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Bitsbox

STEM Skills targeted: Programming
Recommended Age: 6-12

There are so many fun toys and games out there now designed to make coding fun and easy to learn for kids – a bit different from when I first started programming and only had dull BASIC textbooks to copy code and learn from.

So as you may have guessed, Bitsbox is a coding toy for kids. Actually rather than being a toy, it’s a box full of goodies including activity books, cards, stickers and props to be used with the games you create. There are actually several different boxes, all based around a different theme.

You remember how much fun it was to receive a box in the mail when you were a kid? Even now I love to receive care packages and boxes with lots of random treats inside – I guess this is why subscription box services have become so popular and why I think Bitsbox is a great idea and very appealing for kids.

Each Bitsbox contains 30+ games and apps that can really be run on iPads, iPhones and Android devices. Just imagine how proud your kids will be to show their friends a real app they have coded themselves!

The apps are created on the Bitsbox website in the form of a virtual tablet so kids can see what they’re creating as they’re coding and each project is cleverly designed to teach the basic principles of programming.

Each project contains a pre-written app that kids can type in at the Bitsbox website and they can then personalize it by changing sounds, color, sizes speeds etc.

Bitbox is suitable for kids from the age of 6 which I find really amazing – I love the idea that my daughter can start learning real programming from such a young age. This system starts just like me with my BASIC book – kids learn to type in real code rather than dragging around blocks or one of the other visual systems, that are ok for getting started but really have limitations when it comes to making the transition to writing real code.

The apps are written in a simplified version of Javascript, one of the most popular and flexible programming languages around so you’ll be giving your kids a great head start in any programming class they may take in the future.

Bitsbox Welcome to the Future Kit

This kit includes apps based around the theme of “the future” which encompasses robots, rockets and nano technology. The apps include a racing game, physics simulation, drage interaction and randomness.

The box includes:

Bitsbox Artsy Smartsy Kit

The apps in this kit are all related to artistic activities including drawing, painting, dancing and music. They range from simple graphics to animation, interactive sound and 3D simulation.

Kit includes:

If you’ve tried one of the boxes and your child loved it, you might want to invest in the Bitsbox subscription service. You can sign up to receive a monthly box delivered to your door, each containing contents similar to those listed above