Coding is one of the most lucrative careers in tech right now, and it’s best to get kids interested as early as possible. Of course, coding is inherently unfun to look at for some people, but that can be solved by simply turning the lessons into a game.
By “game-ifying” the process of learning code, you can keep kids engaged and actually get knowledge to stick with them. Today, let’s talk about some fun coding games that can get children started on their coding journey.
Minecraft: Education Edition
Did you know that Minecraft is a great tool to teach coding? Minecraft: Education Edition features fun quests that teach the basics of coding through block-based languages like Tynker, Java, and Microsoft MakeCode. These block-based programming languages are incredibly useful because they take syntax out of the equation and allow new programmers to focus on how code interacts with each other.
Once users have evolved from block code, Minecraft Pi acts as a more advanced way of learning code, integrating syntax, and accommodating external modifications. Minecraft is an amazing tool for learning programming and its developers continue to support it with various resources on their educational pages.
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Tynker
Tynker is a more complex website for learning popular programming languages like Java, JavaScript, Python, CSS, and HTML. Tons of projects for new developers to start and step-by-step guides on how to achieve them. The online editor is a surprise in-depth and allows you to share finished projects with others. Tynker also offers an SQL Online Compiler, making it a comprehensive platform for those who want a more “authentic” coding experience in their coding classes.
Screeps: World
Screeps: World is a massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game in which you create your own colony from scratch. The main loop of the game is to use JavaScript to teach your units exactly what to do. Think of it as playing and developing a game at the same time. While it’s not exactly a beginner’s game, it’s perfect for picking up the right habits to become an advanced programmer.
Code Combat
CodeCombat is an innovative game that teaches new developers how to code through a fun and action-packed adventure. It’s a great platform for teaching languages like JavaScript. , Python and HTML. The graphics have a positive retro inspiration and teachers can easily follow the students’ progress in the game from the teacher dashboard. For fun and dynamic ways to teach code, CodeCombat is an action-packed way to do it.
RoboCode
RoboCode is one of the staples of Java-based code gaming and has been around since the year 2000. Robocode encourages players to develop their robots in real-time against other tanks controlled by the enemy AI. A new version, RoboCode Battle Royale, has been updated to include the likes of .Net 5.0 and the latest versions of the Java platform. RoboCode is very addictive, but when the addiction is learning, that’s a pretty fun obsession for aspiring coders.
Elevator Saga
Elevator Saga includes pretty much every major modern programming language, and that includes Java. Players are pitted against each other in real-time multiplayer battles where they must develop an “elevator” that’s expected to transport a certain amount of people in a certain amount of time. Deceptively simple, Elevator Saga can be considered the “Tetris Battle” of Java coding games, as it values speed and accuracy over anything else.
CodeMonkey
CodeMonkey is the most basic of basic coding games, and it’s one of the best coding sites for kids. This platform lets teachers practice their Java teaching skills with children. CodeMonkey is simple and is targeted toward kids and tweens who want to get started on their Java coding journey but have no idea where to start. You can try getting into coding bootcamps to familiarize yourself with Java.
CodeWars
CodeWars is a web platform that teaches coding in a variety of languages, but it also offers a Java course. The gamified aspect comes in the form of points that increase your personal rank. Users get more points based on how clean their code is as well as how quickly they managed to solve the coding problem. At the end of the mission, players can see how other users did their code to learn from the most efficient players.
CodeGym
CodeGym is one of the sleekest Java learning platforms out right now, and it can be done from your browser. It requires little knowledge of Java beforehand and teaches basic concepts of the language in a concise and accessible manner. The game aspect comes in the form of a framed narrative about the robot “Amigo” who must go back to his home planet by accomplishing coding tasks that remove obstacles in his way.
Work On Your Own Java Game
This one is pretty straightforward. Instead of playing a Java game, why not make a simple game of your own using the programming language. Through Java, you can create games such as Pong, Solitaire, Space Fighter, and Monaco GP which teach many fundamental Java skills you need when you move on to bigger projects.
Conclusion
Java is a very fun language to learn given the right tools to learn with. While it’s definitely more complex than languages such as Python or Ruby on Rails, Java is still an essential language to learn due to the sheer number of software that still utilizes its many benefits. If you have to learn it, then why not have fun while doing so, right?
