Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#1

Post by smj2118 » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 3:37 PM UTC

This app is a graphical programming environment for kids to learn coding by creating animations.

Although we released it to the app store it's still more of a beta version and we would love to solicit feedback from HNers with iPads. To me, programming is something that kids could really enjoy but the obstacles in their way (getting a programming environment, publishing their code, learning syntax) make the barriers to entry unnecessarily high. We're hoping this will be a good first step in overcoming some of that.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daisy-the-dinosaur/id490514278?ls=1&mt=8

Tell me what you think!

Thanks, Samantha

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#2

Post by tdenkinger » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 4:19 PM UTC

Congratulations for getting this out in front of people. Good luck. I'll be checking it out.

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#3

Post by the-kenny » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 4:44 PM UTC

I like the concept and the graphics, but I dislike "website in a webview"-apps. Why not simply release this app as a website?

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#4

Post by lowglow » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 4:44 PM UTC

Good luck, Samantha -- looks great :) Also, clickable : http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daisy-the-dinosaur/id49051427...

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#5

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 4:49 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#6

Post by andycds » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 4:54 PM UTC

Let me know if you want your app in Portuguese. software.pro.br

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#7

Post by base2john » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 5:01 PM UTC

Great news, I hope this means Apple will allow MIT's Scratch into the App Store soon. http://computinged.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/apple-removes-sc...

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#8

Post by hockeybias » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 5:11 PM UTC

Interesting!

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#9

Post by smj2118 » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 5:16 PM UTC

the-kenny wrote: post #3

I like the concept and the graphics, but I dislike "website in a webview"-apps. Why not simply release this app as a website?

Well, there is a slightly buggy webview version at:

http://gethopscotch.com/index.html

But since it only really works on iPad we decided to release it as an app.

Re: Show HN: An iPad app to teach kids how to program

#10

Post by jocastette » Mon, Dec 26, 2011, 6:13 PM UTC

Getting a programming environment is indeed a barrier which I have experienced a number of times. This contrasts with schooldays when I could start writing a basic program simply by switching the computer on.

Why don't Apple, Microsoft etc. package the stuff you need to get start programming with their OSes? (So one could begin learning with 5 mouse clicks or less.)

Sorry if this is a hopelessly naive question