Coding for Kids is here! Today we are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new curriculum for teaching 3D printing through coding. Coding is a vital skill that all children learn about in the course of their education.

The ability to code promotes problems solving and math skills, making coding a perfect match to be taught in tandem with 3D printing. With 3D printers becoming ever more popular in classrooms, using scratch coding to design models builds upon kids’ existing knowledge and allows for technology to be integrated into the classroom with ease.

Scratch programming code blocks.

Teaching kids 3D printing is a big step and our new curriculum provides the solutions that you will need in the classroom. The lesson content is focused on TinkerCAD code blocks that are built using scratch 3.0. Scratch is the world-renown programming language created by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and used in pretty much every classroom around the world. When learning to code, kids learn scratch to understand the basics of how to code.

TinkerCAD code blocks use the drag and drop blocks of editable code to build 3D models that can then be exported to a 3D printer. With our new curriculum teaching ‘coding for kids’ has never been easier. All the lessons are fully planned and ready to teach and can be edited by the teacher. The recommended age range for this curriculum is 11 – 13.

Resources include;

• Detailed lesson plans
• Teaching powerpoints
• Video tutorials on how to code
• Step by step instructions of coding challenges
• Homeworks with answer sheets
• Example 3D model files to print of the coding lessons
• Assessments with answers

As part of the curriculum, students will learn the basics of a 3D printer, where they are used and how they work. Also, the core of the lesson content focused on building design skills through coding to create models to 3D print. Lessons are structure and easy to follow, with each lesson building upon the skills learned in the previous one.

The learning topics build students skills progressively getting more challenging with a ‘coding design challenge’ in lesson 5, where your classes will be tasked with a series of objects to code. These are differentiated into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum allowing all ranges of ability in the lesson to make progress. All outcomes can be 3D printed and are form useful products that can be used in children’s lives. Example challenges include customized name tag for phone chargers, fun cactus planters for the home, a 3D printed clock and finally an Arduino case with lid, perfect for learning to program with TinkerCAD circuits.

Everything comes classroom-ready with all files ready to teach. The curriculum will save you endless hours of planning. All the software used for coding is free and cloud-based, meaning kids can access the designs they have completed in class, at home.

Coding for Kids – Prepare for future jobs

Why is teaching coding to kids so important? The answer is simple, we are helping set them up for jobs over the next decade. With the rise of automation and the ever digital world, we live in, learning to code is as important as ever. According to an article in Tech Republic, ‘a universal programming language will arise’ over the next decade and ‘programs will be built upon code blocks and learning code will become the core of the education system’.

Bill Gates once said, ‘learning to write programs stretches your mind, and helps you think better, creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains.’ Teaching the coding alongside 3D printing embeds this philosophy as the curriculum blends problem solving and creativity, encouraging high-level thinking and developing independent, inquisitive learners.

Combine this with 3D printing, which is in the process of revolutionizing manufacturing and teaching coding to 3D print will deliver a learning experience that is truly preparing kids for future employment.

Further evidence of why coding should be essential for learning as outlined by Forbes Technology council who stated how ‘coding in the classroom can close the technology gap and that knowing a little can help get you ahead a lot’.

Our resources are trusted by schools around the world and we have helped teachers in over 30 countries with over 180,000 kids learning. Here’s some feedback on our resources,

“We started using Learnbylayers over a year and a half ago and we have not looked back. I was a novice, playing with a 3D printer and was clueless. We started using it with KS3 and it literally was plug and play.” Paras Gonzales, Chelsea Academy, London.

“Everything that was needed to teach these skills was included in the curriculum.  Having tried to gather my own curriculum to teach these skills, finding Learnbylayers was a blessing.  My students have responded positively to these lessons and look forward to each class.” Chuck Hobbs, Vista Del Mar School, CA, USA.

“Abingdon School invested in learnbylayers over a year ago and have been having great success with the resources in their teaching of 3D printing.” Dan Hughes, Abingdon School, UK.

To get started with coding and get your copy of the curriculum, click here to learn more. To ask us any questions, use the contact form below or the messenger chatbot.