Learning to Code with a Boardgame

markmcb writes "While some of us cling tight to our memories of Apple-filled classrooms playing The Oregon Trail and driving our Turtle around in Logo, children today have many other ways to learn about the inner-working of computers and the code that drives them. Wired.com is running an interesting article about a boardgame in which players must use simple logic similar to that used in programming to get their skier down the mountain. From the article: 'Using basic math, players have to figure out which paths are open to them and then decide the fastest way to the finish line. The trick, however, is learning which paths are open to you using only programmer jargon like 'if (X==1)' then you can take the green path or 'while (X4) you can take the orange path,' where X is the roll of the die.'"

Comments

Robo Rally

[Speare]

Also try Robo Rally. Of course, this deals with how to program a computer with a VERY limited instruction set, and with damaged hardware. :)

Why not build a robot??

[technoextreme]

There are fifty differnt robot kits floating about. They are much more entertaining and probably can help people program just as much as a boring board game.

Games that teach computer logic

[g_adams27]

For learning the basics of AND, OR, XOR and NOT logic, along with building basic circuits, you just can't do any better than Robot Odyssey. This is probably the greatest educational game I ever played as a young teenager. I trace my interest in studying, and then making a career out of computer science largely back to this game.

For slightly younger people, there's Rocky's Boots made by the same people (The Learning Company). It teaches a lot of the same things, but in an easier (and cuter) style.

All you need is an Apple II emulator like AppleWin and you're all set!