Every summer I vow that we’re going to do enriching activities to keep everyone’s brain sharp, but then my resolve melts faster than ice cream on a hot day once we start enjoying the lazy, unscheduled days of summer. But, I’ve found a great new online summer camp for kids that will help them learn the basics of coding every day for the rest of August and get those gears cranking again. Best of all? This looks really, really fun. Pinky swear.
Known as the Kano Summer Camp, this free, three-week daily coding challenge begins August 10th and is made for kids of all ages to participate in from the comfort of their own home, or summer beach house, or–heck–even the air-conditioned library.
All kids need to attend this camp is a computer and a Kano World account–which is also free and easy to obtain.
Kano Summer Camp comes from the people who created the Kano computer kit, a smart build-your-own computer that gets kids started learning the basics of coding. And while kids who have their own Kano computer kit will be able to access exclusive content for the summer camp, even total newbies will have no trouble joining in on camp. Using a programming language called CoffeeScript and through Kano’s MakeArt web app, which I found to be very clear and simple to use, campers will draw their own creations around different camp-based themes, like “Setting up the Tent” or “Hiking Through the Forest.”
The graphics and gentle instruction that I’ve seen so far look so well-done, and I know my kids are going to have a blast doing each day’s challenge.
Related: 4 tech summer camps for kids that parents will think are way cool, too.
Not only is it fun, kids will learn real coding too as they use loops, variables, functions, and more to create their own works of art. When finished, their creations will be shared on Kano World, or can be downloaded to share via Facebook or email.
And if you are worried about your kids diving into even more screen time this summer, you should know that each daily coding session should take only 5 to 30 minutes of any given day. And Kano even promises to remind kids that while coding is fun, the great outdoors is even more awesome, by presenting useful facts like how to use a compass, tie a knot, or take great pictures in nature.
So don’t forget the bug spray for après-coding-camp time.
Enroll your child in the Kano Summer Camp for three FREE weeks of coding and activities. Camp begins Monday, August 10th and runs through the 30th, but if your camper misses a day, they can catch up on previous days’ challenges up until the last day of camp.
