Web/iOS: A growing number of apps now are geared toward teaching kids to code because it’s a valuable skill to learn. Code Kingdoms is another such app, but it’s wrapped in a game that kids would most likely want to play anyway (programming lessons or not).
Code Kingdoms is targeted towards six- to 13-year olds and looks very much like your everyday puzzle adventure game. Choose an animal, walk around a kingdom saving animals through puzzles. The difference is most of the puzzles require kids to use code elements to solve the puzzles. At first this is through dragging-and-dropping code snippets, but as they progress, kids will be typing in code themselves.
Besides teaching actual JavaScript through play, Code Kingdoms also helps kids develop problem-solving skills and the encouragement to keep pushing on when they’re faced with a challenge in the game—much like programmers often have to push through challenging walls.
There’s a school-specific version being used in the UK and potentially coming to the US and other countries in the future. But for home use, the app is free to play on the web or to download for iOS.
via Lifehacker
Code Kingdoms Teaches Kids JavaScript with a Puzzle Adventure Game