Get excited because this is a big one. Our free global Code Challenge for kids starts April 5!

Coding can seem a little scary at first, which makes sense if you’re a kid and you’ve never talked to a computer. There are a lot of weird characters in code that you don’t use and you may not even know what they’re called.

Never used this  {  symbol before? 

But, code is all around us! The technology we use on a daily basis is built on a foundation of code. For kids, learning to code is an opportunity to understand the digital world around them. Like painting on a blank canvas, kids can create websites, apps, and games from a blank computer screen.

While most kids enjoy technology, many don’t understand how it works. 

“Only 20% of students meet STEM benchmarks, and this is even though careers in STEM topics are the most in-demand and also the highest-paying.” From Skipy: (The Benefits of STEM toys in the Growing Years)

These kids haven’t had the opportunity to learn about the meaning of STEM or try coding. At least, not in a way that sparks their interest and makes them see what’s possible. 

The Code Challenge is a fun and educational event that introduces kids to coding in an engaging way. We created this event as an activity to guide our students’ learning and were blown away by the response from kids around the world. Our winners spanned 3 countries and we got positive feedback from kids and their parents about how they were challenged and engaged every step of the way.

Last year, over 2,000 students and parents participated in the first Code Challenge and over 6,500 voted for the grand prize winners. This year, because of the amazing response, we asked our students to be more involved and to help us come up with a theme and character for an experience even more kids will love. 

The Code Challenge starts on April 5, register to join! 

Beginner-friendly for kids ages 8-18. No coding experience is needed to play. 

How the Code Challenge Works

As kids follow the story of our hero Nym and his quest through the galaxy to save the Xocron crystal, they’ll be presented with 21 Python-based coding questions. These questions first explain the coding principles, relevant across most coding languages, and then ask for that principle to be applied to help Nym race from planet to planet. 

Each correct answer earns the ability to move on to the next question. After those 21 questions, players earn a $25 CodeWizardsHQ gift card and access to the boss level. To defeat the boss, they will need to write a short program in Python or JavaScript. Anyone who writes a successful program will be placed in the Hall of Champions for a public vote. The top 3 winners will receive a t-shirt and cash prize of $100, $50, and $25 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, respectively.

Play the Code Challenge

To play the Code Challenge, register and create an account. 

After that, login to your account from April 5 – 25 to play. 

Students will receive a new question every day on the Code Challenge platform to complete their mission. 

Code Challenge for Educators & Teachers

We’re also inviting educators and teachers to join in on the fun. Teachers can sign up their entire class to play together. Teachers who register 50 or more students will receive a free t-shirt and, if 80% of the class completes the first 21 questions, teachers will also have a chance to win a $500 technology grant. Get the details and register. 

So, why wait? The Code Challenge is free and open to kids 8-18.

Register today and let’s play!

The post Our 2nd Annual Code Challenge Launches April 5 appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.

The evil dragon has been defeated in an epic battle, The Dragon Quest.

After a month of fierce competition, our kids coding challenge has come to an end and we were blown away with the participation and support. 

To sum it up, wow! 

When we set out to create The Dragon Quest, our goal wasn’t simply to create a fun contest for entertainment. We really wanted to create motivation for kids to start coding, to practice their coding skills, and to learn along the way … in addition to having a ton of fun.

What surprised us the most was how many kids, especially with little or no coding experience, participated and even got their families involved. From playing alongside brothers and sisters, to learning new coding concepts with mom and dad, to having their web developer uncles tutor and train them, families around the world were playing The Dragon Quest together.

That was the REAL success and our team is proud to provide this fun, educational opportunity for kids.

Here’s what some of our kids and parents had to say:

“Some of the questions were fun and some were infuriating. I learned new things such as how to read binary. The challenge overall was a nice learning experience that helped to bring the community together.”

Noah

“I think the Code Challenge is awesome! I think it can be tricky sometimes, but it’s not so hard that you can’t figure it out. I think it’s fun figuring out the challenges even when I get it wrong.”

Pali

“It is so awesome”

Ryan

“I felt very happy after I got through the 21 levels and after I defeated the dragon. And it was fun figuring out the coding levels – those were the ones I liked the most.”

Kirthana

“Really positive. My son woke up everyday looking forward to the challenge.”

Jessica

Now for the results!  

Over 1,400 challengers ages 8-18 entered the quest and an astounding 280 completed all 21 levels. They are permanently entered into our Code Challenge Hall of Fame. 

Players were represented globally and played from countries including the US, India, UK, and Spain. After a total of 4,670 votes in the final voting round, we are very excited to announce our winners.

The 2020 Dragon Quest Champions are …

Congratulations to these brave kid coders! We are so impressed with your hard work and coding skills. You are great ambassadors to coding for kids, keep up the great work.

Thank you also for the support from our sponsors, Terminal 2 and CoderBunnyz, and our non-profit partners, ChickTech and ACT+. 

And here is something to look forward to…

We’ve decided that the challenge is on for next year! 

We’ll be hosting a free kids coding challenge in 2021, details such as the theme and date will be announced soon.

Are you ready? Register for our 2021 code challenge.

Whatever you do next, we encourage you to keep coding. Build your experience with books, games, or apps, and never stop learning. 

If you want to train for next year’s challenge, check out our online coding classes for kids. Keep coding from the comfort of home and train to take home the grand prize in 2021.

The post 2020 Winners of The Dragon Quest Kids Coding Challenge appeared first on CodeWizardsHQ.