Do you want to introduce your kindergartner to computer programming? Now there is even an app for that, according to a recent article in the Washington Post.
In late July, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, and Playful Invention Company released ScratchJr, a free iPad app designed to teach children age five to seven basic computer coding skills.
MIT News described the process as follows:
“With ScratchJr, children can snap together graphical programming blocks to make characters and other elements in their project move, jump, talk and change size. Users can modify various elements in the paint editor, add their own voices and sounds, and even insert their own photos.”
Michael Resnick, the app’s co-developer further explained to the Post, “When many people think of computer programming, they think of something very sophisticated, but we don’t think it has to be that way.”
According to the Post, the app’s development was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation to help encourage children’s creative thinking and systematic reasoning. Developers are currently working on compatible versions of the app for the Web and Android devices.
