

Sidhu chose a board game because these bring families together.

Players use cards with statements such as, “For each monkey NOT on a rock, move 3 spaces,” to move their troop of monkeys around the island. The expert view: “Although it seems simple, Lightbot foreshadows some interesting aspects of more sophisticated computer programming” - Fritz Ruehr, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Willamette University, Ore.īrooklyn resident Raj Sidhu wanted to introduce programming basics to kids in a fun way. He chose a low-tech solution for a high-tech problem and embedded concepts like Boolean logic and conditional statements in a family-friendly board game.Ĭode Monkey Island is straightforward to play and takes about 45 minutes. Pricing: Free (browser), $3 (iOS/Android)įind out more: Browser game, iTunes, Google Play Who it’s for: Ages 4-8 (Lightbot Jr.), 9+ (Lightbot) They cut across multiple platforms - iOS, Android, PC, Mac, even board games - and many are free to pick up and play straight away. We’ve sorted through some of the ever-widening options available, including a few still in development, so you don’t have to. For them, there are plenty of games around that will teach the basics of programming in a fun and accessible way. But not all kids can or want to jump straight into these sort of environments. Platforms like Scratch and Alice let children (and adults) create their own games and animations using simplified coding methods.
