This afternoon our campers were introduced to two coding tools. Bitsbox is an online application that displays a virtual tablet on which the user is able to access programming lessons to build simple apps and games in JavaScript. Once the user has created a game, they are able to use a mobile device such as an iOS or Android tablet or smartphone to scan the QR code associated with their Bitsbox project. They are then able to access their game on that mobile device through the QR code. In today’s session, the campers used the QR Reader app on the iPads to scan their QR codes and were then able to immediately play their newly-created game on the iPad. The challenges used in today’s session are available on the Bitsbox website at no cost (https://bitsbox.com).
Bitsbox also offers subscription plans that include monthly mailings containing new programming trainings, challenges and projects for children to try.
Later this afternoon campers were also introduced to CodeCombat, a web-based platform designed to teach children computer science as they play through an actual digital game. CodeCombat. As children play through the game they learn basic syntax to perform simple tasks and then more complex code as they progress through game levels that target concepts such as relational operators, string comparison, and object literals.
