On Friday, May 19, a PA Day for our public schools, the Prince Edward County Public Library invited County kids to drop by the library to learn a little bit about coding. With something for almost all ages, everyone had the chance to code something and play with a robot at the same time.
In the morning, we brought out the Code-a-pillars for kids ages 3-6. These simple robots can be coded using sections of its body to respond to different commands. Drive forward, turn left, turn right, sing a little song – the Code-a-pillar follows the routine programmed into it by the kids.
In the first half of the afternoon, we put the Code-a-pillars away and brought out Kevin and Bob, coding robots that are controlled and programmed using an iPad. The kids were introduced to the robots and given a chance to practice maneuvering them around the library. In Picton, they built a large obstacle course and carefully guided him through right to the end. They were then introduced to the basics of coding by programming the robots to do specific actions in sequence.
Finally, while some of the younger kids continued to play with the robots, the older and interested kids were invited to try their hand at Scratch programming. Using a free programming language developed by MIT and widely available at https://scratch.mit.edu/, the kids learned how to program their own animation.
The program was a hit at both our Picton and Wellington Branch Libraries. We hope it may have inspired the next Ada Lovelace or Bill Gates!