Year 2 Blast Off in Digital EDGE

This half term in Digital EDGE, we are exploring the exciting world of astronauts and space exploration. As part of our journey, we are preparing to use the ScratchJr app to learn programming skills. To build a foundation for understanding algorithms and coding, we practised planning and giving instructions with a fun and interactive activity.

In pairs, one child took on the role of the programmer, and the other became the robot spacecraft. Using hoops to represent planets, which we set up in the dining room, the children had to navigate their robot spacecraft from one planet (hoop) to another. This required them to carefully plan the instructions—also known as algorithms—that their spacecraft needed to follow.

The children recorded directions and steps as part of their algorithms, using terms like forwards, backwards, north, east, west, and south. Through this hands-on activity, they learned to think systematically, communicate clearly, and understand the importance of sequencing in programming.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed navigating through the hoops and visiting the planets, while also gaining essential problem-solving skills. This activity was a fantastic introduction to the concepts of coding and programming, setting the stage for our work with ScratchJr.