The list of apps and games to teach kids coding is long and ever-growing. The new card game Littlecodr is joining their ranks as another option that’s fun for the whole family.
Rather than directing game pieces around the board, Littlecodr turns kids ages 4-8 into programmers, and their parents or fellow players into the pieces to be moved. The chance to make me or her father walk straight into a piece of furniture has made my daughter dub this game the “walk into the sofa game.” And she loves being in charge.
Littlecodr is an active, hands-on option for teaching young kids simple programming concepts that, unlike most programming games, is quick to learn and easy to bring along anywhere you and the kids may go.
Littlecodr got its start thanks to crowdfunding, but is now available online to everyone for $19.99. The game consists of cards with an eye-catching, simple design that suggest game play and missions, along with directional cards like “step forward” and “turn left.”
One player is the programmer, laying down the cards to get the other player (usually the parent) from point A to point B. If the person moving runs into an obstacle, the programmer stops and “debugs” the cards to get them on the right track again.
My daughter’s favorite mission has been to program a dance party, turning the directional cards into choreography. (The “wildcard” card comes in handy for this one!) The ingenuity and variety of missions, with new ideas available on the Littlecodr web site, give the game long life and keep things interesting for all players.
Littlecodr may be a tabletop game, but it’s a fantastic way to get everyone moving, laughing, and using their brains. “It’s like a puzzle,” my 7-year-old says. “And I get to tell you what to do, which is awesome.”
GeekMom received a promotional copy for review purposes.
Top image courtesy © Littlecodr
