C301-FA26-WE-NTN-Coding Adventures

Program Description

Course Details: • Name: Hands-On Coding Adventures • Date: September 14, 2026 – January 24, 2027 • Time: Wednesdays, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM • Location: Newton Classroom • Grades: GK+ • Prerequisite: None Hands-On Coding Adventures introduces young learners to programming and computational thinking through hands-on, screen-free activities using the Kidibots physical coding system. Students build 2D maze environments with magnetic tiles and create programs by arranging physical coding blocks. A small robot reads the program and then executes the instructions in the maze to complete missions. Students progress from basic movement and sequencing to programming concepts including IF/ELSE conditions, REPEAT loops, RANDOM and INFINITE repetition, and UNTIL conditions. Through 50 solo challenges and two-player activities, students practice route planning, pattern recognition, debugging, algorithm optimization, and strategic problem solving. Although the course does not directly teach artificial intelligence, it builds the programming logic and computational-thinking skills students need for VINCI’s more advanced AI and robotics courses. Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, students will be able to: • Explain how programs use sequences of instructions to control a robot. • Create and execute programs using physical coding blocks. • Use movement commands to navigate a robot through 2D environments. • Apply IF/ELSE conditions to create different robot behaviors. • Use REPEAT, RANDOM, INFINITE, and UNTIL structures appropriately. • Combine movement, loops, and conditions to solve programming challenges. • Analyze a maze and plan an effective route before programming. • Recognize patterns and use loops to create shorter, more efficient programs. • Test programs, identify errors, and systematically debug solutions. • Compare different solutions and improve program efficiency. • Break complex missions into smaller programming problems. • Apply logical, spatial, and computational thinking to solo and two-player challenges. • Develop strategies for competitive coding activities. • Explain the reasoning behind a programming solution. • Build foundational skills for future AI, robotics, and coding courses.