Coding for Kindergarten: An Engaging Way to Introduce Coding

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The growth in technology available is insane. We try to limit screens and tablets for my kids at their current ages, but I frequently think about how I want to introduce my kids to what technology has to offer. Many valuable skills can be learned just by understanding basic computer function. My husband and I have had multiple discussions about how he wishes he would have studied something like computer programming when he was in college. It is important to expose our kids to many types of learning to find out what clicks for them, what their interests are, and what they would like to learn more about. While I don’t plan on letting my kids have a tablet or play on many apps or video games anytime soon, I think it is important for them to learn the basics of what technology is all about. And what better place to start than coding! I feel that in Kindergarten, coding is basically a game! There are so many fun ways to do it! I will share just a few that we have tried and enjoyed.

Number Dots

This can be done with the Avery color coded stickers, or just with markers. I do think the stickers made it more kid friendly though. And we use them for many different activities so they are nice to have on hand. I placed all four colors of stickers at the top of a page. On each color I wrote a different number. For my 4 year old, I just did random numbers between 1-10. For my 5 year old I did larger numbers that he has been struggling to recognize, like 23. You could also do this with the alphabet, shapes, or whatever else you are working to learn right now! For older kids, you could even make math problems for them to solve below and then cover it with the color sticker that is that answer! Endless possibilities.

Anyways, below the key with the colors/numbers on each, I wrote a long sequence of numbers in random order using the same numbers I had put above on each color sticker. Then you hand over the rest of the stickers and let the kids put the correct color sticker on the corresponding number! I had it set up in about 2 minutes and the kids actually enjoyed it.

Car Coding

Another easy set up! Draw at least 4 arrows. Cut them apart so they are each on their own moveable square. (You could also use a dry erase board and redraw it every time if you wanted). Lay the arrows out in different directions (up, down, left, right). Then, using toy people or cars, have your child face them in the correct direction in order of the arrows. So if the arrows are forward, backward, right, right, then Lightning McQueen would be facing forward, Mater backward, Doc right, and Sally right. Change the arrows up and have your child change up the cars.

Path to School

We like to do this one actively with our bodies rather than on a worksheet but I have made a worksheet for you if this isn’t something you are wanting to set up in your room. We use stepping stones, nuggets, and pillows to create a grid. Then we designate one square on the grid as the start point and another as the end point. On certain spaces of the grid we put obstacles, like “mud puddles” or “holes in the ground” that they cannot pass through. Then they must tell me which way they have to move to get to the “treasure” at the end. So they must say forward, right, or left. Having them describe what they are doing is great practice to learn left and right.

If you decide to print the worksheet, you simply cut out the road and board pieces so they can be placed on the grid. I give my kids the bus, two kids, mud puddle, and school and tell them to place them where they want them on the grid. Then I give them the road pieces and explain that the bus must pick up both kids and get to the school while avoiding the mud puddle. They had so much fun doing this that they asked to replay it multiple times. It was so cool to watch my son get stuck and figure out on his own how to fix his problem. It is great for critical thinking skills.