Kids today are exposed to digital technology at a very young age. Their aptitude to embracing technology is of a very high order and their ability to excel as technology creators is second to none.
CIY Club (Code It Yourself) has successfully delivered an enriching experience for a child, to break through their boundaries of imagination & build technology products in a simple, fun and exciting environment.
CIY Club logo
The 6 hour camp is a great way to preview what the CIY Club has to offer. The camps offer game coding, website coding and 3D printing workshops for the day. The camps come fully equipped with laptops (colourful MacBooks) and internet. All that a child will need to bring is their passion for learning, their curiosity and their limitless imagination.
Whiz Kid Coder at CIY Club
The CIY Camp I attended, was held at the State Library and was a game coding camp. A group of eager kids between the age of 7 and 17 came to learn how to code a game. Using a visual programming tool, the kids learn to code with the help of drag and drop blocks. Before you know it, you can see a game shaping up in front of you. There were 4 coaches with the group of 20 plus kids helping them individually during the process.
As I chatted with a few of the participants (dressed in 'Coder' tees) they excitedly showed me what they had learnt and created during the day. A few of them had created multiple versions of their code, each time improving on their previous idea with more creativity and innovation. Of course, the most fun was in playing the game they had created which many of them were engrossed in. As the games are created by registering for a free account on the software, young coders can continue to develop their product from home after the workshop.
Kids at CIY Camp
CIY Club
If you want to give your kids an opportunity to see what it is like to create and build digital technology then CIY Club is just the platform to do it. There are multiple camps to choose from and are held in various convenient locations around the country. Camps are a great way to gauge interest and bring out the creative side of kids. Kids can earn achievement bands and progress onto further levels. Kids can engage in the workshop at their own pace. Post the workshop, they can continue onto CIY Club after school or weekend sessions, that are held weekly to progress their coding bands and continue to pursue their interest. Participants also become a part of the CIY community after attending a camp. They get to meet fellow coders interested in similar activities.
Coders with their coach
Being a programmer myself in the day, I recall being introduced to the concepts of programming when I was at university. I find it very much comparable to learning a new language. The joy of building your first program and seeing it evolve into a tangible outcome is quite special and fulfilling. Learning to code gives you a perspective of how things work digitally. It builds a sense of understanding in putting the big picture together. As the CIY website says, it helps the kids go from consumer to creator.
CIY
CIY Club
CIY Game Coding Workshop
CIY Club have after-school, weekend and school holiday events in various locations. Check out their
website or their
facebook page for more club events and information.
CIY.Club is run by ScopeIT Education, a national provider of digital technology literacy training in schools. ScopeIT instruct more than 10,000 students weekly via in-school training programs aimed at improving technological skills, digital citizenship and turning kids' passion for technology into imaginative creation.