I was only about 7 years old when I first realized I wanted to work in the space industry one day. I used to look up at the stars and dream of exploring our universe. However, growing up I had relatively low exposure to the types of hands on activities capable of sparking an interest in STEM. Tynker Coding for Kids and BBC Learning have partnered to make coding accessible and fun, not only providing kids with the inspiration to pursue STEM careers but also to grow their self confidence in the skills required to thrive in these fields.
When it came time to apply to college, I knew that I would need an engineering degree to accomplish my goals but I didn’t even know what engineers did. It wasn’t until college that I learned how to code but practicing these skills helped grow my confidence in my engineering capabilities tremendously.
With the HiFive Inventor Coding Kit, kids of all ages have the opportunity to experiment with coding in a fun and non-intimidating way whether through block coding for beginners or MicroPython for Advanced Coders. Learners can make their way through structured activities and challenges or venture out on their own to create their very own project. There is even an “Introduction to Python” section with fifteen lessons which takes learners through the basics of coding in Python. Python has quickly become a favorite language due to its versatility and straightforward syntax. Because Python is open source, meaning it is freely available to the public, it encourages open collaboration on the internet.
It wasn’t until college that I learned how to code but practicing these skills helped grow my confidence in my engineering capabilities tremendously.
Each coding kit comes with the following:
- HiFive Inventor mini-computer
- Doctor Who and Tynker coding lessons
- Thousands of activities and challenges
- External speaker
- Light up USB LED cable
- External battery pack
- Alligator clips
Each kit is powered by Tynker, the world’s #1 creative coding platform that is used worldwide by 60 million kids in over 90,000 schools. The HiFive Inventor is even equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth capability and has sensors that allow it to interact with the environment around you.
As our world continues to rely more heavily on automation, computers and technology to drive innovation, employers will continue to demand a highly skilled workforce with the problem solving capabilities that coding helps to foster. Further, it is increasingly likely that many jobs will require at least a basic level of coding. By exposing kids to these activities at a young age, we are setting them up to be the confident change-makers our world needs.
You can purchase your very own HiFive Inventor Coding Kit here.