An adorable new caterpillar-shaped toy from Fisher-Price aims to teach kids the basics of programming.
Fisher-Price will be showing off its new toy at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show. The toy is called Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar and teaches children ages 3 to 8 how to solve problems and sequence. Guiding the caterpillar to move in a specific pattern reinforces skills associated with writing code.
The toy has eight parts that have a unique image-command on their surface. Each one commands the caterpillar to move in a specific way (straight, right, left, rotate, make noise, etc.). The parts are connected to each other via a USB port and children choose the order.
Once the pieces are connected and the start button is pressed, the caterpillar will follow the programmed path. Although there is no actual computer programming involved, the whole process is similar to writing code.
The Fisher-Price toy works standalone but can be combined with a special app that encourages users to participate in challenges and experiment with different patterns.
The game is part of a broader trend that aims to introduce computer skills to younger children. For example, the board game Robot Turtles recently caught the attention of many for its method of teaching children the basics of programming. The child must “write code” using direction cards that an adult must follow.
Fisher-Price's Code-a-Pillar will officially launch in fall 2016 and will cost around $50 for the 8-piece set. Additional pieces will be sold separately!
Watch the video with the presentation of the game:
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq_gKmeSP_g” width=”580″ height=”380″]
