Coding competitions take programming out of the classroom and into the real world! They offer kids a fun challenge where they can push themselves to learn and apply their knowledge in a meaningful way. Entering a coding competition for middle school students will make your child’s coding journey more interactive, social, and exciting. 

Middle school is a prime time to explore if coding is right for your child. Kids who have a competitive spirit can build real-world skills, practice teamwork and communication, and add to their college resume. Not only that, they walk away with awards and gain recognition for showcasing their hard work and skills.

To get started, I’ve rounded up 7 exciting coding competitions designed for middle school students. 

Get Ready for Middle School Coding Competitions

Many of these coding competitions utilize Python and JavaScript, two of the real-world programming language we teach in our Middle School Core Track.

Students who learn to code at CodeWizardsHQ have the support of their instructors and our community as they compete. Not only will they learn the technical skills, but the perseverance, critical thinking, and creativity to win top prizes. 

We even host our own Logic Challenge for grades 3-12 and a Code Challenge in our student platform. Students get to compete weekly with coding questions they answer to win prizes, one of the many ways we have gamified our coding program. This is one way we encourage and motivate kids to keep learning.

Learn more about our Middle School Coding Program and how we teach coding to kids ages 11-13.

Coding Competitions for Middle School Students

1. American Computer Science League (ACSL)

Participants: K-12 Grades
Dates: Nov – May
Location: Virtual
Cost: $50-$150 per team
Prizes: Prizes, Certificates

The American Computer Science League (ACSL) organizes computer programming and computer science contests for K-12 schools, organizations, and local groups. Students join as a team led by a teacher or parent advisor, but complete the tests as individuals. The season is divided into four contests conducted through HackerRank over the academic year. At the end, the top-scoring students are invited to compete in an invitation-only Finals.

The Junior Division is for junior high and middle school students (up to grade 9) who are learning programming or who have coding experience. The contests test students on fundamental concepts in computer science, ranging from Number Systems to Boolean Algebra to Digital Electronics. In this division, there is also a problem to solve using programming in Python 3, Java, or C++. Each contest consists of a short answer test and an online programming problem to solve.

The ACSL tests students on their coding knowledge and application. It’s ideal for kids who want to learn throughout the year and deepen their understanding of computer science concepts. 

Visit ACSL website

2. Congressional App Challenge

Participants: 6-12 Grades
Dates: May – Oct
Location: Virtual, U.S. Congressional Districts
Cost: Free
Prizes: Display in the US Capitol, #HouseOfCode Event Invite 

Both sides of Congress can agree on the importance of computer science and STEM education. This competition is for kids who feel inspired to use technology to get involved in their community. It gives them a chance to explore STEM and coding through hands-on practice.

The Congressional App Challenge is a US-based competition hosted by members of Congress to promote STEM education among today’s youth. Middle school and high school students work individually or in teams to code an original application, written in any programming language, that addresses a problem locally, nationally, or globally. Winners from each congressional district are invited to Washington, D.C., for the annual #HouseOfCode event, where they showcase their apps to lawmakers and the tech community.

The goal of the app challenge is to encourage students to learn to code and inspire them to pursue careers in computer science. The competition engages students from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the tech community and also emphasizes making coding more accessible. Apps are graded on creativity, concept, and design, and don’t have to be technically sophisticated to win.

Visit Congressional App Challenge website

3. Cyber Patriot 

Participants: Middle & high school students
Dates: April – October
Location: Virtual
Cost: $50,000 scholarship
Prizes: $205 per team

The National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, hosted by CyberPatriot, puts teams of 2-6 students in the position of newly hired IT professionals managing the network of a small company. Teams are given virtual operating systems and compete in multiple rounds to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services. Each team, with the support of a coach and mentor, has to complete two challenges during their six-hour competition period: The Network Security Challenge and The Cisco Networking Challenge. 

The competition provides access to 12 training modules and 4 practice rounds before the scored competition kicks off. They have access to archived training materials on the public side of the website. The top teams in the nation win a trip to the National Finals Competition. There they earn national recognition and scholarship money, like $50,000 from Northrop Grumman. 

There are very few competitions that cover cybersecurity in-depth. The structure of this competition provides a lot of training, education, and practice along with mentorship.

Visit Cyber Patriot website

4. Bebras

Participants: 6-18 years old
Dates: November
Location: Virtual, In-person
Cost: Free
Prizes: Certificate

Bebras is an international initiative aimed at promoting Informatics (Computer Science, or Computing) and computational thinking among school students from 6 to 18. The Bebras Challenge tests your child’s logic and computational skills through a set of fun and challenging problems. These are the same problem-solving skills that software engineers use to write programs and apps. 

You can break these skills down into smaller and more familiar components like pattern recognition, algorithm design, data analysis or abstraction.

There are several age categories middle school students can play in, such as Benjamins (age 10-12) and Cadets (age 12-14). The questions are designed to help students explore their talents and passion for informatics and computational thinking with engaging challenges. Skills which can be used in many areas of school, work, and life. 

During the competition, each group will get 3 sets of 5 tasks. The challenge itself is coordinated by a teacher and takes place in the classroom. The 3 sets each have a level of difficulty: easy, medium, or hard. Studentswill have 45 minutes to complete as many tasks as they can. The tasks can all be completed without any preparation or studying. The best students from each age group are invited to spend a day at a university working on more exciting tasks. 

Visit Bebras website

5. FIRST LEGO League Competition

Participants: 4-16 years old
Dates: August – April
Location: In-person
Cost: $275+
Prizes: Trophies, medals, and certificates

FIRST LEGO League is a STEM program and competition for children. It introduces STEM through fun, hands-on learning and robotics. Students will learn the basics of STEM and apply their skills in an exciting competition while building habits of learning, confidence, and teamwork along the way.

The program has three divisions: Discover (ages 4-6), Explore (ages 6-10), and Challenge (ages 9-16). Middle school students will compete in the Challenge division with a group. Teams practice year-round for the competition. Starting with a Kit of Parts, student teams design, program, and build industrial-sized robots to play an action-packed game. They compete on a themed field as part of a three-team alliance in the spirit of Coopertition, meaning that teams help and cooperate with each other even as they compete.

These competitions combine the excitement of a sporting event with the rigors of science and technology. The FIRST Robotics Competition season culminates with district and regional events where qualifying teams compete for awards and a spot at the FIRST Championship. The competition features a variety of awards recognizing different aspects of a team’s performance, including engineering, design, teamwork, community outreach, and leadership.

Visit FIRST LEGO League website

6. NASA App Development Challenge

Participants: Middle & high school students
Dates: April
Location: Virtual, In-person
Cost: Free
Prizes: Recognition by NASA and features on NASA platforms

Middle school students have the opportunity to be a part of something that’s out of this world! The App Development Challenge is a coding challenge in which NASA presents technical problems to middle and high school students seeking student contributions to deep space exploration missions. These innovations help NASA’s exploration to the moon, Mars, and beyond.

In previous competitions, middle school teams created an application displaying in real-time the path of the Artemis II mission and created a prioritized list of antennas which have line of access to Artemis II. There was also a bonus task of displaying and smoothing out trajectory data received.

Students compete in teams of at least 5 students and can use any programming language (Java, C#, C++, Scratch, etc.) to complete development of an application. The top teams advance to present their app at Johnson Space Center in Houston with NASA subject matter experts from the SCaN team. 

Visit NASA App Development website

7. Scratch Olympiad 

Participants: 7-18 years old
Dates: May – Sept
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Prizes: Prizes, Certificates

The Scratch Olympiad is an international competition that challenges kids to do creative programming on Scratch or RobboScratch. Each year, the Olympiad sets a central theme, for example, “Sports Mania: The Ultimate Challenge” in 2025. Kids compete individually to interpret the theme into innovative projects — games, animations, stories, or educational tool – and solve a series of challenges. The challenges will test their creativity, problem-solving skills, and understanding of programming concepts. 

Middle school students compete with programmers from around the world in different categories based on their age, like My book (9-10 year old), Know-all, 11-12 year old, and Games (13-14 year old). Students with no experience can join and learn Scratch as they go.

Scratch makes learning to code a visual and event-driven experience, which is ideal for younger students. Coding in Scratch is a gateway for them from block coding into text-based programming. Without worrying about syntax, middle school students can solve problems and express their creativity in Scratch. Participating in Scratch Olympiad is not only a fun and engaging way to learn programming, but it also provides contestants with valuable skills that they can use in their future academic and professional pursuits. 

Visit Scratch Olympiad website

Prepare Your Middle School Student for a Coding Competition

If your child wants to compete in coding competitions, they can learn to code with CodeWizardsHQ. Our coding program teaches students fundamental coding concepts that they can flex to win prizes and recognition. 

The Middle School Coding Program is for kids, ages 11-13, to kickstart their coding journey in Python, one of the most popular languages for developers. The first course, Intro to Programming with Python, introduces fundamental programming concepts while building fun, interactive projects. Once kids have mastered the fundamentals in Python, they transition into learning other essential languages such as JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Students will also learn how to integrate databases and APIs into their projects to build robust, feature-rich applications like those we use today.

Kids will feel more than prepared and confident going into a competition with the right tools and skills. Learn more about our top-rated coding classes and enroll to get started.

The post 7 Exciting Coding Competitions for Middle School Students appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

The Scratch pen tool is a fun extension to any Scratch project and teaches kids about conditionals and events. Scratch coding is a great way to introduce fundamental coding concepts to kids and teens. Once they have the basics down, Scratch is powerful enough to make robust apps and games. The pen tool is especially great for creative and drawing projects.

Kids who want to dive in and develop their Scratch skills can learn live from expert instructors. Take a look at our top-rated Scratch classes for kids.

In this article, I’ll show you how to setup the pen tool and creative ways to use it in your project.

What does the pen tool do? 

The Pen tool acts like a digital pen where users can draw, create patterns, and make interactive graphics directly on the Scratch canvas. A mouse or a sprite acts as a pen and draws a line from its center. The Pen can be used to draw simple shapes and lines all the way up to using loops and conditionals to draw complex images and patterns. 

It’s a fun way for kids to enhance their projects. My students especially enjoy the pen projects because they love being able to draw freehand. The Pen tool is often used for creative projects, such as designing art, animating visual effects, or building interactive activities like drawing apps.

Set Up the Pen Tool in Scratch

The Pen blocks are not one of the standard blocks in Scratch so it needs to be added as an extension. To do that, follow these simple steps:

1. Visit scratch.mit.edu
2. Login to your Scratch account
3. Click on the Create button

4. Under the blocks, click Add an Extension

5. Select Pen

Once you’ve applied the extension, you should see a new set of blocks in the block palette called Pen. These blocks will control the Pen application in your project.

Pen Blocks in Scratch

There are a just a handful of Pen blocks, but they can accomplish a lot! 

• erase all
• stamp
• pen up
• pen down
• set pen color to [color]
• change pen color by [number]
• set pen color to [number]
• change pen size by [size]

erase all: Clears all drawings made with the pen tool on the stage. It erases everything drawn without affecting the backdrop or sprites themselves. 

stamp: Copies the current look of the sprite onto the stage as a static image. It’s often used with “Pen Down” and “Pen Up” to create patterns, tiled images, or animated scenes.

pen up: Lifts the pen off the stage, stopping any drawing until “pen down” is used again. This is helpful for moving a sprite without drawing a line.

pen down: This command starts drawing whenever the sprite moves. It’s used to make continuous lines as the sprite moves across the stage.

set pen color to [color]: Allows users to change the color of the pen. This is often used to add colorful designs and drawings.

change pen color by [number]: Adjusts the current color of the pen by a specific value, which can create color gradients or rainbow effects as the sprite draws.

set pen color to [number]: Adjusts the current color of the pen by a specific value, which can create color gradients or rainbow effects as the sprite draws.

change pen size by [size]: Sets the thickness of the pen line. Larger values make thicker lines, which can be useful for emphasizing parts of a drawing.

set pen size to [size] Sets the thickness of the pen line. Larger values make thicker lines, which can be useful for emphasizing parts of a drawing.

Fun Ways to Use the Pen in Scratch

Using the pen tool is kind of like drawing on paper, with a twist. By combining the pen blocks with loops, variables, and other blocks, kids can create all kinds of art and animations. These are just some of the cool things you can do with the pen tool. 

• Draw freehand
• Draw shapes with math
• Customize pen colors/width
• Use variables
• Animation
• 3D
• Using loops with the pen tool

Draw Freehand

You can use any sprite as a pen and draw with it. If you want it to look like you’re drawing with your mouse, simply hide the sprite. This code allows you to draw when your mouse is clicked. You can also set the pen color and size. 

Example project: Paint App

Our student, Kiera, created this simple painting app where the user can make multiple brush selections.

View project

Draw Shapes (with Math)

There are several ways to draw shapes using the pen tool. You can simply use a series of blocks to guide your sprite. Using math, you can build shapes quickly and easily.

To create any shape you need to know:

• Number of sides: Decide how many sides your shape will have (e.g., 3 for a triangle, 4 for a square).
• Angle to turn: Calculate the angle for each turn using the formula: Angle=360∘/Number of sides

For example, this code will draw a triangle with 3 sides that are each 100 pixels. The number of sides is 3 and the angle to turn is 120. Set your sprite to start at the beginning of the shape.

Example project: Pen Shape Drawer

In this app, users can choose the number of shapes, sides, and the size of the lines to generate a drawing. 

View project

Customize pen colors and size

Add your own style and creativity to your project by customizing the pen color and sizes. You can use the “set pen color to” block with an RGB color and “set pen size to” block with a number of pixels. You can even use variables and loops to change these features as you’re drawing with the “change pen color to” and “change pen size to” blocks.

This code draws a 5px line in turquoise when the pen is down:

Example project: Pen Paint

The Pen Paint app uses buttons to controls the size and color of the pen to create beautiful drawings.

View project

Use variables

Using a variable makes your application more flexible and robust. Allow users to select the color and size for the pen dynamically. You can also change the color and size with code as you draw. By adding variables the possibilities are endless.

Set the pen’s thickness based on a number variable with this code:

Example project: Paint App

Our student, Kiera, created this painting app that takes user input and has buttons to create shapes with a click.

View project

Animation

The pen tool can draw shapes and change the size and color of the pen dynamically. This makes it possible to create unique effects in your program. 

This code creates an ongoing circle animation using the pen tool:

Example project: Pen Animation #1 Tutorial

Watch this colorful and entrancing animation that uses just a few pen blocks. 

View project

Using loops with the pen tool

You can use loops in combination with the pen tool to create cool drawings and effects. Create complex shapes using the loop blocks. This code repeats a hexagon drawing to create a unique new shape.

Example project: Fruit Ninja

Fruit Ninja is a student favorite where we cut the fruit using a line drawn with the pen tool. 

View project

3D Drawings

The pen tool can also be used to make 3D drawings. Even though Scratch doesn’t provide tools specifically for creating 3D art, a combination of existing blocks and the pen tool can help you create the illusion of 3D graphics.

One way is to create multiple layers with stamps, to create a 3d effect. We applied this to create a 3d block.

Example project: 3D Maze Rendering

Go beyond the flat 2D drawings and render 3D graphics with the pen tool.

See project

Project Ideas Using the Pen Tool 

Do you need some inspiration for your first pen project? You’d be surprised at everything the pen tool can do. Check out some of the most loved Scratch pen projects:

• Pen football (23431 Hearts)
• Pen Platformer (14839 Hearts)
• 100% Pen Bloons Tower-Defense (10067 Hearts)
• Butterfly (7057 Hearts)
• RACE! (pen) (5710 Hearts)
• Mysterious Pen (5698 Hearts)
• Shufflepuck (5211 Hearts)
• Pen designs (4334 Hearts)
• Sky run (4192 Hearts)

Download Free Printable Scratch Coding Tutorials PDF

Get the Rocketship Landing game and Flying Space Cat Scratch tutorials in a printable format.

Learn to Code Games in Scratch 

The pen tool is just one type of extension in Scratch. Besides the basic blocks like Controls, Motion, and Variables, there are extensions that use artificial intelligence, text-to-speech, and video sensing. Kids can learn to code in Scratch with these extensions and more in our Elementary School Core Track.

In our elementary school coding program, kids, ages 8-10, use Scratch to learn fundamental coding concepts. With a solid foundation in programming concepts, they can then advance to text-based languages like JavaScript and Python.

If you want support teaching your child to code, enroll in our top-rated Scratch coding classes.

The post Fun Ways to Use the Pen Tool in Scratch appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

With the right tools, kids don’t have to just sit back and play video games. They can learn to develop and design their own games. Video game design teaches kids about art and technology in a hands-on way while building problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative skills. 

If your child loves playing video games and wants to go behind the scenes or you find them drawing levels and characters, video game design is a great fit. Students in our coding classes love customizing the looks, characters, and themes for their games. It’s rewarding to see my students’ individuality come out and how excited they are when their ideas form in front of them. Not only are they learning the coding languages, the classes give them the space to be creative and innovative.

Whether your child wants to become a professional game designer or simply have fun with a creative outlet, it’s a worthwhile activity to design a game. In this article, I’ll explain how kids can get started and kid-friendly tools to use in video game design.

What is video game design for kids? 

Video game design is the process of creating the rules, content, and gameplay for a video game. It is one part of game development and includes computer science, graphic design, user experience, and creative writing. 

Game design is often a collaborative effort involving multiple roles, from artists and writers to programmers and level designers. It’s also a creative and technical process where kids can learn about art, coding, and more. Game design requires a lot of creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Steps for Video Game Design

How exactly does video game design work? This is an outline of the video game design and development process.

1. Come up with a game concept
2. Put together a Game Design Document
3. Design the art and assets
4. Design the user interface (UI)
5. Write the code
6. Test the game & reiterate
7. Launch!

1. Come up with a game concept

The first step for video game designers is to come up with a concept that they think people will enjoy. They may have certain requirements they are trying to meet or a specific audience the game will cater to. Many designers are inspired by their personal interests or experiences. This is the time to brainstorm the core game ideas, such as the setting, plot, characters, genre, and gameplay style.

In Pacman, the game concept is a maze game where a ghost eats dots for points while avoiding the ghosts.

2. Put together a Game Design Document

The game design document is like a blueprint for the game. It will guide the rest of the design and development process. Once there is a clear concept for the game, the game information should be written down in a Game Design Document. This is where designers expand on the original concept and solidify what the game will look, feel, and play like. This might include outlines and storyboards to stay organized.

Here is an example of a one page Game Design Document.

3. Design the art and assets

In this step, the visual elements of the game are created like the characters, levels, and special items. This is the most artistic part of the design process. Artists use different software and techniques to design the 2D or 3D graphics that represent the game. 

A fantasy game might include assets like these:

4. Design the user interface (UI)

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design ensure the game is easy to play and navigate. This step includes designing the menus, buttons, and settings screens. It also covers how the players navigate through the game like the instructions and dialogue. 

This is the start screen UI for Spongebob’s The Patrick Star Game, you can also see more of the game UI.

5. Write the code

Now, it’s time to put the pieces together by writing the code for the game. This usually starts with putting together a prototype or mockup of the game to test the functionality. Developers break the game down into smaller parts and build each of them. The code controls how the players move, the score, levels, and more. They tie together the game mechanics with the art design to bring the game to life.

6. Test the game & reiterate

Testing is an important part of the development process to make sure everything works as expected and the game is free of bugs. Instead of developing the entire game at once, many developers will code parts, test them, fix the bugs, and then continue. They can also test the game in parts or its entirety with select family and friends to get feedback on how to improve it. 

7. Launch!

After a few cycles of development and testing, it’s time to release the game!  This is when you make the game accessible to other players. You can share the game on different gaming platforms or social media. Even after launch, most developers continue to make improvements through a feedback cycle and different game updates.

Skills Kids Learn from Video Game Design

There are a lot of important skills that kids gain through designing a video game. It’s the perfect activity to expand their artistic abilities through design and technical skills through coding. They’ll also learn:

• Creativity
• Problem-solving
• Logical Thinking
• Communication & Collaboration
• Confidence

Creativity

If the game design process is anything, it’s creative! In every part of the design and development process, kids have to think creatively and the possibilities are endless. There is no shortage of types of genres, characters, or gameplay abilities that kids can work on. Kids have to visualize a world and tell a story through their artwork and gameplay. The world-building, artistry, and storytelling are important parts of any game. Whatever is in their wildest imagination can be represented in a game.

Problem-solving

The development and testing process involves finding bugs and figuring out how to fix them. This requires a problem-solving process and patience, especially for a robust game with a lot of features. There will also be times when the original plan doesn’t work and kids are forced to pivot and think of a new solution. For example, if a game feature that your character heavily relied on can’t be executed, what can you do instead? These types of problems require kids to think creatively about the specific problem to come up with a plan.

Logical Thinking

Coding naturally develops logical thinking skills. Kids think step by step about the game mechanics and the effect of each action. Designing mechanics like scoring, health, or player movements requires logical structuring to ensure each action has a specific effect. They learn the importance of sequencing, like making sure each action flows logically and doesn’t interrupt the game’s flow.

Communication and Collaboration

In most cases, games will require the knowledge and effort of more than one person. This means kids have to learn to effectively communicate with different types of people and across multiple mediums, for example in writing or face to face. They’ll have to explain their ideas and concepts as well as ask questions and give and take feedback. This fosters the ability to communicate with others and work together as a team. 

Confidence

Creating their own game will be something that kids are proud of and builds their self-confidence. Kids learn resilience through the problems they solve and all the small wins they have throughout the process. They also develop a strong sense of accomplishment through completing a game and have a tangible project to show for it.

Not convinced? Read the 26 Reasons Learning to Code Benefits Your Child. 

5 Free Kid-Friendly Game Design Tools

Ready to jump into designing a game? Use one of these free kid-friendly game design tools. 

• Scratch
• Roblox studio
• Game Maker
• Unreal Editor
• Unity

Scratch

Best For: Ages 8+; beginners with no coding experience.

Description: Designed by MIT, Scratch is a beginner-friendly platform where kids can drag-and-drop blocks to create simple games, animations, and stories. Scratch is a block-coding language which is ideal for younger students with limited typing skills. It’s the main tool we use in our elementary school coding program because it teaches fundamental coding concepts in a simple way.

Key Features:

• Simple interface with blocks that snap together, introducing programming logic.
• Large library of tutorials and a community where kids can share their creations.
• Encourages creativity and teaches the basics of logic and sequence without needing complex code.

Roblox Studio

Best For: Ages 10+

Description: Roblox Studio is a 3D game design platform where kids can build games and experiences within Roblox, using Lua scripting for added customization. This platform is used by beginners and professionals alike.  And it’s quick to get started, it only takes 15 minutes to build a simple obby game! 

Key Features:

• Enables kids to design 3D worlds, characters, and interactions.
• Adds Lua scripting capabilities for more advanced game logic and mechanics.
• Games can be shared and played by millions in the Roblox community.

Game Maker Studio 2

Best For: Ages 12+

Description: GameMaker Studio is a flexible game development engine that allows users to create 2D games with or without coding using its drag-and-drop interface or the GameMaker Language (GML). GameMaker is relatively easy to learn compared to other game engines and it’s possible to make a game without much coding.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop coding that offers visual scripting for beginners.
• Games can be exported to multiple platforms, including PC, mobile, and console.
• Provides tools for creating and managing sprites, animations, and sound.

Unity

Best For: Ages 13+

Description: Unity is a popular game engine for creating both 2D and 3D games known for its extensive tutorials, community support, and compatibility with various platforms.

Key Features:

• C# scripting for complex game mechanics through C# programming.
• Access to a wide range of assets, including 3D models, textures, sounds, and plugins.
• Games can be built for PC, mobile, web, and console.

Unreal Engine

Best For: Ages 13+

Description: Unreal Editor is a professional-grade game development tool used in the gaming industry, offering both a visual scripting tool (Blueprints) and powerful 3D game design capabilities.

Key Features:

• Blueprints: Visual scripting system for building game mechanics without code.
• Advanced Graphics: High-quality rendering for realistic 3D environments and effects.
• Extensive Asset Marketplace: Access to thousands of pre-made assets and resources.

Fun Game Design Projects for Beginners

Kids, ages 8 and up, can try designing a game using our free projects and tutorials. 

• Flappy Bird
• Rocket Landing
• Flying Space Cat
• Disappearing Snowman

Flappy Bird Game

Flappy Bird is a version of a popular mobile game application. The player controls the bird while it flies through the air avoiding the pipe obstacles. It replicates an existing game on the Scratch platform. Kids can design their own assets or choose from the Scratch library. This game is fully customizable. 

Design a Flappy Bird game.

Rocket Landing Game

Rocket landing is a simple coding activity where kids have to land a rocket on a moving platform. They’ll learn how to alert the winners and losers which is a common game element. There are only a few elements to code, so the concepts and code are easy to follow. This activity also includes a full tutorial video and printable PDF for extra support to complete it.

Design a Rocket Landing game 

Flying Space Cat Game

In this game, kids travel across space collecting crystals and use game logic to keep score. Collecting is a popular mechanic in games and is easily coded in Scratch with the same basic logic. They’ll learn how to animate a moving background and in just a few steps have a completed game. This is an easy activity for beginner game designers.

Design a Flying Space Cat game

Disappearing Snowman Game

This is a classic word game turned into JavaScript code. Kids will use code to check for matches between their secret word and the player’s, otherwise their snowman starts to melt. A nice starter activity for kids learning vanilla JavaScript. They can design their own graphics and design any background or theme.

Design a Disappearing Snowman game

Video Game Design Classes for Kids

Our kids coding program builds foundational coding skills through coding games, websites, and apps. While not every class is focused on game development, the overall program gives kids the skills to design and develop any game they want.

Scratch Game Design

Animations and Games with Scratch (Ages 8-10, Beginners)

Students are introduced to block programming in Scratch and how to think like a programmer while building fun, interactive projects and games. This unique class uses the Scratch platform to make learning complex concepts and advanced programming skills fun!

Logic with Scratch (Ages 8-10, Intermediate)

Students build on what they learned in Animations and Games with Scratch while learning new programming techniques and building more sophisticated apps and games. This course leverages the Scratch platform and block-based programming language to make programming easy and enjoyable for young learners.

Python Game Design

Intro to Programming with Python (Ages 11-13, Beginners)

Students learn fundamental programming concepts while building fun, interactive projects in Python. Our unique classes use custom Python libraries to make programming easier and more enjoyable.

Beyond Basics with Python (Ages 11-13, Intermediate)

Students are challenged to move beyond the basics of Python through building interactive apps and games. Our courses build a solid technical foundation while also cultivating an enthusiasm for the art and discipline of programming.

Intro to Python (Ages 14-18, Beginners)

Students learn fundamental programming concepts while building fun, interactive projects in Python. Our unique classes use a project-based approach to make programming more accessible and enjoyable for complete beginners and those returning to programming alike.

Learn Video Game Design & Development

Video game design is a worthwhile activity for kids at any age! It merges the creative with technical to produce something that kids can be proud of. It also practices important skills that will benefit them far into the future. 

Get started with video game design in our kids coding classes. Learn the coding foundations kids need to build games. The classes are project-based so kids work on building a game, website, or app in every class.

Enroll today in our top-rated coding classes for kids to learn video game design.

The post The Essentials of Video Game Design for Kids appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

A maze is a simple puzzle where you try to find your way from the beginning to the end. Completing a maze tests your memory, problem-solving skills, and patience. Coding does the same! Both require having to think logically and in order.  

In this tutorial, I’ll show you an easy and fun way to code a maze in Scratch where you control the player with your arrow keys. As a bonus, I’ll also teach you how to animate your character and add a timer. 

You can learn to build a maze and other fun Scratch games with a live instructor in our top-rated coding classes. My elementary school students really enjoy how engaging and easy Scratch coding is. They just have to drag and drop to create cool games and programs. By coding a maze, we’ll learn about loops, collision detection, and events. 

Complete this tutorial to code a maze Scratch!

Play and remix the complete maze game now. 

In this game, the baby penguin, Pesto, has lost his hat. Mom is going to be mad! Help him find his winter hat to win.

We can break down this game into 3 main components: 

1. The maze: A drawing of a maze obstacle players have to avoid and make their way through.

• Draw the maze

2. The player: the player, the penguin, moves around the maze and returns to the beginning when they touch the edge.

• Add and position the player
• Move the player around the maze
• Detect player collision with the maze

3. The goal: the goal, the winter hat, is placed at the end of the maze and the player wins when they reach the goal.

• Add and position the goal
• Detect player collision with the goal

What you need:

Scratch account: Create a free Scratch account

No coding experience is necessary for this Scratch tutorial. Beginner-friendly for kids ages 8 and up. Give it a try!

Steps to Make a Maze Game in Scratch

Let’s turn each of the parts we discussed previously into steps:

1. Create a new Scratch project
2. Add a backdrop
3. Draw the maze
4. Add and position the player 
5. Move the player around the maze
6. Detect player collision with the maze
7. Add and position the goal
8. Detect player collision with the goal

Step 1: Create a New Scratch project

First, we need to set up a new project in Scratch where we will edit our code. 

• Visit scratch.mit.edu
• Login to your Scratch account
• Click on the Create button

• A new project will open, rename your project to Penguin Maze Game
• Hover over the cat sprite and click the trash can to delete it

Now we have a fresh new project to code our maze game!

Hint: You can also remix the Penguin Maze project to see the completed code.

Step 2: Add a Backdrop

Set the stage for your game by adding a background image.

• Click the Choose a Backdrop button

• Select the Arctic backdrop

You should now see the backdrop in your preview area. 

Hint: Get creative and select a backdrop that matches your theme. You can also select Surprise to let Scratch choose for you. 

Step 3: Draw the maze

A maze is simple to draw with just horizontal and vertical lines. We’ll draw our own maze, make sure you leave enough room for your player to get through. 

• Hover over the choose a sprite button, select Paint

• Click on the line icon
• Select an outline color and change the size of your lines to 20
• Click and drag lines to represent the maze. Adjust it to fit the game preview.

• Click the Code tab and rename the sprite to Maze.

Do you see your maze in the preview screen like this? Great!

Hint: You can make the maze as easy or hard as you want. Add more lines and dead ends to make the maze harder. 

Step 4: Add and position the player

We want to add our player, the penguin. The penguin is going to start at the top left every time the game starts. Before we move the penguin, position it at the top with our code.

• Click the Choose a Sprite button in the right corner

• Select the Penguin 2 sprite from the library

• Change the size to fit your maze, my penguin is 20.

Next, add this code to the penguin so that it goes to the starting position every time the game starts. 

• Add a When green flag clicked block from events category.
• Add Go to x y position block from motion category. Use the x and y value of your sprite at the starting position.

Now, try moving your player away from the starting position. When you click the green flag, it should return there. If your test works, you’re ready for the next step. 

Hint: You can get creative and draw your own sprite, just hover over the add a sprite button and go up to Paint.

Step 5: Move the player around the maze

The penguin is on the screen, but he can’t move. The penguin needs to move up, down, right, and left when we press the arrow keys. We need to control him with the arrow keys.

Let’s add the logic to the arrow keys. To move the sprite right and left, add this code: 

• In the Events category, add When right arrow key pressed block
• Add a Change x by block from the motion category and change the value to 10
• Right click on When key pressed block and Duplicate the entire code block
• Then change the dropdown to When left arrow key pressed and change x by to -10

To move the sprite up and down, add this code: 

• In the Events category, add When right arrow key pressed block
• Add a Change y by block from the motion category and change the value to 10
• Right click on When key pressed block and Duplicate the entire code block
• Then change the dropdown to When left arrow key pressed and change x by to -10

Your penguin can move now! Try pressing the arrow keys and make sure the penguin is moving in the right direction.

Hint: To move the player faster or slower, change the x and y values. 

Step 6: Detect player collision with the maze

We need to code what happens when the player touches the maze. The penguin should say ‘Oh no!’ and go back to the starting position.

• On the player sprite, add a Forever block.
• Inside the Forever block, add an If then block
• From the sensing category, add the Touching block inside the if then block. Change the dropdown to the Maze sprite.
• From the looks category, add a say block and update the message to “Oh no!”
• Finally, add a go to block and use the same x y position as the starting position 

Now, you can try touching the maze with your player sprite. Does it return to the starting position?

It’s working, let’s keep going! 

Hint: You can customize the message your sprites says or change what happens after the sprites touch. 

Step 7: Add and position the goal

Our player is in place and can move around the maze. Now, let’s place the goal at the end of the maze. 

• Click the Choose a Sprite button in the right corner
• Select a sprite from the library. I’m using one from the Scratch library called Winter Hat.

• Change the size to fit your maze. Mine is size 40.

• Add a “when green flag clicked” block
• In the preview, position the hat at the end of the maze. Then add a Go to x y position block using those coordinates. Mine is positioned at x = 195 and y = -135.

Once you’re done, click the green flag to test your game. Your hat should go to the end of the maze when the green flag is clicked.

Hint: You can customize the goal sprite to fit your theme by drawing or uploading a sprite.

Step 8: Detect player collision with the goal

To win the game, the player needs to reach the goal. When the player teaches the goal, they say “I found it!” and the game ends.

• On the player sprite, inside the forever block, add an if then loop
• From the sensing category, add the Touching block inside the if then loop. Change the dropdown to “Winter Hat”
• Add say block and update the message to “I found it!”
• From the control category, add a stop all block to end the game

Hint: You don’t have the complete the maze to test your game. Just drag your character sprite to the end in your game preview.

Your maze game is complete! Play the maze game.

Click the green flag and give it a try. If you want to share it with other people and let them remix it, click the “Share” button at the top. 

You can “see inside” the completed maze game to view the full Scratch code. 

Challenge yourself by adding the bonus features to your maze. 

Bonus: Animate the player 

We can animate the penguin by making it look left and right when it moves. To do this, we’ll create a costume for each look.

1. Create the costumes

• Click on the costumes tab, you will see different poses for the penguin on the left

• Rename the first costume, penguin2-a to look front 
• Rename the last costume, penguin2-d to look right

• To create a penguin looking left, right click and duplicate the look right costume

• Highlight the new costume in the paint canvas and click flip horizontal. You should now have a penguin looking left.
• Rename this new sprite to look left

The final costumes will look like this:

Your penguin now has different costumes to show which direction he’s facing.

2. Change the costume with arrow keys

Go back to the Code tab to add code to the penguin sprite. Under each key press, we will switch the costume to match the direction the penguin is facing.

• Under the when right key pressed, add a switch costume to look right
• Under the when left key pressed, add a switch costume to look left
• Under the when up key pressed, add a switch costume to look front
• Under the when down key pressed, add a switch costume to look front

Try pressing the arrow keys and see if your penguin is facing the right direction.

3. Set the costume when the game starts

But, when we press the green flag the penguin isn’t always facing forward.

• Under the when green flag clicked block, add a switch costume to look front

Start the game over by pressing the green flag. Your penguin should start looking forward, then look right or left depending on which direction it’s moving. 

Now your penguin is animated to look like it’s walking.

Bonus: Add a timer 

We can add a timer to make the maze more challenging. Let’s give the player 60 seconds to complete the maze game before the penguin disappears.

1. Create a Time variable

A variable is used to hold information that changes. Our time decreases every one second, so we can use a variable to save that value.

• Go to variable category, right-click my variable and rename it to Time

• Check off the box next to the Time variable

You should see the Time variable in your game preview now.

2. Start the Timer 

If we want the player to have 60 seconds to play, we should set the timer to start at 60. 

• Add a When green flag clicked block
• From the variable category, drag a set Time to 60

Press the green flag to see the time reset.

3. Count down the timer

Use a loop to count down the timer every 1 second. 

• Add a Repeat until loop under the set Time block
• In the operators category, add a less than block in the repeat until loop. Repeat until Time < 1.
• Add a wait 1 second block inside the loop
• Then decrease the time variable using change Time by -1

Press the green flag to see the time counting down.

4. Show and hide the penguin

The penguin should show when the game starts, but hide after the time runs out. 

• After the When green flag clicked block, add a show block
• After the Repeat until loop, add a hide block

That’s it! Press the green flag to test your timer one more time. It should be counting down the time and hiding the penguin once the time runs out.

Give yourself a pat on the back. You completed the maze game tutorial. See the complete game with bonuses and remix it. 

More Scratch Tutorials for Kids

Try making another Scratch game using a fun step-by-step tutorial:

• Valentine’s Day Card Scratch Tutorial
• Holidays Advent Calendar Scratch Tutorial
• Halloween Candy Collector Game Scratch Tutorial
• Flying Space Cat Scratch Tutorial
• How to Make Flappy Bird on Scratch
• How To Make a Game on Scratch

Download Free Printable Scratch Coding Tutorials PDF

Get the Rocketship Landing game and Flying Space Cat Scratch tutorials in a printable format.

Code more games in Scratch!

Continue coding games in Scratch with the guidance of a live, expert instructor. We teach kids how to code and practice analytical thinking, computational thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning.

Kids, ages 8-10, who want to learn more about Scratch coding can join the Elementary School Core Track. We offer a structured Scratch curriculum with project-based learning for hands-on practice. Enroll today to get started.

Learn to make games in Scratch in our top-rated coding classes for kids.

The post How to Make a Maze in Scratch in 7 steps appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

You want to build your first game, but you need to find a game simple enough for beginners to complete and not get lost. This list of easy games to code is a good place to start. Beginners and kids can code these simple games and continue to expand on them. There are plenty of ways to customize and add features to these basic games.

This project-based approach ensures lasting learning for any coder. In our coding classes, kids build projects and games every week and bigger projects at the end of each course. Learning how to code games also help kids practice their problem-solving, critical thinking, and logical reasoning skills.

These are easy games that beginners and kids can code with little or no experience. Start with these games for ideas and inspiration, then see where it takes you! 

List of Easy Games to Code

Using this list, you can start coding a simple game that will help you practice and learn. One way to think of simple game ideas you already know and translate them into code. Think about tic-tac-toe, how would you write that in code? 

Many of these examples are taken from games you’re familiar with. Try building one of these easy games in Scratch, JavaScript, or Python. Most of these games utilize only a few coding concepts and you can translate them to whichever language you are learning. Practice understanding the game logic and visuals, then you can add your own touches to it. 

7 Easy Games to Code

1. Guess The Number
2. Rock, Paper, Scissors
3. Flappy Bird
4. Frogger
5. Disappearing Snowman
6. Match Game
7. Mad Libs

1. Guess the Number

We’ve all played this game with friends and it doesn’t even require a paper and pen. Guess the Number is a simple guessing game that’s easy for beginners at any age to code. The goal is for one player to think of a number and the other to guess it. In our game, the computer picks a random number and the player inputs one guess at a time. After 3 incorrect guesses, the computer reveals the answer. At the end, the user is also told how many turns it took them to guess the number.  This is an easy game to code because the logic is very straightforward.

Coding a number guessing game teaches kids how to work random numbers, loops, and conditionals. These are important programming concepts that are used in all coding languages. Students will be able to logically think through the steps of the game and write them in code. 

The game can be customized by adding features like telling the player if they’re too high or too low. It could also provide additional guesses or have an option to restart the game once it’s ended.

Play Guess the Number

Download Source Code

2. Rock, Paper, Scissors

Rock, paper, scissors is another classic game that kids and adults have all played. Whether you’re trying to break a stalemate or just prove your quick reflexes, it’s a fun game that can be played anywhere. There’s even a professional rock, paper, scissors tournament that happens internationally! This is an easy game to code due to the simple ruleset and limited number of choices and outcomes. 

This game will test kids’ computational thinking skills and teach them about arrays and if-then logic.  This game doesn’t require a lot of code, but it will help solidify some really important foundational coding concepts. It’s a perfect place to start for kids and beginners with no coding experience.

Kids can get creative with the visuals of the game or add more options to make it more difficult. Customize it by creating a scoring system for the best out of five games so the player can play multiple times. 

Play Rock, Paper, Scissors

Game Tutorial

3. Flappy Bird

Flappy Bird is a version of a popular mobile game application. The player controls the bird while it flies through the air avoiding the pipe obstacles. The goal is to navigate the bird through the pipes without hitting them. The game stops if the bird collides with one of the pipes. This is an easy game to code because it has limited features and simple game mechanics. 

Kids who code this game learn about loops, events, and conditionals. Creating the repeating obstacles is one of the harder parts of this game. In Scratch, this game only requires two sprites and easy game logic to execute. 

For those who want more of a challenge, they can customize this game by changing the speed of the obstacles. If they want to focus on the design, they can try animating the main character or the background. 

Play Flappy Bird

Game Tutorial

4. Frogger

Frogger is a classic video game that has many features and levels that make it so fun to play. We’ve created a simplified version of this game in Python for beginners to code, called Traffic vs. Zombie. The player is a zombie with the goal of crossing the road to the finish line without being hit by a car. This is an easy game to code because it has a clear structure and simple rules.

Traffic vs Zombie utilizes events and object-oriented programming. Each moving object, like the cars and zombies, can be represented as separate entities or classes, giving you a good introduction to object-oriented programming principles. Kids will also practice collision detection which is a popular feature of many games. When the zombie is hit by a car, this triggers a loss.

Kids can make their game unique by adding levels with new obstacle, a scoreboard, or timer. Bonus items the zombie can collect would also be a fun addition.

Play Traffic v. Zombie

Game Tutorial

5. Disappearing Snowman

Guess the word before the snowman melts away! Disappearing Snowman is a word game where players try to guess a word by guessing each letter. For every wrong letter, part of the snowman disappears. The goal is to guess the word before that happens. This is an easy game to code because it uses basic logic and data structures. It can even be completely text-based.

By coding this game, kids learn to manipulate strings and lists. The main component of the game is guessing the word which entails handling the word to be guessed, the letters guessed so far, and the hidden word display. This core logic involves basic operations like comparing user input with a list of letters in the word and updating the display.

This game uses simple JavaScript code to power the game functions. To increase the difficulty of the project, kids can use longer, more complex words. Another feature could be to add a timer that limits the time players have to guess.

Play Disappearing Snowman

Game Tutorial

6. Match Game

This is a classic board game where players try to match pairs of images by turning only two up at a time. The objective is to match all pairs in as few moves as possible. A digital version is an easy game to code because it has very basic instructions and rules.

This game doesn’t require difficult game logic. It can be done in JavaScript or any other front-end language. Kids learn about state management, as they have to convey if the cards are face up or down. They also learn about event handling when players interact with the cards through mouse or keyboard clicks.

Students can customize this game with their images and design or make it more difficult with more cards. They can also only allow a certain number of attempts. Making this a multiplayer game with players taking turns is also a good challenge.

Play Match Game

Game Tutorial

7. Mad Libs 

Mad Libs is a popular game where you fill in the blanks in a sentence with a type of word (verb, noun, adjective, etc.) and the sentence changes depending on which word you pick for each type. In this online game, kids create their own Mad Libs stories and prompt a user to fill in the blanks. It’s an easy game to create with text only and utilizes very simple data structures.

Kids can code this game to master getting user input since it requires multiple prompts for the user. If they’re building their game in Python, they also learn about multiline and F strings.

It’s easy to customize Mad Libs with different stories, phrases, or prompts to the user. You could use mad libs to write a book and prompts to go to the next page. Another idea is to add a menu for the user to select the type of prompt.

Play Mad Libs

Download Source Code

Tips for Coding Games

If your child is just starting to code games here are some tips to be successful:

Start small

Coding easy games is a good way to start small. Students don’t need to rush into complex game mechanics right away. Begin with a solid base game and gradually add features to make it more complex. This progressive approach will allow kids to practice a few skills at a time and also bring multiple skills together. Using small steps also helps prevent erorrs and makes debugging easier.

Do projects

You can learn different skills by following step-by-step guides and tutorials. But the best way to advance your skills is to challenge yourself to use those concepts in a project. Doing a project from scratch, like the ones listed, will test the skills that are learned in the tutorials.

Debug and iterate 

Testing and fixing your code is a big part of game development. This doesn’t have to be done on your own. You can ask friends and family to play your game and give you feedback. 

Join a community

Platforms like GitHub, Reddit, and Stack Overflow offer great support for beginner developers. Connecting with other developers can help kids learn much faster and get help when they really need it. Learning to code alone is much more difficult. However, these platforms are created for adults so parents should monitor kids usage. 

Learn more about how to code a game.

Learn to Code Games

After trying these easy games, kids can advance their skills in our top-rated kids coding classes. 

Kids will learn game development most effectively if they are having fun and build a solid foundation in coding concepts. CodeWizardsHQ’s coding programs are designed to provide everything students needs to learn how to code in and outside of the classroom. They are tailored to kids’ age group with a progressive project-based curriculum so that kids advance in their coding skills with every class. 

Kids in our program are building websites, games, and apps. These coding projects practice more than the language itself, they also hone problem-solving and critical thinking skills which are used in real life. At the end of the program, they leave with a portfolio of coding projects. Learn more and enroll today.

These easy games are just a starting point for beginners and kids. Use your new skills and your imagination to develop the next big game!

The post 7 Easy Games to Code for Beginners and Kids appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

Given the popularity of games today, it’s no wonder many kids aspire to be game developers and designers. Lua coding is a good choice for those kids interested in game development.

Coding is an exciting world that can lead kids into game development and design. It’s also a good first step whether they want to build games or just learn a new skill. 

Prepare your child for success: If you are looking for your child to learn to code, explore our live, teacher-led coding classes. View Programs.

Learning to develop games gives them a sought-after technical skill, but also improves their creativity, problem-solving, and analytical skills. 

Kids who want to learn Lua with personalized help from live instructors can join our top-rated Roblox summer camp. 

This guide will cover the basics of Lua coding, its features, benefits, and how kids can learn to code in Lua. 

What is Lua?

Lua is a high-level scripting programming language that kids can use to code in Roblox and other platforms. It’s one of our top coding languages for kids because Lua is used extensively in game development to enhance game features, create interactive experiences, and customize game mechanics.

It was originally created by a team at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The word “Lua” (pronounced LOO-ah) means “Moon” in Portuguese.

Lua supports procedural programming, object-oriented programming, functional programming, data-driven programming, and data description.

This language combines simple procedural syntax with powerful data description constructs based on associative arrays and extensible semantics. Lua is dynamically typed, runs by interpreting bytecode with a register-based virtual machine, and has automatic memory management with incremental garbage collection, making it ideal for configuration, scripting, and rapid prototyping.

The Lua 5.1 reference manual is the official definition of the Lua language. You can find technical language information in the Lua documentation.

Lua vs. Luau 

Luau is a language derived from Lua 5.1 that’s designed to be faster, more feature-rich, and more performant. It’s described as a fast, small, safe, and gradually typed embeddable scripting language.

It was originally created for Roblox in order to handle the growing sophistication of games on the Roblox platform, growing team sizes, and large internal teams writing a lot of code. 

Some differences in Lua vs. Luau include:

• Backwards compatibility – Luau is designed to be backward compatible with Lua 5.1, but it also incorporates features from future Lua releases.
• Compiler and analysis tools – Luau’s compiler and analysis tools are written from scratch, but follow Lua’s syntax and semantics.
• Type checking – Luau is dynamically typed by default, meaning variables are assigned a type at runtime, but you can also enable strict type checking.
• String interpolation – Luau adds a way to define string values that allows you to put runtime expressions directly into the literal.

Luau’s main focus is on stable, high-performance code, while Lua focuses on just-in-time (JIT) compilation.

Kids can use either Lua or Luau for scripting in Roblox.

Is Lua Free?

Lua is free open-source software, distributed under the MIT license. Anyone can use it for any purpose, including commercial purposes, at absolutely no cost.

Getting Started With Lua

Getting started with Lua is fast and easy. Kids have likely interacted with Lua before in Roblox. Your child might be interested in the opportunity to not just play but contribute to some of their favorite games and franchises. 

In our Roblox classes, we use Roblox Studio because it already has Lua set up. It allows students to see coding changes in a visual way through the game, versus just in the terminal.

You can also install it on your computer from the source with these instructions. 

Install Lua from Source

Windows

1. Download the Lua software
2. Open the zip file and extract the contents to your preferred directory (For example: C:/Program Files/Lua)
3. Next, add the directory where you extracted the binaries to the Windows environment variables (in our case C:/Program Files/Lua)
4. Click on Start and search “Edit Environment Variables” 
5. Click on this to redirect you to the Environment Variables Window in the Control Panel
6. Go to the System Variables Section, search for the Path variable, and click Edit. You can then add the path to where you extracted the binaries. Click OK.
7. Now, you can access the Lua interpreter from anywhere in your system. To test this, open PowerShell and type “lua”. The interpreter should now run if you have done everything correctly.

Mac

If you use Linux or macOS, Lua is either already installed on your system or there is a Lua package for it. 

Here is a simple terminal session that downloads the current release of Lua and builds it in a Linux system:

• curl -L -R -O https://lua.org/ftp/lua-5.4.7.tar.gz
• tar zxf lua-5.4.7.tar.gz
• cd lua-5.4.7
• make all test

Pre-compiled Lua libraries and executables are available at LuaBinaries. 

Kids can also use the live demo to play with Lua if they don’t want to install anything on their computer.

Features of Lua Programming Language

Lua is one of the most popular scripting languages for game development because of the many features that make it powerful and efficient. These features are great for kids learning to code because Lua is both simple and powerful. 

• Proven, robust language
• Fast
• Portable
• Embeddable
• Small
• Versatile

Proven, robust language

Lua has been around since 1993 and since then it has been used across various industries and applications. It’s able to meet the needs of many diverse fields and has continued to evolve. Lua has demonstrated its reliability and effectiveness in many real-world scenarios.

Fast

Lua is particularly known for its speed and efficiency. It’s enhanced by JIT (just in time) processing which is designed to be performant and lightweight. This is why it’s been adopted for applications that require quick processing like games and real-time simulations.

Portable

Lua’s core is written in ANSI C, and Lua has a relatively simple C application programming interface (API) to embed it across applications. This gives it the ability to run on multiple platforms and architectures with minimal effort making it very portable.

Embeddable 

Lua is designed to be integrated seamlessly, or embedded, into other languages as a scripting language. Developers use Lua to extend and customize the functionality of their programs, without rewriting the codebase. 

Small

Lua only has 21 reserved words, making the language much smaller and more concise than others. Its standard library is minimal but can be extended with many packages. Because of its simple syntax, this language is easier for beginners to learn and facilitates quick prototyping. 

Versatile

Besides its embedded use, Lua has found applications as a scripting language for game engines like Love2D and Corona SDK, web development frameworks like OpenResty for server-side scripting, and scientific computing. Lua’s flexibility allows developers to use it across different projects and industries, demonstrating its versatility in diverse contexts.

Why should kids learn Lua Coding?

Lua coding is fun and engaging for kids ages 8 and up!

Lua is powerful, fast, and easy-to-learn so it’s perfect for kids and beginners. While the base of Lua code is compact, it still has similar features to other more complex programming languages. It’s easy to extend Lua with various libraries of additional code. Vice versa, Lua can also be used to extend programs written not only in C and C++, but also in Java, C#, and other languages.

Learning to code benefits kids by helping them learn life skills and building the confidence to conquer any new challenges. 

Kids ages 8 and up can start learning to code with Lua. It has a low barrier of entry for kids to start learning and will grow with them as their skills improve. 

The syntax is straightforward and reads from top to bottom. It’s similar to Python which was also developed with simple and easy-to-understand syntax in mind. 

Lua is not as strict as some other languages so kids will have an easier time picking it up and fixing bugs. This makes it easy for both kids and beginners to read and understand the code. 

Lua also has a strong connection to gaming, which is popular among kids. 

They’re probably already interacting with Lua! In games like Roblox and World of Warcraft. Learning Lua will show kids how code relates to them and their world.

Lua in Roblox

Code in Roblox is written in Luau. In Roblox, you use Luau to create scripts. These scripts give the game sets of instructions on how to give players health points, create a rain of fireballs, or anything else imaginable.

Roblox provides a built-in editor where developers can write and test their Lua scripts directly within the platform, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers.

Lua in Minecraft

In Minecraft, Lua is used by a specific mod named ComputerCraft that adds working networked computers and programmable robots (turtles). This mod gives you a pseudo-Linux that runs programs you can write in Lua.

How to learn Lua coding language

Lua is generally considered an easy programming language to learn. As with any coding language, the recommended approach is to provide kids with structured and progressive learning so they continue to grow. 

Our coding classes use a project-based approach so kids learn hands-on by building games, websites, and apps. Students are continuously adding new skills while solidifying the skills they’ve already learned. This is the same process you can use for your child to learn Lua. Coding can be challenging, so make sure that learning is fun and engaging for them so they stick with it. 

If your child has no experience, use this process to learn Lua coding:

1. Learn the fundamentals of Lua programming
2. Do hands-on practice with projects
3. Use gamified learning to motivate
4. Practice, practice, practice!

1. Learn the fundamentals of Lua programming 

Start with the basics of the Lua language including variables, data types, loops, and control structures. Kids should understand these concepts and be able to write and express them in Lua code.

However your child learns best, they can apply it to their Lua studies. To learn these principles, there are resources like tutorials, classes, videos, and games. To practice writing code, kids can install Lua on the computer, use a text editor to write the code, and run it in the terminal. It’s also possible to run Lua code with no setup using One Compiler. 

There they can practice writing the syntax. Once they know the basics, they can apply multiple coding concepts to a bigger project.  

2. Do hands-on practice with projects

It’s proven that most kids learn best by doing. So give them hands-on practice to apply the skills they’ve learned with projects that grow with their skill level.

They should find a project that appeals to their interests and matches their skill level. In this process, they can be creative and or just start by mimicking other projects and features created in Lua. This allows kids to practice the skills they’ve learned while creating a portfolio of their work. 

We usually start with a simple project idea, then expand and add on to that idea. These practice projects can be applied in game development in platforms like Roblox Studio and Love2D. These environments give students instant feedback when they can see their code in action.

3. Use gamified learning to motivate

Encourage continued learning by making it a game. Gamified learning is effective for motivating kids and adds fun to the learning process. In our gamified coding platform, kids earn badges and points. Plus, they’re entered for prizes for actions like completing homework and advancing in classes.

Platforms like Codewars offer fun coding puzzles for Lua. These challenges help kids practice problem-solving in a game-like environment, which keeps them engaged. Many platforms give rewards or badges as kids progress, making learning feel like leveling up in a game.

4. Practice, practice, practice! 

Practice is crucial for learning any programming language. The more kids practice, the more they will progress. Writing code regularly will continuously reinforce their skills.

One-time classes and camps aren’t a good introduction, but won’t teach your child how to code. Kids require spaced repetition in learning and a progression of difficulty. They should be practicing these skills over time and applying them. By practicing just a few minutes daily or weekly, they’re significantly more likely to retain their learning. 

Students will get a lot of practice through doing projects in a safe place where they can learn from their mistakes. Continued practice takes persistence and as their skills improve they’ll build their problem-solving, confidence, and coding skills too.

Apps that run on Lua

Lua is currently the leading scripting application for games. These are some popular games that use Lua:

Gaming Applications of Lua 

• World of Warcraft
• Angry Birds
• Roblox
• SimCity 4
• Warframe
• CRYENGINE
• Garry’s Mod
• Payday 2
• Phantasy Star Online 2
• Dota 2
• Crysis

However, Lua is not only used in game development. Web apps, industrial programs, and existing software use Lua. These industrial applications also use Lua.

Industrial Applications of Lua

• Adobe 
• Firefox
• Shopify
• Thumbtack
• Close
• Unacademy
• Kong
• Venmo

Code your first Lua script

Now that you know more about Lua, challenge your child can write their first Lua script. 

In the 1-week Roblox summer camps we use Roblox Studio because it provides a built-in editor for Lua scripts. It also allows kids to see their code executed in an actual game! 

Let’s use Roblox Studio to write our first script. This will make a blinking block that appears and disappears in an obby game. 

Steps to create a script in Roblox Studio:

1. Download and Install Roblox Studio
2. Create a Game Using a Template
3. Edit the Part You Want to Add a Script To
4. Add a Script File
5. Create a Variable called platform
6. Create a Function called disappear
7. Create a Function called appear
8. Create a Loop to Toggle the Visibility

1. Download and Install Roblox Studio

• Get Roblox Studio at https://create.roblox.com/ and click the Start Creating button.

• In the Downloads folder, click the RobloxStudioInstaller to begin installing the software.

2. Create a Game Using a Template

• Open Roblox Studio and click New 
• Select “Classic Obby” in the templates. You can learn how to create and customize your own obby in just 15 minutes.

3. Edit the Part You Want to Add a Script To

• In the Explorer window on the right of the screen, open the “Obby Structure” folder in the Workspace by pressing the arrow buttons on the left of the folder name.
• Right-click on a Part and rename it to DisappearingPart. You can also click on any block directly in the Obby to select it.

4. Add a Script File

• Hover your mouse cursor over the DisapearingPart, press the + button, and select Script. A new file will open, this is where we add the code for our script.
• Delete the existing code 

5. Create a variable called platform
   • Create a variable for the platform called platform, where the value is script.Parent. script.Parent is used to find the object the script is located in.

Add this code:

local platform = script.Parent

6. Create a Function called disappear

We want our part to disappear then reappear. First, let’s add the logic to make the part disappear.

• Define a function called disappear 
• The CanCollide property determines if other parts (and users) can pass right through the part. If you set it to false, users will fall through the platform.
• The Transparency property controls when the pat is visible. It can be a value between 0 and 1, where 1 is fully transparent and invisible.

Add this code:

local function disappear()

    platform.CanCollide = false

    platform.Transparency = 1

end

7. Create a function called appear. 

• Define a function called appear. This will do the opposite of the disappear function. 

Add this code:

local function appear()

    platform.CanCollide = true

    platform.Transparency = 0

end

8. Create a Loop to Toggle the Visibility

We have the logic to make the part disappear and reappear, but we need to make the part blink slowly.

• Create a while loop
  • while true do 

end

• Inside of the loop, call the wait() function and add the number of seconds to wait in the parentheses. We are using 3 seconds.
• Call the disappear() function
• Add another wait() function with 3 seconds.
• Call the appear() function

Add this code:

while true do

   wait(3)

   disappear()

   wait(3)

   appear()

end

The first script is complete, press the play button to see the part blinking! 

This is just one of many features kids can use to customize their Roblox games. It’s very simple and fast, so get creative and start scripting.

Programs for coding in Lua 

Kids want the immediate gratification of seeing their work come to life. They can do this by using Lua with a front end program. 

Each of these programs uses Lua code and can be used as teaching tools for Lua:

Roblox Studio

Roblox provides an easy-to-use game editor, called Roblox Studio. This is where kids can create and extend their games using Lua scripts. Lua scripting is integral to building games in Roblox. Scripts can power the gameplay, interactions, design, and user experience. With Lua and Roblox studio, kids can create a unique and dynamic game that they can then publish on all platforms including mobile, desktop, console, and VR.

Love2D

Love2D is a popular framework for kids to make 2D games using Lua. In Love2D, Lua powers everything including the game logic, graphics rendering, input, and audio. Love simplifies game development using Lua so kids can focus on creating their game rather than dealing with the low-level details. Love is completely free and open source. There is an active community that can help kids when they are stuck. People also post their games and projects in the forum, so kids have inspiration and examples. 

Solar2D

Solar2D is a 2D game engine that focuses on ease of iterations and usage. It is Lua-based but can call any native (C/C++/Obj-C/Java) library or API using Solar2D Native. It’s a versatile framework that makes game development efficient and accessible, which is great for kids. It is also free and open source. Kids can develop games for mobile, desktop, and connected TV devices. There’s a free code exchange where kids can search other developer repositories and fork the code.

Join a Roblox camp to learn Lua!

Coding in Lua is not only fun but beneficial for kids. They’ll learn more than just how to write code. They’ll be able to effectively solve problems and make decisions. 

Our 1-week Roblox camp teaches kids how to build games in Roblox Studio and write Lua scripts. Get your child interested in coding with their favorite games. You’ll give them the opportunity to become creators and build the skills that will make them successful in the future. 

Enroll in a top-rated Roblox camp this summer to learn Lua coding and game development.

The post Guide to Lua Coding for Kids appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

Scratch is a fun and creative learning platform for kids who are curious about building games and applications. They can use their imagination to add and customize their projects. 

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a timer in Scratch. We will code a countdown timer and a stopwatch. You can add these timers to existing projects or your new project for a dynamic experience.

To learn Scratch with the experts, join our top-rated Scratch classes for kids. 

What is Scratch?

Scratch is a drag-and-drop coding language that helps kids learn coding fundamentals as well as develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning skills.

It’s a coding playground that teaches kids in a hands-on and accessible way. It’s safe, fun, and completely free.

Scratch is easy to access through any browser and has a supportive community where students can share and remix projects and games. It’s one of the best ways, especially for young kids, to learn the foundations of programming.

What is a timer in Scratch?

Timers are a component of a program or game that measures time in specific intervals. 

A timer can be used to delay actions, limit the duration of actions, or allow actions to continue for a total amount of time.

You can add a timer to count up or count down. Timers can be used in various projects, from simple games to complex animations. Each project may require a different type of timer.

In Scratch, timers are used to control the execution of command blocks or schedule actions to occur at specific intervals. 

Timers require a trigger to start or stop. For example, your timer may start when the green flag is clicked and stop once it reaches a certain amount of time. Or maybe your timer starts with a new level and stops when the sprite is clicked.

Timers in Scratch can be created using custom variables or the built-in timer variable.

Custom variable

You can create a timer in Scratch by creating a custom variable to store the time. 

Built-in variable

The timer variable is a feature in Scratch that records how many seconds have passed since the last time the green flag was clicked or the timer was reset. 

Why add a timer? 

Timers are a way to make your game or project more dynamic and engaging. 

In a game, a timer can present a challenge. Let’s say you only have 5 minutes to complete a level, this helps structure the game and adds difficulty.

For apps, a timer may be used to track goals. Think of a running app where you track the number of miles you can in one day. 

There are a variety of ways timers are useful in a project or game including:

• Scheduling actions
• Breaking down tasks
• Adding stakes
• Monitoring performance

Scheduling actions

Timers can schedule specific actions to happen at predetermined intervals, such as executing code or triggering an event.

Breaking down tasks

Timers help break down challenging tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. This prevents users from getting overwhelmed and maintain a sense of progress.

Adding stakes

Timers add stakes to a game such as by making players lose if they run out of time. For example, players could try to get as many points as possible or solve a puzzle before the timer runs out.

Monitoring performance

Timers can be used to monitor the performance of code, such as measuring how long it takes to run. 

How to Make a Countdown Timer in Scratch

A countdown timer starts at a certain number and counts down, usually ending at 0.

In our Flying Space Cat game, we can make the game more difficult (and fun!) by limiting the amount of time players have to accomplish the goal of collecting crystals. 

Remix this project to add a timer to it. You can also try the full Flying Space Cat tutorial. 

Let’s add a countdown timer to limit the players to 60 seconds.

1. Start the timer
2. Countdown every 1 second
3. Add the next action
4. Customize your timer

Step 1 Start the timer

We will set the timer to start when the game starts, when we click the green flag. 

• Add a “When Green Flag Clicked” block to your sprite.

The time starts at 60 seconds. Since the time changes, use a variable to hold this value. 

• In the variables blocks, make a variable called Time and check it off
• Under the “When Green Flag Clicked” block, add a set variable block. Update the dropdown to your Time variable and enter a number of seconds to start your timer. Here we are using 60.

Press the green flag to see the time displayed.

Step 2 Countdown every 1 second

Every second, the time decreases by 1 until it reaches 0. Then the game is over.

• Add a “repeat until” loop with an operator for “Time < 1”. 
• Inside the loop, add a “wait 1 seconds” block 
• Below that, add a “change Time by -1”

Click the green flag to watch your timer countdown!

Step 3 Add the next action

When the time runs out, or reaches 0, the loop and the game ends.

Decide what happens when the time runs out. In our game, the “Game Over” message displays.

• After the loop, add a “Broadcast game over” block.

Run down the time to see the Game Over message.

Your timer is complete. See and remix the full game code here. 

Step 4 Customize your timer

You can easily customize this timer by changing these features:

How long is the countdown? 

Change the 60 in “Set Time to” block to another number.

What happens in your app after the time runs out? 

Add that code beneath the “Repeat Until” block.

How fast does the timer countdown? 

Change the time in “wait 1 seconds” and “change Time by -1” to countdown faster or slower.

How to Make a Stopwatch in Scratch

We can also create a stopwatch in Scratch. A stopwatch measures the time that has elapsed from when it’s started. It’s often used when we need precise time measurements like in a race where only seconds separate the winners and losers.

Scratch has a built-in timer variable that tracks to the microsecond how much time has passed since the last time the green flag was clicked or the timer was reset. 

I’ll show you how to start and stop a timer here. 

Add a Stopwatch To “A Unicorn Sighting”

You are hanging out at the beach and see an incredible sight, a white unicorn running across the beach! Build a timer to track how long your unicorn sighting is, it will be different every time. Start the timer when you see the unicorn and stop it when it disappears.

Remix this project to add a stopwatch to it. You can also see the completed A Unicorn Sighting.

Now, let’s add a stopwatch to track the time.

1. Create a button sprite
2. Set the stopwatch to 0 to start
3. Change the button when it’s clicked
4. Control the start and stop button

Step 1 Create a button sprite

We need one sprite, this is a start and stop button. 

• Click the “Choose a Sprite” button. I’ve customized the Button2 sprite in the Scratch library.

• Create two costumes called start and stop. 

You should see the button in your preview screen!

Step 2 Set the stopwatch to 0 to start

Add this code to your button sprite. We will set the stopwatch to 0 when the application is started.

• Add a “When Green Flag Clicked” block to your sprite.

Since the time changes, use a variable to hold this value. 

• In the variables blocks, make a variable called time and check it off.

• On the preview screen, double-click the time display to show a large readout and move it near your button.
• Under the “When Green Flag Clicked” block, add a “set time to” block and use 0. 
• Add “switch costume to” block and start with the Start button

Press the green flag to see the stopwatch set to “start” and time variable to 0. Make sure you are seeing the right button and time.

Step 3 Change the button when it’s clicked

When the start button is clicked, it will change to stop and vice versa.

• Control this with a “When this sprite clicked” block
• Change the costume using “next costume”

Try clicking on the sprite, the costume should change when you click it. 

Step 4 Control the start and stop button

Now, we need to control the time using the start and stop buttons.

Create two if statements based on what the button is showing. The first if statement is when the start button is clicked.

• Add an if then block 
• Use the condition “costume name” equals stop (remember this is the costume that shows after the button is clicked)
• Inside the if then, add a reset timer
• Use a repeat until loop with the condition “costume name” equals stop
• Inside the loop, set the time variable equal to the timer variable

The second if statement is when the stop button is clicked.

• Add an if then block 
• Use the condition “costume name” equals start 
• Inside the if then, show the variable time (this is the time when the button is pressed)

Click the start button and see if it works! Watch the unicorn run across the screen and capture the time.

Now, you have a simple stopwatch to track the time. 

Try creating your own stopwatch or adding one to your next project. There are plenty of ways to customize it and improve on this simple stopwatch. 

Download Free Printable Scratch Coding Tutorials PDF

Try adding a timer to these Scratch games. Download a full PDF tutorial for the Rocketship Landing game and Flying Space Cat game.

Learn How to Make Games in Scratch

Making games in Scratch is a great way for kids to build a foundation in programming and also practice analytical thinking, computational thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning. 

Kids, ages 8-10, who want to learn more about Scratch coding will love the live, online classes at CodeWizardsHQ. We offer a structured curriculum with project-based learning and expert instructors who support students every step of the way. Enroll today to get started.

They’ll build the coding fundamentals they need to move on to text-based programming in Python and JavaScript. It’s a complete coding program that provides everything your child needs to learn to code.

Learn to make games in Scratch in our top-rated coding classes for kids.

The post How to Make a Timer in Scratch appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

App development for kids is a unique and rewarding activity and gives kids a chance to be inventors and creators. Kids access information and interact with their friends, all through apps! Mobile and web apps provide kids with both education and entertainment.

Building an app is an engaging way to teach kids creativity, problem-solving skills, and logical thinking. Let’s take a look at how kids can develop an app from start to finish.

Kids can also learn the coding skills to build their own apps in our top-rated coding classes for kids.

What is an app? 

An app, short for “application”, is a software program that allows users to perform tasks on a mobile or desktop device.

Apps have become increasingly popular since Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 and launched the App Store in 2008.

Unlike a website, apps are self-contained and installed onto a computer, tablet, smartphone, or other electronic devices. Kids can download apps from different sources, usually via an app store like the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

Apps are the key drivers of today’s mobile economy. Kids can find free apps but there are also paid apps and those that offer in-app purchases. 

Types of Apps 

There are so many different types of apps that kids can develop. Each one serves a specific purpose and requires different development skills.

Kids can decide what type of app to develop based on the project requirements, audience they want to reach, or performance needs. It may also come down to their coding skills and time and cost of the project. 

These are the main types of apps kids can develop:

Native apps 

Apps developed for a specific mobile operating system (OS) such as iOS or Android are native apps, also known as mobile apps.

They’re created with platform-specific programming languages and tools. The operating system guides which language the app will be written in. For example, iOS apps are written in Swift while Android apps are written in Java. 

Since mobile apps are platform-specific, we can’t use an app made for iOS on an Android or Blackberry device. The advantage is that they can leverage platform-specific features for high performance and user experience.

Unlike web-based apps, they have access to the features of the device. For example, native apps can access the camera or location. Native apps operate on or offline and require storage space on the device. 

Examples: Instagram, Uber

Advantages

• High performance
• Full access to device features (camera, GPS, etc.)
• Better user experience

Disadvantages

• Higher development costs
• Separate codebases for each platform

Web-based apps

Web-based apps are apps that can be accessed through a browser. They are used across devices and run on any device with a compatible browser.

These apps are typically developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There’s no installation or software, which provides easy access and broad compatibility across devices.

They offer almost identical capabilities and responsiveness as mobile apps, but can’t operate offline or access the features of your device.

Examples: Gmail, Netflix

Advantages

• Cross-platform compatibility
• Easier to update and maintain

Disadvantages

• Limited access to device features
• Doesn’t work offline

Hybrid apps

Hybrid apps combine elements of both native and web apps. They are essentially web apps wrapped in a native app container.

The core of hybrid apps are written in common web languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript versus platform-specific languages like Swift. 

Hybrid apps are distributed through app stores, so they are developed for one specific platform.

The native container allows hybrid apps to take advantage of native device features, such as hardware, calendars, and notifications, that web apps cannot access. 

Examples: Amazon App Store and Facebook

Advantages 

• Cross-platform development
• Single codebase for multiple platforms

Disadvantages

• Performance may not match native apps
• Limited access to some native features

Mobile and web apps are categorized based on their functionality, target audience, and the problems they help solve. Just to name a few categories, there are apps for:

• Social networking
• Productivity
• Education
• Games
• Photos and videos
• Music and video
• Fitness
• Entertainment
• News and information

Jobs in App Development 

Learning to develop mobile and web apps gives kids a solid job skill. These jobs are crucial to developing and maintaining apps.

1. Front-End Developer
2. Back-End Developer
3. Full-Stack Developer
4. Mobile App Developer (iOS/Android)
5. UI/UX Designer
6. Product Manager
7. Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer
8. DevOps Engineer
9. Database Administrator (DBA)
10. Project Manager
11. Business Analyst
12. Scrum Master
13. Security Analyst
14. API Developer
15. Cloud Solutions Architect
16. Data Scientist
17. Machine Learning Engineer
18. Technical Writer
19. Customer Support Specialist
20. Marketing Specialist

How are mobile and web apps created? 

Apps all start with an idea! 

Launching an app involves several stages of conceptualization, prototyping, design, development, and testing. Learning to code is also an important part of creating an app from scratch or executing new ideas. 

Apps are written using code in different programming languages. For example, Android apps are written in Kotlin, Java, and C++, while iOS apps are written in Swift and Objective-C under XCode IDE.

Recommended: Typing Apps for Kids

Why Teach App Development to Kids?

The benefits of teaching app development to kids includes:

• Learn basic coding
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Use their creativity
• Become creators
• Build confidence

The benefits of teaching kids how to develop their own apps goes beyond just learning to code.

Kids learn skills like problem-solving, creativity, and logical reasoning. Also computational thinking, decision-making, and algorithmic thinking. 

Building an app is an empowering and exciting experience, full of innovation. Kids get to see their app in the app store and share their ideas with the world.

Developing an app is a hands-on way for kids to express their creativity, learn to code, or even become an entrepreneur.

An app project will inspire kids to embrace technology and improve their digital literacy. 

Since creating an app is based around coding, it’s also an effective way to teach kids how to code. When they’re learning to code they also build these skills and many more.

This is a great project to give them an edge in college admissions too. Completing an app from start to finish shows schools a level of commitment and a demonstrated interest in computer science and technology. 

Our spotlight student, May, successfully used her coding skills outside of her CodeWizardsHQ classes when she won a designation through MIT App Inventor. She developed an app that helps students track their homework assignments on a personalized screen. May submitted the app to MIT App Inventor which recognized her work as the app of the month.

What is the best age to start learning app development?

Kids as young as 5 can create a functional application using drag-and-drop app builders, like MIT App Inventor. At this age, they can focus on coding concepts and logic without having to learn text-based languages.

In Creating Websites with HTML/CSS we teach kids, ages 8-10, front end languages to create interactive web apps. This also translates to creating hybrid apps. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Simple App

Since they interact with apps every day, kids may be curious about how apps are created or have ideas for apps they want to create. 

Learning to code is a good place to start, but even without prior coding experience kids can create a functional app using drop-and-drop 

Use these steps to help your child develop their own app.

Steps for Kids to Develop an App

Kids can take these steps to develop a functional app. 

1. Pick a project
2. Plan the app
3. Design the app
4. Write the code
5. Test and Debug
6. Launch the App

Step 1 Pick a project

Kids come up with an idea and bring it to life through an app. 

They need to first conceptualize their app by identifying the goal and the target audience. What will the app do? Will it be a game for kids or a tool for families?

There are educational apps, entertainment apps, creative apps, developmental apps, and more! 

One way to pick a project is to look for a problem that can be solved using an app. This can be in their own lives or one of their family and friends. For ideas and inspiration, they can look at the apps they love to use or browse the app store. 

Once they decide on the type of project they can plan out specifics of the app.

Step 2 Plan the app

Next, they should create a detailed plan outlining the app’s structure, content, and user experience.

Developers plan this out before they design it and write the code. This involves storyboarding and wireframing the application. 

At the end, they should have a blueprint of their application.

Step 3 Design the app

In this phase, kids create the user interface. This is the front end of the app that users will see and access. 

It includes the visual aspects like colors, font, and images. There’s also a focus in this step on the user experience. 

The design should be appropriate for the audience. For example, an app for young kids may include bright colors and animated characters. 

The best apps are easy-to-use, simple, and intuitive.

Step 4 Write the code

Next, it’s time to write the code behind the app. 

Kids will pick a technology stack with the right coding language and platform to deliver their application. 

This is where they can learn how to code. We teach HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in our core programming tracks and these are the primary languages for developing web apps. In mobile apps, popular choices for iOS are Swift and Objective-C while Android apps commonly use Java and Kotlin.

On the front-end, they will translate the design to a user interface. On the back-end, they will add the logic and functionality.

Step 5 Test and Debug

Once a draft of the app is complete, it’s tested with users to find common issues and bugs. Solutions and fixes are applied to improve the application until it’s ready for launch.

There are automated testing tools like Selenium, Appium, or JUnit or developers can manually test to catch issues that automated tests might miss.

Step 6 Launch Day

Launch the app to friends and family or to the world! 

Share the app once it is complete. Publish the app to an app store and millions of people around the world can find and use the app. 

Kids can publish their app on multiple platforms and also promote it through social media or other marketing strategies.

Best App Development Tools for Kids

These are some of the best tools for kids to use if they want to start building their own mobile and web applications.

1. MIT App Inventor

MIT App Inventor is an intuitive, visual programming environment that allows everyone, even children, to build fully functional apps for smartphones and tablets. It’s a free service where kids to make their own mobile apps using blocks-based programming, so no coding skills are required.

App Inventor is cloud-based and can be accessed with a browser. There are beginner-friendly tutorials, where kids learn the basics of programming apps for Android and iOS phones and tablets.

2. Thunkable

Thunkable makes mobile app development easy with block-based programming and a drag-and-drop visual interface. Kids get hands-on with creating their apps and can take advantage of the many integrations with other popular apps.

They learn foundational computer science principles when building their Thunkable app.  When their app is complete, they can publish to both the App and Google Play Stores with performance that doesn’t change between Android and iOS devices.

3. Swift Playgrounds

Kids can easily prototype and build apps with Swift Playgrounds by Apple. It’s a free educational and development site for kids to make iOS apps. 

There are tutorials to show them how to create an app from a blank project, build its interface with SwiftUI, and use Swift Package Manager to add extra functionality.

The application can also subscribe to lessons and other content published by Lego Mindstorms EV3 and Sphero robots.

Kids Coding Languages for App Development

It’s important when introducing kids to coding and app development to pick age-appropriate programming languages and tools. This will make learning fun and engaging.

Here are recommended languages for kids interested in app development:

Ages 5-7

Scratch Jr.

Description: A visual programming language that uses blocks to create simple stories and games.

Features: Drag-and-drop interface, basic coding concepts like sequences, loops, and events.

Website: https://www.scratchjr.org/

At ages 5-7, kids may not have the typing or cognitive skills to start in text-based languages. Instead, block-based programming languages, like Scratch Jr, will help them learn programming fundamentals and logic.

Ages 8-10 

Scratch

Description: A block-based programming language that lets kids create animations, games, and interactive stories.

Features: Drag-and-drop blocks, simple scripts, and a supportive online community.

Website: https://scratch.mit.edu/

Ages 11-18

Python

Description: A beginner-friendly, text-based programming language known for its readability.

Features: Widely used in education, simple syntax, and great for web development and game creation.

Website: https://www.python.org/

JavaScript

Description: JavaScript is great for web development, allowing kids to build interactive web apps.

Features: Online editors, real-time preview, and a supportive community for feedback and collaboration.

Website: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript

Swift

Description: An iPad app that teaches Swift programming with interactive puzzles and challenges.

Features: Fun, engaging way to learn Swift, Apple’s programming language for iOS apps.

Website: https://developer.apple.com/swift-playgrounds/

Ages 14-18 

Java

Description: Java is an object-oriented programming language that powers applications and software, including the game Minecraft.

Features: Security, rich APIs, support, platform-independent, robust.

Website: https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/

Other languages that are also used in app development include Objective-C, Kotlin, C++, and Dart.

Your Child Can Develop Mobile Apps! 

Kids are incredible and can do anything with a little support and motivation. 

Your child can learn the skills to develop their own mobile and applications starting with our top-rated coding classes for kids. Through the structured curriculum, kids learn programming skills as well as the problem-solving, critical thinking, and perseverance to make their app come to life.

Enroll today to try coding and app development. Help your child become a creator and not just a consumer of technology!

The post Guide to Web & Mobile App Development for Kids appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

Moving, jumping, and scoring are standard features in almost every game we play. Kids can learn how to add these popular game mechanics to their Scratch games in just a few clicks.

In our elementary school coding classes, kids use Scratch to code their own games that they can play and share with friends. When they are beginners, they’re often asking how to include these simple game mechanics and it’s easier than they think.

Here are five popular game mechanics that take just 60 seconds to add to any game in Scratch.

1. Move left and right
2. Add gravity
3. Jump
4. Follow the Mouse
5. Keep Score

Kids Can Quickly Code Games in Scratch

Scratch is a free block coding language and online community that allows kids to create programs and games using drag-and-drop. 

Scratch is an excellent choice for kids who want to build games fast. There’s no setup and the drag-and-drop coding interface is easy enough for any beginner. In Scratch, kids can really focus on understanding coding concepts rather than learning syntax.

We teach these fundamental concepts through engaging projects in our Scratch classes. Elementary school students learn to code games and apps using Scratch first. This helps them build a solid understanding of fundamental coding concepts before they move on to text-based coding.

What are game mechanics? 

Basic game mechanics refers to the fundamental rules, interactions, and systems that govern how a game operates.

These make up the core framework of a game, shaping the player’s experience and defining the rules of engagement within the game world. 

When you start a new game, you learn the basic mechanics first in order to play. 

Game developers use basic game mechanics to create engaging and enjoyable gameplay, providing structure, and a sense of progression for players. A few examples include:

Player Controls: Player controls define how users interact with the game. This includes keyboard and mouse inputs, gamepad controls, touch gestures, or any other input method.

Developers design controls to be intuitive and responsive, allowing players to navigate the game world, perform actions, and interact with objects.

Objectives and Goals: Games typically have specific objectives or goals that players must achieve to progress. These objectives can include completing missions, solving puzzles, defeating enemies, or reaching a specific destination. Well-designed objectives create a sense of purpose and motivation for players.

Scoring and Rewards: Scoring systems track players’ performance and provide a quantifiable measure of success. Rewards, such as points, items, or in-game currency, are often tied to achievements and milestones. Scoring and rewards incentivize players to strive for improvement and mastery.

Physics and Collision Detection: Physics engines simulate realistic movement and interactions within the game world. This includes gravity, friction, and object collisions. Collision detection ensures that objects interact believably, contributing to a more immersive and coherent game experience.

You can see some of these at work in the 25 best Scratch games.

5 Popular Game Mechanics in Scratch

Watch the 60-second Scratch video lessons to add these features to your next game! 

1. Move Left and Right 

Moving left and right is a fundamental part of many games, particularly in 2D platformers and side-scrolling games. This basic movement mechanic may seem simple, but it plays a crucial role in the gameplay experience. It can also influence player control, level design, pacing, and even contribute to the narrative impact of the game. 

In the Rocket Landing game, the rocketship moves left and right.

If we want our rocket to move left and right, we need to change the X value.

• In your code, select the When Key Pressed block then choose right arrow. 
• Use a motion block to Change X by 5.
• Use the When Key Pressed block again then choose left arrow. 
• Then use the motion block to Change X by -5.
• Now, press the green flag and use the arrow keys to test your movement. 

Add this to your Scratch code:

2. Add Gravity

Incorporating gravity into a game world will add realism and can be an added layer of challenge. Games that involve falling or flying heavily depend on gravity. Changing gravity can lead to shifting landscapes, floating platforms, or other dynamic elements that keep the gameplay experience fresh and unpredictable.

In our Rocket Landing game, the rocketship falls from the sky.

If we want our rocket to move from top to bottom, we need to change the Y value.

• In your code, drag a When Green Flag clicked block in events.
• Select the Repeat loop and loop 200 times.
• Use a motion block to change Y by -2. Put that inside the loop, so the rocket goes down by -2 , 200 times. 
• After it falls, set it back to the top with the Go To block x = 0 and y = 130 
• Now, press the green flag to test your rocket. It’s falling!

Add this to your Scratch code:

3. Jump

Jumping is another fundamental game mechanic that you’ll see in virtually every game. Players can jump to navigate vertically, overcome obstacles, or reaching higher platforms. The ability to jump make a game more dynamic because they can introduce features like moving platforms or changing landscapes that require players to adapt their jumping skills in real-time.

In the Frog Jumper game, the frog jumps over a snake when you click the spacebar.

To move the frog up and then down, we need to change the Y position in Scratch.

• In your code, select a When Space Key Pressed block in events.
• Use a motion block to Change Y by 15. 
• Select the repeat loop and repeat the change in Y 15 times. Add this around the motion block.
• Right-click to duplicate your loop and change Y to -15. This moves the frog down.
• Now, press the green flag to test your frog. It jumps!

Add this to your Scratch code:

4. Follow the Mouse

The “Follow the Mouse” game mechanic, also known as mouse tracking or mouse-based control is important in certain types of computer games. It is crucial in certain genres like point-and-click adventures or real-time strategy games. Players may move the cursor with the mouse to explore the environment, interact with objects, or solve puzzles.

In the Candy Collector game, the ghost follows the mouse. Anytime the mouse moves our ghost will move.

• Add a When Green Flag clicked block.
• Choose the motion block for Go To and select mouse-pointer.
• We want the ghost to follow the mouse pointer forever, so use a forever loop. 
• Put it around the Go To block to repeat that action.
• Click the green flag and move your mouse. Does your sprite follow your mouse?

Add this to your Scratch code:

5. Keep Score 

Keeping score is a fundamental game mechanic that serves various purposes across different types of games. Whether it’s a simple arcade game or a complex strategy game, the scoring system adds a competitive element to games, motivating players to improve their skills and achieve higher scores. It also provides clear goals for players to achieve and gives immediate feedback on player performance. 

In the Monkey Tickler game, the score goes up when you click on the monkey.

• The score changes, so first go to variables and Make a Variable called score.
• In your code, drag a When Green Flag clicked block in events.
• Set the score variable to 0 when you start your game.
• Then, get the event block When This Sprite is Clicked.
• Every time we click the sprite, the score will change by 1. 
• In variables, get Change Score by 1.
• Now, press the green flag to test your game.
• The score increases when you click your sprite.

Add this to your Scratch code:

Take your Scratch skills to the next level.

Now that you have your basic game features, take your Scratch skills to the next level! The elementary school core track, for kids ages 8-11, is a structured and fun way to advance your child’s coding skills. Kids will build a foundation in coding and practice skills like logical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. 

Encourage your child to learn Scratch and empower the next generation of creators. See Scratch classes and enroll.

The post 5 Popular Game Mechanics in Scratch [60 Second Lessons] appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

Sprites are an integral part of the design and visual aesthetics of many classic and modern 2D video games. For kids who are coding their own games, they’ll want to learn how to make a sprite.

Games are usually made up of a lot of individual sprites. They are unique in every game and express the artistic side of game development. Students can get creative with drawing their own sprites in our kids coding classes.

Let’s walk through how to make a sprite.

What is a sprite?

A sprite is a 2D graphic or image that represents a character, object, or element within a video game.

The use of sprites originated with arcade video games. They were used to produce screen images more efficiently and meet technical limitations. Developers today use sprites because they are small in file size and easy to produce compared to 3D models. 

Sprites make up the visual components of a game like the characters, enemies, items, and other interactive elements. They are often animated to create the illusion of movement and bring visual elements to life. This makes a game experience more engaging and fun. 

An example of sprites are the main characters in popular 2D games like Mario and Sonic. The background images, like the questions mark boxes in Mario and the gold coins in Sonic, are also sprites. 

How to Make a Sprite

Scratch is a simple and free way for kids to make a sprite for their game. 

We use Scratch to teach fundamental concepts in our coding classes because it’s one of the easiest platforms for beginners and kids. It’s quick to get started and has its own library of sprites and game characters for those who don’t want to start from scratch.

There are also many other ways to make a sprite including SpriteLab, Photoshop, and Piskel. 

Kids can choose whichever app they like best to draw their game sprites.

Steps to Make a Sprite in Scratch

Step 1 – Create a new project in Scratch

To get started, create a new project in Scratch. We will draw the sprite in this new project.

• Visit https://scratch.mit.edu/
• Login to your account
• Click on the “Create” button

• Name the project
• Click on the trash can to delete the cat sprite

Step 2 – Select the “Paint” option to create a sprite

In Scratch, kids can choose from 4 different ways to make a sprite:

• Choose a Sprite – we can choose from a collection of sprites offered by Scratch. 
• Paint – opens a paint-like window where we can create our sprite.
• Surprise – this randomly selects a sprite from the Scratch gallery.
• Upload Sprite – we can upload an image from the computer to use as a sprite.

We are going to use the “Paint” option in Scratch to make the sprite.

• Hover over the “Add sprite” icon
• Select the “Paint” option to draw your own sprite

Scratch Paint Interface

Now, we are in the Scratch painting interface. The paint tool can be used to create new sprites and edit sprites from the Scratch library.

Scratch Paint Tools

	Tool	Use
	Fill	Select the fill color.
	Outline	Select the outline color.
	Outline size	Select the outline size in pixels.
	Select	Select objects on the canvas.
	Reshape	Reshape objects on the canvas.
	Brush	Draw on the canvas.
	Eraser	Erase objects on the canvas.
	Fill	Fill objects with selected color.
	Text	Write text on the canvas.
	Line	Draw a line on the canvas.
	Circle	Draw a circle.
	Rectangle	Draw a rectangle.
	Forward / Revert	Revert changes or go forward.
	Group / Ungroup	Group or ungroup elements.
	Forward / Backward	Send elements forward or backward.
	Front / Back	Send elements to the front or back of all elements.
	Copy / Paste	Copy and past elements onto the canvas.
	Flip Horizontal / Flip Vertical	Flip an element vertically or horizontally.
	Delete	Permanently delete an element.

Step 3 – Draw a sprite using the brush and shapes tools

It’s easy to draw lines and shapes using the line, circle, and rectangle tools.

Or grab the pen tool to draw freehand. 

• Select the tool and the fill color
• Click on the canvas and drag your mouse to draw. 
• Create an outline of the sprite 

I’m making a flame sprite, but kids can let their imaginations run wild! 

Step 4 – Fill in the sprite colors using the fill tool

Now that we’ve created an outline of the sprite, we are going to color it in.

• Click on the fill tool
• Select the fill color 
• Click on the object to fill in

Step 5 – Export the sprite

Now that we’ve created an awesome sprite, it’s available to use in Scratch or to export for use in other games.

• Right-click on the sprite in the sprite menu
• Click export

The sprite will download as a .svg file.

If we want to save it as a .png file. Click on “Convert to Bitmap” then export.

Bonus Step – Create a sprite in bitmap

Sprites are often created in bitmap because it stores color data without any compression. Images saved in the BMP format retain their full quality and detail. Bitmap sprites have a more blocky look than vector sprites.

Draw your image in Scratch using bitmap:

• Click the convert to bitmap button

• Change the brush size to 1
• Click + to zoom in until you can see 1 pixel

• Draw your sprite using the brush and shape tools
• Fill in one sprite at a time

Now your sprite is ready to be part of your game! 

Sprite Sheets

A sprite sheet is a collection of sprite images that represent the various animations and states of a character within a video game. 

These use a grid or sequence of images that depict a character’s movements, actions, and poses.

Here’s an example of a sprite sheet for a flying bird:

Each frame in the sprite sheet corresponds to a specific pose or animation frame. Game developers organize these frames into one sheet so they can efficiently manage and implement animations in their games. This method is more resource-efficient than using individual image files for each frame of animation. 

Using these sprites, we can create an animation of a bird flying.  

Code Your Sprites in Scratch!

Sprites are an important part of playing a game and help create a unique visual world. Once the sprites are made, developers use code to bring them to life.

Kids can also add movement and animation to their sprites in Scratch with code. It’s the next step in exploring game development and coding for kids.

In the elementary school core track, kids learn about Scratch animation and game design along with problem-solving and critical thinking skills in a fun and engaging way. Enroll today to start coding. 

The post How to Make a Sprite appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.