Children are learning to code with new toys they can touch and feel | Quartz - Science of Learning

Photo: Karen Hao

"So you want your kid to grow up to be Mark Zuckerberg? Get them started early. Toymakers are creating everything from board games to wooden logic puzzles to teach children—as young as three years old—how to code" reports Karen Hao, Tech Fellow.

Learning, in the modern age. 
Photo: Kano

Kano and Primo Toys sell play sets that mix hardware and software, creating a hands-on learning experience. Kano sells kits that teach children of all ages how to build the computers; Primo Toys sells Cubetto, which teaches toddlers to code with a wooden board, block pegs, and a programmable robot.

Kano kits and Cubetto have become increasingly popular among consumers as well as educators. After raising $1.5 million on Kickstarter in 2013, Kano has since shipped 150,000 units to 86 countries and deployed kits in more than 1,000 school programs worldwide. Cubetto, which began its Kickstarter the same year, has sold its games in over 96 countries and to more than 20,000 schools, homes, and libraries. In 2016, the company reached $4 million in sales. Cubetto is aimed at ages three to six...

The trend illustrates a move toward well-designed toys that help children learn by interacting physically. Both Kano kits and Cubetto use beautifully designed components and simple instructions to demystify computers and coding and transform them into a concrete experience. They teach children at a young age the accessibility and ease of engineering, empowering their creative talents.
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Source: Quartz