“Jump over the hole or push the ladder to form a bridge?” My daughter suggested it’s better to push the ladder over. She wanted to code the instructions. I said, “As long as you let me do level 8.” Eventually, we got stuck at level 9.
She’s 5, and I’m 35. For both, it was an immersive and fun experience. We ‘coded’ simple steps to help SAM, a cute Smart Automatic Mover, cross obstacles in a treasure hunt. The games were a far cry from the dull screens on which I (and many millennial parents like myself) learned programming.
In a world with increasingly complicated STEM toys, some much too obsessed with the engineering itself, I felt Tacto Coding got it just right. Here’s why:
#1 THINK code
Tacto aims to plant the seeds of coding, NOT make children coders. With exciting gameplay and bite-sized sequences, Tacto helps early learners THINK code and employs the essential skills necessary before writing code.
#2 Visual interaction
Tacto introduces coding fundamentals through interaction with visual elements, NOT blocks of code. What’s the benefit? Our brain processes visuals 60000 x faster than words. Additionally, visual and verbal memories are stored in separate parts of the brain; we have the best recall when we access one or the other.
#3 Versatility
Unlike many coding kits, Tacto focuses on a LOT MORE than just direction-based coding. It incorporates the fundamental concepts of coding – algorithm design, loops, sequencing, decomposition, and branching. But, with engaging and age-specific storytelling!
#4 Fewer parts
Children are messy (as they should be). They tend to lose, break and misplace things. PlayShifu kept this in mind when designing Tacto Coding. Unlike other kits, there are just five figurines to accomplish a range of coding functions across levels. It’s easy to overlook as an advantage until a piece or two goes missing and an entire kit’s functionality falls apart.
#5 Extensive play appeal
It’s a known fact that kids lose interest quickly. Tacto Coding factors this heavily into its development. There are 3 different games with 500+ challenges that become increasingly difficult as you play through them. A child could play and learn from it for a much longer period progressing to advanced levels with time than other kits that tend to cater to a smaller age bracket.
#6 Self-engagement friendly
Many STEM toys have complicated setups that often require parental supervision/assistance. Tacto Coding, on the other hand, is built with healthy self-engagement as a focus. Any stressed millennial parent knows the value of this! The gameplay is self-explanatory and age-specific. If you choose to join in, you can. But if you’d rather take the me-time, then Tacto has you covered.
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