Today, every parent wants their children to learn to code -- it has become the next crucial skillset that every child must know. But for young kids, simply putting them in an online class where they¡¯re flooded with terminologies that they cannot clearly understand would put them off instead of encouraging them to learn more.?
However, what if kids were to learn coding by playing games? A startup incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras dubbed GUVI has developed its first gamified coding platform called HackerKID.
The software has been developed looking at kids from the Netherlands, the US, Australia and of course, India. It implements ¡®block-based programming while offering a virtual arena to test their challenges.
The app offers easy-to-understand drag and drop coding elements to help kids learn the right combinations, and helps build a strong foundation. While the software has a lot of paid tutorials, a beginner ¡®Turtle Mode¡¯ is offered for free that offers a point-based system for each activity. This tutorial mode also has activities to train the kids for the International Block Coding Olympiad that is scheduled to commence sometime this year.
A challenges segment in the app allows kids to create their own problems that they can share with their classmates to solve. The software has around 20 cool features with languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript to soon join the app in the coming months.
S.P. Balamurugan, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, GUVI, said in a statement, "HackerKID is the first product launched in India as a platform for extensive coding practice utilizing block-based programming with a game-based environment specially designed for kids, where coding is fun.
Arun Prakash, Founder and Chief Technical Officer, GUVI, explained, "By practicing in HackerKID, children can understand the coding world in a better way by attaining skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, persistence, communication and collaboration."