement block-based coding. Kids can create amazing and cool animations, games, stories and apps using block-based coding.

This type of coding is primarily used in education contexts. There is a large community of young learners that follow block-based coding.

There are a number of platforms available for block-based coding like Scratch, Debe Learning, Code.org, MIT App Inventor.

Whereas, on the other side, text-based coding involves writing lines of code in a particular programming language.

It is more feasible for advanced learners because of understanding syntax and language specific rules.

However, text-based coding offers more control and flexibility over block-based coding.

This type of coding is primarily used in professional contexts. It helps to create advanced apps, complex websites.

There are extensive resources and large communities available for text-based coding.

Final Words

It is a fact that coding has become a very essential skill nowadays.
So, it is important to take the right guidance and choose the best platform to learn coding for your child’s bright future.

The learning of coding should never be an overburden on your child, instead, it should be fun and interacting with your child.

So, here as parents/elder siblings, it becomes your responsibility to choose the right platform for your child that provides online coding classes in a fun and engaging manner.

So, Register for a FREE DEMO CODING CLASS at DEBE to kickstart your kid’s coding journey.

Register Here

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