Scratch Jr. gets a fun character update ready for hour of code.

Use your favorite PBS characters to make your own stories with Scratch Jr.

Apps for content creation on a tablets are rare which is one of the reasons I love Scratch Jr.

I've mentioned it before it's so easy even your 4 year old can have fun, and with very little parent help because it's fully icon based for use by pre-readers.   This new release with PBS characters could be a good way to get their interest started.   Scratch Jr teaches sequencing and interaction events but everything is very immediately connected which keeps need for abstract thinking to a minimum, and no math needed.   If your looking for a super easy square one place to begin this is it.

Minecraft Hour of Code

Star wars does not get you kid excited?  Unlikely but there is probably something that will.
Things are looking great for this year's hour of code.

https://code.org/mc

And if this taste really gets you excited check out http://www.learntomod.com/ a block based minecraft modding site, Very easy to use, but best approached after some experience with block based programing like code.org.

HOUR of CODE coming Dec 7-13 (Star Wars)

We're looking forward to hour of code again this year, new projects and games.   This year's theme at Code.org looks to be one that should be popular for everyone!  Cute Robots, Powerful Women, oh and it's STAR WARS.

December 7-13 spent just 1 hr learning to code.

pyonkee, "Scratch" your itch for iOS

pyonkee is an iOS app which is basically Scratch 1.4 ported to iOS.   It can even import your scratch projects, and access the iPad sensors.

Library Tablets

Google Nexus tables available for checkout from Queens Library, now available at Sunnyside and Woodside library.
http://www.queenslibrary.org/services/computers-wifi/tablet

Mobile hotspot available in some locations as well.
http://www.queenslibrary.org/services/computers-wifi/mobile-hotspot

Puzzlets

Puzzlets is a fun gamification of Procedural thinking. (aka Learning to code)
Excellent game playability,  you'd never know you were learning.

Official Blockly for sphero on the Mac / PC

I've been looking for a good way to program Sphero from a Block based coding app like Blockly or Scratch.  There have been some cool hacks, but they have been to hard to use to dare suggest anyone else try.

There is Tickle app on the iPad, and tynker is supporting in on android I hear (not tested yet)
so those of you with tables could get started, but I wanted to hook this up in a classroom with a bunch of laptops, or iMacs.

Then recently I found Spherly and it was easy an worked.  I even used it in a class with kids with no problems!

Then today I just found the official (beta) Sphero - Blockly so cool.  Now if I could find 12-24 Spheros maybe I can get this happening at my local school!

Small update here, while this official sphero app is way easier to set up, and what I am looking for when recommending tools, it's still to beta to recommend as easy.  Spherly which I mentioned already is still the better option on a PC/Mac.   And only Tickle app on the iPad has the true ease of use I'm looking for.  For both parents and Kids.