We love to stock up our library with cool STEAM books! It’s a great and simple way to start exploring new things. If your kids are beginners to say… coding, it’ll be a challenge for them to learn all on their own so tapping into low-cost resources (i.e. books, videos etc.) can go a long way. We also love when coding becomes a family-oriented activity since most kids will need guidance at the beginning of their journey. Here’s a little idea: replace boardgame night with coding night once in a while so you can make cool games together!
Here are four fantastic books to get the family coding adventure going... one step at a time!
Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas
Our educators love the Hello Ruby Series! It’s such a whimsical and colourful way to learn about computers and technology! Each book includes fun screen-less activities that will help introduce your kids to key coding concepts.
Code Your Own Games! by Max Wainewright
This is definitely our go-to Scratch programming book. It’s filled with visual step-by-step instructions to teach you how to make popular games like snake chase and flappy fish! The book will help you progress from super simple starter games to more complex multi-player games.
Coder Academy by Sean McManus
This is a very beautifully designed book! It talks about different computer languages and gets into the nitty-gritty like how to plot coordinates and such. It includes work pages where you can plan your very own website and also certificates after you complete each section as a fun little reward.
Coding Games in Scratch by Jon Woodcock (DK Books)
This is a great book for kids who are already really into programming with Scratch. This book is a little text-heavy, but includes so many fun game ideas that you’ll want to try. We really love the Dog’s Dinner platformer game where you can learn how to create jump controls and simulate gravity!
Let us know what cool projects you try from these book recommendations! Tag us on social @lilrobotfriends!