Kids GET IT! July 2016

10:00am – 1:00pm

Kids as young as six can have fun building and running their own interactive apps! This three-hour session will take attendees through the basics of writing simple software using a child-friendly system called “Bitsbox”.

We’ll start the session by going through a few small, pre-written programs from the Bitsbox booklet. Students, with help from volunteers, will type 10-20 lines of code for a ready-made example app which they can run right in the browser. Kids will be able to make small changes to their code, then re-run the app and see the effects in seconds — which is a great way to learn through experimentation and iteration in a space where they can't break anything important!

Once kids are comfortable using Bitsbox’s simplified programming language that comes with libraries of pre-packaged images, sounds, and interactions they will continue work on their own personal project. Volunteers will be present to assist them in putting pieces together to create their own apps. At any point later, kids can share them with friends & family!

Who should attend?

1. Kids, age 6-12 (Younger kids can be successful with help from an adult; sample instructions and code challenges come in a range of difficulties appropriate for any skill level)

Children should be able to:

1. Read basic instructions from the Bitsbox manual
2. Have basic typing skills (go at their own pace, but accurately)

Technical Requirements:

1. Email address (necessary to register a free Bitsbox kid’s coding account)
2. Computer with physical keyboard (The Bitsbox code editor does not work with touchscreen input. The library will be providing some computers, but if you have access we encourage you to bring one.)
3. Modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer 11+)

To get an idea of the kinds of activities we’ll be working on, visit http://bitsbox.com for more details.

Kids Get IT! was created by Kacie Conroy as a way to introduce kids to technology. Adorable has been happy to join her in the effort.