has a more creative feel and doesn’t feel as “computer science-y” as the other two apps, and that’s not a bad thing. Kids can modify just about every aspect imaginable for these stories from the clothes and colors of the characters and backgrounds to the making audio recordings and text subtitles to add to the stories. Kids can not only select the order of the movements of their character but they can also use loops and functions to repeat actions. Each puzzle piece designates a different action or movement. does not expose kids to any actual code rather, it reinforces coding concepts through the use of puzzle pieces (drag-and-drop programming) that allow kids to control their character. allows kids to create artboards and stories with characters that can talk and move around the artboard. has a similar look/feel to Scratch and is based on the same idea of creating interactive stories. was created for younger kids ages five to seven. While Scratch is intended for children eight and up, Scratch Jr. was developed by Tufts University, PBS Kids, and the MIT Media Lab and is an offshoot of the popular Scratch App. Kodable does not have an app for Fire, though it can be used in a browser on Amazon Fire. I did some testing on a Fire HD 10 with Scratch Jr. The majority of use in our family was on an iPad. While homeschooling, my partner and I decided no TV or games during working hours, so if we were not working on a particular learning task, I would say to my daughter, “You can have screen time, but it has to be educational.” In addition to a handful of other learning apps, she also has the option to play on the coding apps. After this point, I mostly just sat back and made note of if/when she would return to the app on her own. If you have kids you know it only takes them about ten seconds of watching you do it before they say “Let me try!” I then let her “play” and only jumped in when she asked for help or became visibly frustrated with a level or task. I then presented them to my daughter in a non-threatening way like “Hey, check out this new app I found,” and I would work on a challenge while she watched. For each of these apps, I first downloaded them myself and worked on a few of the challenges. My daughter is six years old and just started first grade. To see what’s available for kids, I (and my daughter) reviewed three coding apps-Scratch Jr., Codespark, and Kodable-though there are many more to choose from. These are the building blocks to coding and a more sophisticated understanding of information systems and processing. None of these apps will “teach your kids to code,” but rather, they are the first step in a journey toward understanding basic logic, analysis, and design. Let’s face it, technology is only going to become more pervasive over time, so even if your kids go on to be plumbers, doctors, or teachers, they will likely have to interface with technology in their career of choice.īefore we go any farther, be sure to temper your expectations about what your child will gain from these apps. What better time to start exposing our kids to the career we all think is amazing! You do think programming is amazing, right? □ Well, even if you don’t, coding teaches kids the fundamentals of logic and encourages them to think abstractly. We will have more to share in the future about how you can make your app available to Windows customers.Īre you new to the Amazon Appstore? The best way to get started is to submit your app here to unlock the benefits of the Amazon Appstore.Like many of you, I am a coder with kids at home. The initial Amazon Appstore selection will be available to Windows customers later this year. Microsoft customers will be able to discover a new selection of Android apps in the Microsoft Store on Windows 11, and download them through the Amazon Appstore. The availability of the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 will allow developers to easily expand their app reach to Windows devices and increase their return on investment. “With this announcement, Amazon Appstore developers will now have the opportunity to make their Android apps available to hundreds of millions of Windows customers.” “Today we offer a broad selection of mobile apps in our Amazon Appstore, available across Fire TV, Fire Tablets, and Android devices that our customers use and enjoy every day,” said Palanidaran Chidambaram, Director of the Amazon Appstore and Cross-Screen Technology. With the upcoming release of Microsoft’s operating system, Windows customers will have access to Android apps on their Windows 11 devices, expanding the selection of apps for customers across multiple genres. Today, at the Microsoft’s Windows Event, Microsoft and Amazon announced plans to bring the Amazon Appstore to Windows 11.
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