Why we teach Minecraft (and not Roblox)

Games have been at the forefront of entertainment for all ages and have never been more accessible.

The two most popular games on our kids’ minds are Minecraft and Roblox. By the age of 7, many of our Students will have heard about these games through their friends or YouTube channels. As a result, many parents have approached Coding Lab, inquiring about the presence of either a Minecraft or Roblox curriculum where the students can be guided into their foray into online games and at the same time, learn programming.

We sat down with our Educator and Assistant Curriculum Team Lead, Hovan Tan, to ask him his thoughts on what platforms are suitable for our children, and how we came to the decision to develop and launch our special Minecraft Code Your World curriculum, instead of other platforms. Let’s hear from Teacher Hovan! 👏

We sought an answer of creating either a well-designed Minecraft curriculum or Roblox Curriculum for the right age group.

Hours of research commenced, on the platforms. We wanted to ensure that the curriculum we deliver does not only improve your child’s computational thinking skills, but also most importantly, keep our students safe and secure in an online environment.

We chose to create our Minecraft Code Your World curriculum, and forgo Roblox entirely, despite the multitude of requests we received for Roblox classes. For you to better understand our decision, we will be breaking down our prior research on the two platforms.

Let us see how Minecraft and Roblox compare in 2 key areas; (1) online safety, privacy and parental settings, and (2) programming support.

(1) Online Safety and Privacy Features

Minecraft

Minecraft has access to Microsoft’s Xbox features, which include a comprehensive suite of privacy and security features that protects individuals from online dangers.
Parental controls are also available on Minecraft, which allow parents to maintain and monitor their children’s interactions and activity online, enabling/ disabling online features to their choice. Such features are also available in the Java Edition, Bedrock Edition (Windows), and Minecraft Education Edition.

Our Conclusion: Minecraft allows children to enjoy learning and playing with proper parental safeguards in place.

Roblox

Roblox (and Roblox Studio used for programming) is a free platform which is easily accessible online and has an easy account creation process (check out the video below which illustrates this!).
Roblox is an online experience first, online interactions are at the forefront of its success. Minimal account safeguards exist for parents, and most importantly, children can easily circumvent these safeguards by creating a new account in under 5 minutes.
Through research, we have found past articles which documented the presence of inappropriate adult content on Roblox. Playing on this platform therefore comes with risks such as exposure to sexual content, which is not suitable for minors.

Our Conclusion: Roblox has a low barrier of entry, with minimal safeguards in place, potentially carrying the risk of children being exposed to online dangers.

(2) Programming Support

Minecraft

Microsoft released the Minecraft: Education Edition in 2016. Players program interactions inside Minecraft using the embedded Microsoft Makecode editor, which allows programming using blocks (for beginner coders, or text-based JavaScript or Python (for Intermediate and Advanced Coders). Microsoft MakeCode is also available in the Minecraft Bedrock as an additional app, an easy-add on programming tool for young gamers.

Microsoft MakeCode easily scales from Beginner all the way to Advanced level programming. The Minecraft MakeCode API (essentially the coding commands) makes it easy to onboard new coders. Students who have done Scratch can use coding concepts they have learned, such as conditional statements and iteration, in MakeCode. Psst: Coders can even quickly switch their programs from Block language to Python or JavaScript so they can see a side-by-side comparison of the languages!

On top of that, Microsoft is actively developing MakeCode and Minecraft Education. They are adding new code commands (API), features, and support on a regular basis, making the platform a real joy to teach and code on.

Roblox

Released in 2005, Roblox Studio, utilising only the text-based Lua programming language. Roblox does not have a block-based language. Roblox API (application programming interface) is extensive and complex, which is more difficult to understand and discover for young coders and new coders.

Roblox Studio can be paralleled to Unity (a platform used for game development – which we teach to our teens!) which allows game developers to create fully fledged games in Roblox, Whilst the Roblox API allows for creating complex, custom features in games, the learning curve for coding simple things is much more difficult with a steeper learning curve for the average 7-12 year old student.

MINECRAFT VS ROBLOX – PROGRAMMING

Programming on Minecraft is great for young kids to start off with; with drag and drop blocks; which also allows for an easy transition into text-based languages as the student advances. That is why Minecraft is suitable for all ages and programming levels. So when your kid tells you they want to program in Minecraft, believe them! It really is an exciting educational experience they are going through.

Roblox, in contrast, requires advanced knowledge to program more than just the basics. More suited to teens, if you’ve already let your 7 year old try it out; chances are that your young child is spending his/her time playing the game more than coding (so now you know the secret ;-)) Furthermore, without the appropriate parental safeguards and the ease of creating a new account, we really wouldn’t want our students to go there – why start at all; if Minecraft can provide a much better and safer learning and gaming experience?

Minecraft Education Privacy

Restricted Access to Online Games

– Only players that are in the same Azure tenant (the same domain such as @codinglab.com.sg) can join multiplayer worlds together. When students create multiplayer worlds in Minecraft Education, only people with accounts on the same tenant can join their world. In other words: it’s easier to limit your child’s interaction when he plays – you know they’re only playing with their friends from coding class, and not random online strangers!

Classroom Mode for Minecraft

– Minecraft Education Classroom Mode is an optional app that allows teachers to monitor and manage multiplayer games in Minecraft Education, such as disabling chat and pausing the game. Yes parents, we use this all the time to ensure optimal class experience and control 🙂

In summary

Here is the main differences between Minecraft and Roblox platforms.

Image of Comparison Chart for Minecraft blog

Our decision?

With our priority being safety and fun learning, it was a clear choice for us. From the credibility of Microsoft, to its multiple years of strict parental controls; to Minecraft being a game first, rather than online interaction. Together with an age-appropriate programming platform, we opted to create a curriculum for our students using Minecraft’s Code Builder!

Our students have won competitions at the National Japan Minecraft Cup Competition for three consecutive years. Every year, students from Singapore and Japan meet online to program and submit their ideas for the cup. Check out our past accolades here (2019,2021,2022). If your child is keen to join us but has no prior experience, keep a lookout for our special Minecraft Code Your World classes are available during our holiday camps for ages 10 to 12. Check out our schedules here under P21S – Advanced Computer Scientists!

*Note: You would need to complete our App Inventor 1+2 and Python Junior 1+2 before joining our Minecraft classes.

(Written by Hovan, edited by Thinzar)

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A Peek Into Our Course: Junior Coders Programme – Coding, Robotics, Montessori Learning and Tinkering with STEM

Giving their child the best of everything is what every parent wants. Starting off on a good note in their learning journey is extremely crucial for our young ones, especially for coding. The earlier you get a head start, the easier it is to grasp and understand the concepts!

With an award-winning curriculum inspired by MIT, our Junior Coders Programme (JCP) is specially designed for little ones aged 5 to 6 to be introduced to the wonderful world of coding! They will learn computational thinking skills, which are applicable to both coding and other areas like Mathematics!

We’ve got four exciting themes in the curriculum:

ScratchJr
Tinker with STEM
Hands-On Robotics, and
Montessori

You can opt to attend our regular Weekly classes (5 x 2 hours) which go in-depth into each theme, or dip your child’s toes into various themes with our Holiday Camps (5 x 2 hours). You can also sign your child up for our themed workshops, which only takes 2 hours in order to accommodate the children’s short attention span!

1) ScratchJr

Our young coders get introduced to their first-ever visual programming language, ScratchJr. With inspiration from classic stories such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Five Little Monkeys, and more, kids get to code scenes and understand how to use coding blocks and sequence them correctly to form a story or a mini-game. They will have fun while learning important computational thinking skills to prep them for an increasingly digital world. What an awesome start to their programming journey!

See how our young coders like the one of the right become really focused on making their own creations on ScratchJr! 👉

2) Tinker with Stem

Our tiny tots get to let their imagination run wild in our classes! They are given the opportunity to explore and learn to create light-up circuits with conductible materials, and afterwards, program them to work.

You may be wondering – what exactly does this have to do with coding? Our JCP focus not just on coding, but on equipping our students with computational thinking skills which are adaptable to different programming languages that they can learn in the future! Training their mindset to think logically will help them in the future – whether it be coding, or in other areas such as Science.

👈 Here’s one of our little tots proudly showing his light-up circuit!

3) Hands-on Robotics

Have you ever heard of Photon the Robot? In our Robotics-themed classes, our Junior Coders will get to go on interactive adventures with Photon as they program it to go on a treasure hunt for fruits, play sounds, blink in various colours and much, much more! Similar to Scratch Junior, they will learn to sequence blocks/instructions to achieve their desired outcome – an important problem-solving skill useful in various areas in life.

Our students here are absorbed in programming Photon, the educational robot, using the tablet. With sensors, lights and adorable sounds, Photon makes learning even more exciting! 👉

4) Binary and Pixels – Montessori-style (Screen-free!)

What is the Montessori method?

Discovered by Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907, the Montessori Method is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play [Source].

This allows children to make their own creative choices when learning, while the classroom and trained teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process. With the Montessori Method, children will discover and explore knowledge as they work in groups or individually, and gain a deeper understanding of what they are learning!

A Peek into JCP - Montessori method — *Our Junior Coders are playing with the Learning at home set by Learning Beautiful!*

A Peek into JCP - Montessori — *You can get your own Learning at home set by Learning Beautiful here for your child to use at home!*

As your child learns through engaging activities, he/she would also get the opportunity to get hands-on with Montessori-inspired coding toys that have been designed at MIT and ethically produced in the USA!

Our Montessori-themed classes utilise the gorgeous wooden Learning at Home Set by Learning Beautiful. Suitable for ages 3 to 9, the set has hands-on materials such as the binary tree and pixel boards that enable children to learn the basics of computer science without screens. A sneak peek of the concepts taught include binary, conditionals, randomness and many more! By combining play and hands-on learning, your child will gain a good foundation in programming concepts while having endless hours of fun with the set!

So why Coding Lab’s Junior Coders Programme?

“Before I came to teach at Coding Lab, I did not know that programming concepts could be taught to young children in such interesting and effective ways! During our JCP classes, I can see how much the children enjoy learning from their excited faces. There were plenty of hands-on activities in the lesson plans that were very suitable for young children.”

– Educator Wan Xuan

As a trusted partner of IMDA, Coding Lab has brought the unique JCP curriculum to many preschools. We’ve even helped more than 7,000 bright preschoolers start their coding journey through our Tiny Thinkers initiative!

In addition to our thoughtfully planned and curated curriculum, our educators undergo extensive training so that our students will learn while having fun at the same time! 🤩

“We enjoyed our session very much. My child typically doesn’t sit still for too long, but he managed to follow the session, and the satisfaction and having created his own little program was unspeakable… pure joy written all over his face.”

– Meiling, Mother of Asher, one of our Junior Coders

As our Junior Coders are involved in engaging activities with ScratchJr, STEM, Robotics, and Montessori-inspired toys, our passionate educators will be right by their side to ensure an enriching learning experience. We ensure a maximum student-to-teacher ratio of 1:6, so every child gets the attention that he or she deserves.

So what are you waiting for? Give your child the best head start – book your slot here today! 😉

* Tablets (Twin-sharing) are provided for ScratchJr, but students are welcome to bring their own! All equipment is provided for Tinker with STEM, Robotics and Montessori. 😊

@codinglabasia Check out what our little rockstars do in our Junior Coders Programme! 🌟 #coding #singapore #sg #codinglab #juniorcoders #coders ♬ Pope Is a Rockstar – SALES

Take a sneak peek of the fun and learning awaiting our future Junior Coders 👆

Here’s how you can become a Junior Coder (ages 5 to 6)!

(Written by Zulaikha and edited by Thinzar)

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A Peek Into Our Course: Advanced Computer Scientists (P21S) – Broad-Based Exposure to STEM Topics

Have you ever wondered what goes on in our Advanced Computer Scientists (ACS) classes? Every lesson is an exciting adventure with our passionate educators that will take our students to the next level of programming – all while having fun exploring – and experiencing a wide range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related topics!

“My son comes home with a new skill everyday and tries it out on his favourite game. Fun way of learning!”

– Parent of Yuze, 11, Pei Chun Public School

What is the Advanced Computer Scientists programme about?

Image of boy playing with microbit (A Peek into ACS) — *Our Advanced Computer Scientist tinkering and experimenting with his Micro:bit.*

Coding Lab’s ACS programme (for ages 10 to 12) offers 13 exciting research areas specially curated by our curriculum team.

Our students will cover a good mix of classes that we have categorised into 3 main groups: Hardware-Based Learning, Syntax-Based Learning and Complex App Development (Android and iOS). It doesn’t matter whether your child is in the Infocomm club, they will get the full hands-on experience of exploring and honing the breadth of their coding abilities.

This exposes them to a diverse range of coding applications and possibilities of the trending technology topics of today. Best of all, our curriculum combines PSLE Mathematics – for maximum educational fun – as they watch the magic of Math and Coding come alive.

“The class was fun and enjoyable. I really loved learning in the class as the teachers were kind and helpful. They taught me many things I did not know and I am happy that I got my certificate.

I am grateful to my teachers for providing and guiding me through this fun and nourishing experience. Coding Lab is a fun place to go and I would recommend it to my friends. Thank you fellow friends and teachers for helping me through coding. 😁”

– Cheng Hao, 10

Tutor Edmund and his students excitedly posing with their Minecraft props in the debut of the P21S-MiCr ACS Advanced Computer Scientists Minecraft: Code Your World course — *Our Tutor and Advanced Computer Scientists all geared up to take their coding to the next level in our latest Minecraft: Code Your World (P21S-MiCr) course.*

Be it having advanced Micro:bit training in our Hardware-Based Learning classes, creating a quiz gameshow in our Syntax-Based Learning classes or perhaps developing an iOS mobile app in our Complex App Development classes, the endless fun will leave students smiling from ear to ear!

Fun Fact! The latest research area added to our ACS programme is the Minecraft: Code Your World course, which made its debut in June 2022.

What do students learn in class?

Students dive deeper into advanced code as they advance in their knowledge, with hints and loving guidance from our educators. They will build on the knowledge learnt in their earlier P200 classes in drag-and-drop MIT App Inventor and text-based Python Junior – that’s why these are prerequisites for our ACS programme.

In each lesson, our dedicated tutors begin by introducing the topic and giving the lesson’s tasks to students. Students write down their thoughts in the colourful workbooks that accompany their learning, and get hands-on with coding. They will watch the codes come alive on their laptop or phone screens, and even tinker with robotics such as the Micro:bit. Our tutors are there at every step of the way to provide hints, answer questions and guide students to the solutions.

With the small class sizes and fun learning experiences, students are constantly stimulated and engaged. We’ve also aligned our curriculum closely to what students learn in MOE schools. For example, our Python Turtle course introduces shapes and concepts such as Pythogoras’ Theorem.

Including concepts that are learnt in school is key in ensuring that our students get excited about learning. It also provides them with new perspectives about what they learn in school – some of them even get a headstart when they are first introduced to concepts in their coding classes!

A Peek Into P21S ACS Advanced Computer Scientists — *We’ve got gorgeous and colourful book covers to complement our students’ learning journey!*

Did you know?
Research areas proceed based on a pre-selected schedule carefully curated by Coding Lab tutors, which exposes your child to all 3 main groups.

Gotta catch ’em all! Each research area has a corresponding badge that students can collect and advance their coding skills.

Read: Did you know? Fun Facts about our Advanced Computer Scientists

“ACS allows me to dive deeper into my interest in coding. They have a wide range of topics for me to explore. I learnt how to code on various types of programs like when we used Python Turtle for Game Development or when we created apps with Thunkable, where I learnt functions to command the program and do a list of commands.

My tutors let us explore and try to program it it on our own first. If I have difficulties, my tutors are always there to help me. They explain why the program functions as it should in detail and they go through the codes step-by-step in class. I enjoy the ACS lessons very much!”

– Jo Xi, 12, Northland Primary School

Here’s the lowdown on our Advanced Computer Scientists programme:

P21S ACS Advanced Microbit Kit — *An overview of our carefully curated Advanced Micro:bit Kit for the best hands-on learning experience.*

There are 3 main groups of classes: Hardware-Based Learning, Syntax-Based Learning and Complex App Development (Android and iOS) – you can find the full list of 13 research areas here.
One ACS research area typically takes 10 hours to complete for 5 classes.
In order to progress to the next level, students are required to complete all research areas.

As the name of our programme goes, we hope that our students become Advanced Computer Scientists as they embark on this journey and get broad-based exposure to the various STEM topics – and even if they decide to pursue something else other than computer science – we know that the ACS learning experience is one that they will remember for life!

Python Health Game by Leonard Yong, 12 years old, in P21S-PyH3 Advanced Computer Scientists Health Advisor — *See the real-world applicability of Python with this Health Game coded by our student!*

Healthy 365 Junior with BMI Calculator by Thabitha, 12 years old, in P21S-AiH3 Advanced Computer Scientists Healthy 365 Junior — *Level up and code even more functions into your app!*

Pichu Defense, in Advanced Computer Scientists P21S PyGD — *Explore game development with Python and find out the endless possibilities of coding!*

11-year-old Ankit shares his Take A Break app that he coded with Python, which utilises Math, loops and more that he learnt in ACS.

Keian, 11 years old, presents his ACS Python Turtle project about drawing fun shapes and patterns with various pen sizes and colours.

10-year-old Jacob shows his innovative use of Python to create a Periodic Table Explorer, which uses various Quiz elements taught in ACS.

Here’s how you can become an Advanced Computer Scientist (ages 10 to 12)!

(Written by Cheryl Tang and Zulaikha)

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Coding Lab Student Feature: Ng Chen-Yi, 13, Hwa Chong Institution

Here at Coding Lab, we have welcomed a myriad of students from all walks of life – and today, we would like to introduce you to one of our bright students who loves water polo and gaming: Chen-Yi!

The Secondary 1 student is studying in his dream school Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) after entering through Direct School Admission (DSA) with Water Polo. He has been acing InfoComm, a compulsory academic subject in HCI, and his friends even frequently seek him out for advice!

Chen-Yi’s passion for coding has also caught the eyes of his Coding Lab tutors who acknowledge his budding potential. 👀 Absolutely incredible! Keep on reading to learn more about this ambitious individual!

Hi Chen-Yi! Tell us how you got started with coding. What do you like most about it?

I started self-learning how to code when I was in Primary 3 because I felt that it would be interesting to write my own programs and watch them work. I began with the basic programming platform Scratch, but while learning Scratch, I discovered Python, which to me seemed much more interesting than Scratch. Thus after finishing a Scratch course, I started to learn Python on my own using a book my father had bought for me.

I like programming because I get to make anything I want. I could remix a simple game like Flappy Bird, or test my programming knowledge by taking on a more ambitious project. Programming is also able to help me in my daily life – for example, I got to make a program that prime factorizes a number, and this has helped me speed up my productivity while doing homework!

“Programming is also able to help me in my daily life – for example, I got to make a program that prime factorizes a number, and this has helped me speed up my productivity while doing homework!”

Your tutor Evan informed us that you’ve been experimenting a lot with Django this term! You have even created a few side projects on your own, which is super impressive! What has made you so interested in Django?

I think that making a dynamic webpage is more fun than just a simple HTML static webpage. Django has also helped me to understand the workings behind some big sites. I made my project so that I could experiment with login pages and chatrooms.

“Chen-Yi is an independent learner that has displayed commitment in learning the concepts. He has demonstrated that he understands the concepts taught in class well to apply and customise them into his web application. Despite being new to Django and Web Development, he is able to understand most of the concepts covered and takes the initiative to find out the possible projects we can explore by researching it himself during his personal time.”
– Tutor Evan

What difficulties did you face while learning to code?

To be honest I didn’t really know what I was doing in the first few months of learning how to program, and I only really picked it up after a year. At the time, I did not have a laptop or computer to work on, hence I resorted to writing code on trinket.io.

Surprisingly, I was still able to write programs even though I had to constantly switch between the tutorial app and the browser. These first steps, though slightly inconvenient, have made me even more resilient and determined to continue learning how to program. You could even say that those first few months were the “appetizer” to my love for programming now!

What do you like about coding classes at Coding Lab?

I came for classes at Coding Lab as being in a class allows me to learn more in-depth, under the guidance of professional teachers. In a class, I can ask the teachers questions, rather than Googling the questions on the internet, as sometimes you don’t get a straight-cut answer from Google.

As Coding Lab is far from my house, I opted for online lessons so that I am able to learn without difficulties! I like coding classes at Coding Lab as I am able to ask the teachers for help whenever I need it, and the answers I receive help me a lot.

The things that are taught at Coding Lab are also interesting and useful in real life, for example creating websites with Django as the backend server to process the database and retrieve the designs of the websites that are created using HTML.

Tell us more about ‘ZeroNET’, the app you made during your hackathon. What inspired you to make it, and what were the challenges you faced?

ZeroNET has a simple login and sign up system, and you can join a chatroom using a room code. I made it because I thought that login and sign up systems would be interesting to play with, and it would be cool to see how chatrooms function. After attending classes, I was able to implement more things into my website!

ZeroNET GIF — *A look at Chen-Yi’s ZeroNET website!*

As an independent learner, I’ve also been experimenting with Django and have even created side projects on my own after reading up on Google and watching YouTube tutorials.

*One of Chen-Yi’s amazing side projects, titled **Teleporter**.* The program is about a robot-boy who can shoot bullets which, on exploding, create “glowing” particles. There are also portals that he can create and teleport with when the right-click is utilised, hence the naming of “Teleporter”.

Teleporter is one of my projects that enabled me to practice adding more effects into my games made with Pygame. I had felt that my other games were pretty bland and did not really have good enough graphics, so you could say that this project was for me to feel better and see how much I have achieved so far with Python.

It is a pretty basic game that can still be improved, however I have decided to stop working on it at the moment.

Could you share with us why you think learning to code is so important?

Programmers are able to help the society by writing software for more advanced equipment, for example medical equipment, which would allow doctors to better assess a patient’s illness. Learning programming has helped me personally too as I’m able to write my own program to help me solve math sums. Another scenario where programming has helped me was when I wrote a virtual version of the board game that my project work group had come up with.

“Learning how to program is important as the world is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, so by learning about programming, one would have more job opportunities in the future, and would be able to do more in the future than others who do not know anything about programming.”

Do you see yourself continuing your passion of coding in the future?

Yes, I would probably take up a job in programming in the future. My current goal is to be selected to join the Computing Talent Programme offered to the Sec 3s and 4s.

Any advice for anyone who is learning how to code?

A word of advice would be to start exploring the programming language that you want to learn by looking at online tutorials and YouTube videos. If they think that that language is what they want to learn, they can then attend a course to learn more about the language.

Thanks for sharing your programming journey with us, Chen-Yi! 😃 We hope that your story inspires many other youths like you to take up coding and discover the endless possibilities that await them once they’ve acquired the skill!

Chen-Yi has been attending classes at Coding Lab since May 2020 – from passing a placement test to enter Python Perfect 2, and then afterwards advancing to Python 3, to Python Perfect 3 and now S207: Modelling & Simulations!

Learn more about Python, a global top 5 programming language, here. Once you’ve got the foundations, you can find yourself building practically anything from software, to apps, to websites. 😉

(Written by Zulaikha)

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

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Should my child DSA (Coding)? Coding Lab’s P300 Portfolio Preparation Programme for DSA

With coding a skill that is highly sought after, and with more kids getting interested with coding from a very young age, here’s our all-in-one DSA guide just for you!

Many parents have been asking us about our Direct School Admission (DSA) P300 Portfolio Preparation Programme, so we thought that we’d share some pointers for you on whether your child should DSA (Coding) and how to prepare him/her for it.

For those of you who are not so familiar with what DSA is all about, it is a programme that enables students to gain direct entry to certain secondary schools based on their talent in sports, CCAs and specific academic areas.

And the question remains: Should my child DSA (Coding) into the school of their choice?

There are many factors to consider before reaching an answer to this question, and here’s a list of the most important pointers (we’ve interviewed our experienced DSA educators) that will help guide you in making an informed decision on what is best for your child.

Is Your Child Passionate about Coding?

Before deciding to do DSA (Coding), it is crucial to sit down and have a talk with your child to better understand his/her passion and enthusiasm for coding.

Does he/she have a high interest and is always highly motivated to work on this/her own individual projects? Especially in between coding classes? Do they constantly create and share new programs, apps on their own?

According to our experienced DSA educators, successful DSA students have similar traits in them: they are independent learners with a lot of drive and a curious mind!

In fact, we have spectacular primary school students who have been enthusiastic about coding since young and are self-taught in certain topics, making them more advanced than students their age. Such passionate students also go a step further and work on their own projects right after attending coding classes with us. This is an important step that will further accelerate their understanding and learning, by choice.

Some of our young Unstoppable Coders are:

Aarhan Saluja
12 years old
DSA to St. Joseph’s Institution

Having had his first touch with coding in Primary 3, Aarhan joined Coding Lab in 2019. His passion for coding grew over the years and with active participation in his Robotics CCA and coding classes, he was able to build a substantial portfolio! With many great projects to aid him in our DSA Programme, he successfully entered St. Joseph’s Institution (SJI)!

Jake Ian Tan
13 years old
DSA to NUS High

A boy who has always been passionate about technology, Jake started learning how to code back in 2016 when he was just 8 years old. Showing great potential in Scratch, he was invited to join the Gifted Coders class. We’re delighted to see him grow as a coder over the years and now start his exciting journey in NUS High!

What is The School they want to DSA into?

Learning more about the school your child wants to enter is important. This is because some schools have different requirements for students who want to do DSA (Coding). You can check out what are the schools that accept DSA (Coding) at MOE’s SchoolFinder website or refer to Coding Lab’s list right here.

List of DSA Schools (Image) — *Source:* *MOE*
*Learn more about the latest DSA updates* *here*.

The DSA Timeline

The selection process for DSA (Coding) typically involves assessments to determine whether or not students are fit for the programme.

Different schools have different expectations for DSA (Coding). Some focus on advanced level programming, others insist on a well crafted portfolio that shows strong community impact, while others emphasise on being able to program with specific gadgets. Regardless, it is important to do proper research to find the school that would fit your child’s strengths. You can also speak to our DSA educators who will be happy to share their insights on DSA (Coding) with you.

In addition to a good portfolio, schools value your child’s achievements – more so if they are under the category your child is trying to enter the school with! A good way to rack up your child’s achievements (and also build their portfolio!) is through entering Coding Lab’s competitions like Young Coders Global Hackathon (YCGH) or International Coding Showcase (ICS). 😉

Photo of Kieran Ho (DSA to NUS High) — *Kieran Ho (DSA to NUS High)*

With Coding Lab’s competitions, our students have been able to showcase their coding talents. Our bright-eyed student Kieran Ho who successfully entered NUS High won first place (Python and Electives) at Coding Lab’s ICS 2020 (JP-SG)! He was also the awardee of Most Promising Young Coder at the YCGH 2020. With Kieran’s many talents and achievements with Coding Lab, it’s no wonder he successfully got into NUS High!

*Important: Many schools require students to commit to a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) affiliated to the type of DSA they entered with. E.g. Students will have to join the Infocomm or Robotics Club. Be very sure this is what suits your child best, should he/she attain a place via DSA (Coding).

Image of Jun Ray receiving his 1st Position Award

Our student Ang Jun Ray emerged as champion in the HCI Infocomm Challenge 2019. We are proud to see him grow as a young coder over the years as he completes each and every course of our learning roadmap. A hardworking and enthusiastic young coder, Jun Ray was even offered multiple DSAs at Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution!

Image of Aahan and Leah on stage to receive their award (Ziv: Absent)

Our three talented students won 1st Prize at the IMDA Code:Xtreme Apps (CXA) 2019 Hackathon! Organised annually by IMDA to challenge minds and inspire innovative solutions for current issues, Aahan, Leah and Ziv worked hard to come up with innovative digital solutions for the hackathon theme “Digital Transformation for a Better World”.

Learn more about our students’ achievements here! 🤩

Does Your Child Have a Good Support System in their Coding Journey?

A parent’s support is like no other. In order for your child to flourish in the DSA (Coding) journey, your invaluable support is crucial! With it, your child will be further motivated to do and achieve so much more.

It is important to take note that your budding coder will be doing something in addition to the required number of academic subjects, so he/she will be busy trying to juggle them all at once. Having regular check-ins with them to talk and be more understanding about their situation will make them feel supported and cared for.

Giving words of encouragement and useful tips for your child to balance both academics and coding projects would also give them that extra boost to do their very best! ✊

Check out Be Your Child’s Cheerleader for more tips on how to cheer your child on for school.
Check out Useful Resources for your child to excel.

Need Help? Our DSA Coaching Programme can assist!

Parents, know that the DSA journey can be a very daunting one, even more so for those wanting to do DSA (Coding)! Where can you get help in order to ensure that your child is well taken care of in this journey?

Coding Lab’s DSA Coaching Programme is a 1-1 programme that would mould your child well for the selection process. Students in late Primary 5 to early Primary 6 will have several consultation sessions (recommended number of 3) to build up their portfolio, with each session lasting for 2 hours. As the DSA Submission typically takes place in May every year, Coding Lab’s DSA Coaching will occur from January to April.

To be better prepared for our DSA Coaching, students are recommended to complete our Ages 10-12 Roadmap.

Your child can start as early as Primary 3 (going on to Primary 4) / Primary 4 in order to finish the necessary courses and attain a basic level of competency! With sufficient knowledge from these courses, a solid and unique portfolio can be built during the DSA consultation sessions.

In late Primary 5 to early Primary 6, several 1-1 DSA consultation sessions will be conducted to build up their portfolio. A minimum of 3 sessions is recommended, with each session lasting for 2 hours. In order to maximise the DSA training sessions, your child is expected to work on their own in between sessions based on the direction from the DSA supervisor assigned to them.

Fill out our DSA
enquiry form!

Our P300 programme consists of:

Initial 1-on-1 Consultation
Your child will be paired up with one of our dedicated specialists to better understand your child’s needs for DSA. What are their goals? What do they hope to achieve? A better understanding of your child’s wants and needs will help form a better DSA journey!
Shortlisting of Target Schools
A list of target schools will be chosen based on your child’s interests and goals.
Customised Achievement Plan
With an end goal in mind, our educators will help craft a plan with your child to take small but sure steps towards becoming a well-prepared DSA student.
Portfolio Development
Our dedicated educators will work with your child to select or build good projects that showcase their strength and understanding in programming. Depending on the school they wish to apply for, their portfolio will be crafted closely to match the school’s requirements.
Your child will also acquire advanced problem-solving skills in 3 categories namely Micro:bit, Python and App Development and obtain practical skills by creating his/her own apps and projects. This will allow your child’s portfolio to stand out among the rest.
Interview Preparation
Students will also be prepped with interview tips that will give them that extra edge compared to other candidates!

“I always look forward to meeting students who have a passion for coding and I find great joy in helping them bring their programming skills to the next level. At such a young age, they have already done so many projects to put in their portfolio. It’s great to see them learning life-long skills that will prepare them for their future!“
– DSA Tutor Edmund Teow

Image of Edmund and students (DSA blogpost) — *Tutor Edmund with his students!*

With the help of our trusty educators, our students will be able to build awesome portfolios that show how capable they are in their coding skills! Check out what our student Aarhan has to say about his DSA journey with us!

“The DSA prep classes focused not only on the knowledge of codes, but also presentation skills and how we can apply our knowledge in making the world a better place. My ideas were constantly discussed in the sessions which my tutor elicited from me without spoon feeding. She was very encouraging and helped me boost my confidence and creativity to a whole new level.”
– Aarhan Saluja, DSA (Innovation), SJI, 2022

We hope that these pointers have been useful in helping you make an informed decision on whether or not your child should embark on the DSA (Coding) journey. You can learn more about Coding Lab’s Coaching Programme to see if it works for your child.

Learn more about the latest MOE DSA updates here.

(Written by Zulaikha)

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

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A Peek Into Our Course: Advanced Computer Scientists (P21S) – Broad-Based Exposure to STEM Topics

Should my child DSA (Coding)? Coding Lab’s P300 Portfolio Preparation Programme for DSA

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Coding Lab Student Feature: Aarhan Salujah, 13, St Joseph’s Institution

Coding Lab Educator Feature: Ryan Wong

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All About NFTs, Simplified

Join our LIVE online classes!

Ages 5-6 | Ages 7-9 | Ages 10-12 | Ages 13-18

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A Peek Into Our Course: Young Computer Scientists (P11S) – Lifelong Learning and Applying It

Our Young Computer Scientists (YCS) students are always up for an adventure when they step into class. Every lesson is a chance to learn and discover something new and there’s certainly never a dull moment with our dedicated teachers!

Coding Lab’s YCS course (for ages 7 to 9) offers 12 unique research areas curated by our curriculum team. It exposes our students to the diverse fields of application for coding and broadens their understanding and the power of computational thinking. This ultimately serves as a platform for students to put on their thinking hats and be nurtured into lifelong learners.

You might be thinking: What exactly is Lifelong Learning?

Photo of Evan and his students holding up the new Augmented Reality textbooks for P11S-AR — *Evan with his pumped Young Computer Scientist students*

Lifelong learning is integrating living and learning for people of all ages – from cradle to grave. This is done through learning opportunities to continuously improve the knowledge and skills needed for personal fulfilment and future employment. It is a key perspective not only for youths, but for everyone.

The six pillars on lifelong learning include technologies for learning and learning to learn. In recent years, and as most of us use technology to bridge gaps in the past year, we increasingly use the internet for information, communication and participation in learning activities. This goes hand-in-hand with independent, self-directed learning – all important elements that encourage the pursuit of 21st-century learning.

Today’s world is fast-changing and there is a growing need to be able to forecast futures and adapt. What does this mean for our little ones? It’s important for them to be confident in their tech skills so that positive attitudes and values about lifelong learning will be inculcated at a young age. This would shape them into empowered individuals who can seize opportunities and support independent efforts in a lifelong journey of learning and taking on the world.

How do our young ones benefit from Lifelong Learning?

Our Young Computer Scientists hone their knowledge and thinking skills through 12 research areas, which comprises 3 groups of classes: Hardware-Based Learning, Applied Learning, and Subject-Based Learning.

Through the course, students have fun and see the real-world applicability of coding, such as how they can instruct the mBots to move or light up in our Hardware-Based Learning classes. They get to further solidify what they learnt in school when they see it come to life with codes, such as applying the concept of physics and gravity (just like this platformer game!) in our Subject-Based Learning classes. They can also dive deeper into relevant and interesting concepts, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in our Applied Learning classes.

The YCS course covers a good mix to give our students a holistic and hands-on experience. Our students get to explore various topics and learn coding through fun, which hones their curiosity. Inspired and intrigued by what they’ve learnt in class, many of our students take a step further and even improve their coding abilities on their own.

As they independently deepen their knowledge in computational thinking and solve more problems, they level up and gain confidence, improving their ability to tackle all sorts of tasks in the future, and increasing their overall success in lifelong learning.

Geo Plat by Wang Zi Heng in P11S YCS Young Computer Scientists

Did you know?
Research areas proceed based on a pre-selected schedule carefully curated by Coding Lab tutors, which exposes your child to all 3 groups by the time they complete at least a minimum of 6 research areas.

Gotta catch ’em all! Each research area has a corresponding badge that students can collect and advance their coding skills.

Read: Did You Know? Fun Facts about our Young Computer Scientists

“I feel happy learning how to code and I really like that I can learn a variety of topics in YCS. My favourite modules are the Mathematics (Measurement) and Physics – I love working with Mathematical formulas and was able to learn how to convert them from paper to operators on Scratch!”

– Issey, 9, Tao Nan Primary School

Covering 1 YCS research area typically takes 10 hours. In order to progress to the next level, students are required to complete at least 6 (minimum) to 8 (recommended) research areas, but some of our students love what they explore in the course so much that they sign up for more!

“YCS has made me more interested in coding. I have learnt how to figure out what is wrong with my code and to always persevere when debugging them. My favourite thing in YCS is coding the mBot to make it move, dance and follow the infinity line. My tutor always challenged me to add more blocks to my code if I managed to complete my assignment earlier.”

– Aaden Yeo, 8, St Stephen’s School

As students explore new themes, they are introduced to new principles each class, then tasked with the challenge of coding the solutions to it. Our dedicated and experienced tutors are there to nudge students in the right direction, encouraging them to find their own solutions through step-by-step processes. This ensures that they fully understand and can apply the concepts that they’ve learnt, gaining self-confidence and independence along the way – ultimately paving the way for a future of lifelong learning.

Rachel and two students tinkering with Makey Makey — *Educator Rachel and her students tinkering with Makey Makey in Young Computer Scientists*

“In YCS, I ensure that my students enjoy their learning and encourage them to explore independently. This challenges their critical thinking and develops creativity. There’s never a dull moment, especially when they get their codes to work. The best part is that coding doesn’t only happen in class – my students often embark on their own projects at home – which they then proudly show me!”

– Rachel Chong, Educator

Coding Lab believes in teaching coding in a fun and engaging manner that nurtures curiosity and exploration at a young age – a key motivator in cultivating lifelong learning. Our YCS classes impart fundamentals and the know-how tech skills for students to embark on independent, self-directed learning in the journey towards lifelong learning.

It’s like the Chinese proverb, “活到老, 学到老”, which means “live until you’re old, learn until you’re old”. When students own their learning, it sticks with them!

Become a Young Computer Scientist (ages 7-9) by clicking here!

(Written by Zulaikha)

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

Hop on board the Coding Lab train! Click here to get our monthly newsletters straight to your inbox.

A Peek Into Our Course: Advanced Computer Scientists (P21S) – Broad-Based Exposure to STEM Topics

Should my child DSA (Coding)? Coding Lab’s P300 Portfolio Preparation Programme for DSA

View Our Classes

Coding Lab Student Feature: Aarhan Salujah, 13, St Joseph’s Institution

Coding Lab Educator Feature: Ryan Wong

Fun Techtivities in August!

Congratulations to our 7 winners at the Hwa Chong Infocomm Challenge 2022!

All About NFTs, Simplified

Join our LIVE online classes!

Ages 5-6 | Ages 7-9 | Ages 10-12 | Ages 13-18

Call us at +65 6977 9641
Email us at learntocode@codinglab.com.sg
Chat with us via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger

Did You Know? Advanced Computer Scientists (ACS) series

Our previous Did You Know? from our Young Computer Scientists (YCS) series let many of you wow your friends with your knowledge. We heard you! We have decided to bring back more fun facts – this time from our Advanced Computer Scientists series.

In the P21S Advanced Computer Scientists (ACS) course, our 10-to-12-year-olds can collect 12 different badges. Each badge allows them to delve into diverse fields of application for coding, from UI/UX design experience to Game Development and Math, just to name a few.

Turtle Race by Emily, 12, Advanced Computer Scientists — *Turtle Race by Emily, 12 years old*

Space Invaders by Luciano, 12, Advanced Computer Scientists — *Space Invaders by Luciano, 12 years old*

The ACS programme spans three main types of learning – Hardware-Based, Syntax-Based and App Development. Upon completion, our students would have had hands-on experience with bots and be well-versed in writing real-world apps and programs that they can use to help others.

Photo of ACS Class — *Our curious Advanced Computer Scientists trying out in-class activities*

Without further ado, check out these 3 ‘Did You Know’ facts that we share with our ACS students in our award-winning curriculum – and make sure to pass on the knowledge to others! 😉

1. Role Playing Games

What defines a Role Playing Game (RPG)? It is a game where a player takes on the role of a fictional character in a fictional world – fantasy being the common thread. Most RPGs have character growth and advancement, coupled with an entrancing plot that immerses players into the lore and the world of the game [1]. A good RPG is balanced, will keep gamers hooked for hours, and leave a lasting impression.

For the more mature gamers out there (like your parents, teachers, and maybe even yourself), big names like Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, World of Warcraft, and more old school games come to mind when they think of RPGs. Now, we have more recent or remastered titles such as the new Doom, Divinity Original Sin 2, Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher 3.

Snapshot of Online HBL class — *Snapshot of Online Home-Based Learning class for ACS*

In Python Choose Your Own Adventure, our ACS students learn about RPGs. They get to code their character creation, equipment upgrades and boss fights. Classes also touch on game design topics, like balancing their games. This refers to tweaking a game to be interesting, deep, and fair [2]. Game balance affects battles and a person’s progression in a game.

Imagine being stuck on the tutorial and unable to level up? What about reaching the maximum level in 2 hours and there is nothing else for you to do? RPGs with the level and experience system usually make starting levels easier to level up and almost impossible at higher levels. Without balance, people will quickly get bored of the game.

2. Global Positioning System

When modelling an app after Healthy 365, our ACS students learn about UI/UX design and tap on the many different sensors found in our phones. Do you know how our phones are able to find our location or track our number of steps?

We’ve all heard of GPS. The Global Positioning System (GPS) used to be a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government [3]. When the project was initiated, the 24-satellite system became fully functional in 1993 and was used to perform trilateration to pinpoint your exact location on Earth. Trilateration measures distance. Your position would be determined by the intersection of multiple intersections of GPS signals [4].

When it comes to tracking our steps, Abraham Louis Perrelet is the brilliant mind behind the pedometer [5]. Through the years, multiple improvements have been made to the pedometer. From the ancient versions using mechanical switches to the current day’s implementation with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors and sophisticated software.

3. Quiz Gameshow

Come on down, it’s time for the quiz gameshow! Our ACS students get to code their own quizzes and learn more about programming, such as extensibility and the incremental build model. We also include fun facts, like this one… Legend has it that “quiz” is actually a very recent word created in the late 1700s. The story behind the word is a bizarre one and here is how it goes.

A wager was made in 1791 by Richard Daly in Dublin. He wagered that within 48 hours he could make a nonsense word be spoken throughout Dublin, one with no meaning and not derived from any language. He sent his employees to go around Dublin chalking the word “Quiz” everywhere and soon this word became the talk of the town which meant that Daly won the bet and this caused the word to become commonly used.

Of course, this story is not 100% factual and there are many sources that dispute the truth of this story [6]. So for now, let’s just say this is a folktale – and an interesting one too.

Now that you’re armed with all of this cool information, spread the joy of learning by sharing this with your friends and family!

Come onboard our Advanced Computer Scientists’ programme – where we help to build your child’s aspiration of becoming the next future leader in technology!

(Written by Cheryl Tang)

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A Peek into Our Course: S100P – Individualised Learning

Our Young Computer Scientists graduates holding their certificates

Did You Know? Young Computer Scientists (YCS) Series

Fun Techtivities in November!

A Peek Into Our Course: Python Perfect (S100P) – Individualised Learning and how it benefits our teens

How do our Python Heroes perfect their craft? In our Python Perfect classes (S101P, S111P and S121P), we utilise an individualised learning method to ensure that students are able to fully internalise and apply the concepts that they have learnt.

Coding Lab’s S100P is a series of Python Perfect classes taken by students who have completed the respective core foundational classes (Python 1: S101, Python 2: S111 and Python 3: S121). These classes ultimately promote independent studying and reinforce core programming concepts.

You might be wondering: what exactly is individualised learning?

The key ingredient of it is the shift of responsibility for the learning process from the tutor to the student [1]. The entire process involves students acquiring an understanding of their learning, being motivated to learn, and collaborating with tutors to structure their learning environment. Our students’ progress therefore depends on how motivated they are in learning and how much they want to achieve.

This method of learning does not mean that students are to work alone – tutors have a huge part to play as mentors in enabling and supporting individualised learning. They ensure that students are on the right track, motivate them and continually ignite their passion for coding through the wonders of S100P.

How do our teens benefit from Individualised Learning?

Our Python Heroes in our S100P series of classes hone their Python power with lab work. This lab work mimics practical modules in universities (which make up a high percentage of the overall grade!) – so if you’re looking to take on computing or Python in university, it’s important to get started early and lay those firm foundations! Our tutors also provide term reports for students to refer to so that they can better understand the areas they need to improve on and work towards nailing those concepts down.

Every Python Perfect class has 10 levels of coding challenges – and each student will be mentally stimulated by the challenges at their individual levels. Our coding challenges hail from a wide variety of domains ranging from Banking and Finance to Engineering, Mathematics and even Medicine, enabling students to appreciate the applicability of Python in the real world!

Students can advance as quickly as possible on their own with the effort that they put in, and also have 24/7 access to our online system to submit their answers to practice questions. Afterwards, our keen tutors will grade their questions and guide them in achieving code efficiency during class.

Students can submit their answers any time on our online system!

Image of Python Perfect class — Always an enjoyable time in our S100P class!

“Another part of Python that I really enjoyed was Python Perfect which was basically coding challenges. I would work on different challenges each week, to devise a solution to the problems. I really enjoyed it and that kept my interest sustained.”

– Josephine, 14, Raffles Girls’ School

Our Python Perfect courses typically span across 40 hours (2 Terms of Weekly classes: 20 x 2 hours). Most students are mainly able to complete 6 levels in 40 hours, but there are also very dedicated students who fast tracked 10 levels in 6 hours – like Wang Chen! Here’s what he has to say about our classes:

“The classes are engaging and I was able to learn things like Stack Overflow, which further added on to my coding knowledge!”

– Wang Chen, 14, Dunman High

(successfully completed 10 levels of coding challenges in 6 hours!)

As students level up, the challenges gradually get more difficult. Our experienced Python Perfect tutors will help students to reach their fullest potential through giving out hints, providing them with help and guiding them through what they’re struggling with. A signature trademark of the program is that students are not given answers, they are encouraged to find the answers to the challenges on their own, enabling full understanding and application of concepts, self-confidence and independent learning.

Image of Ryan and class — Ryan (top left) with his Python students in an online class.

“In Python Perfect classes, students have to apply what they have learnt from the Python courses into the coding challenges. The more they practice, the better they get at coding! I’d often challenge my students to pen out their strategy before coding. I’d get them to go back to the basics and ensure the students revisit the fundamentals and thoroughly understand them.”

– Ryan Wong, Educator

Coding Lab believes that individualised learning will help in cultivating a spirit of lifelong learning in students – not only do our Python Perfect classes help students self-study the core programming concepts – it also reminds them that they are responsible for their own learning. When students own their learning, it sticks with them!

Begin your Python journey by clicking here!

(Written by Zulaikha)

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National Olympiad in Informatics (NOI) 2019 Medallists small

Congratulations to our 8 Olympiad Medallists!

Coding Lab Student Feature: Sarah Go on her USA Scholarship

A 2 player Scratch game by Nelle, 9 years old, at our Art x Coding Camp

STEAM is the new STEM: How does this impact you and your children?

Did You Know? Young Computer Scientists (YCS) series

Did you know that our students learn a smorgasbord of fun and interesting things in the wide variety of courses available right here at Coding Lab? We want to share the joy of learning with you too!

With 12 different badges for students to collect and advance their coding abilities, it’s no wonder our P11S Young Computer Scientists (YCS) students always have a whale of a time learning and exploring the diverse fields that coding can be applied to (like Animation and Movies, Augmented Reality, Music, Robotics, etc) in our classes!

Our YCS course – which is suitable for ages 7 to 9 – covers a good mix of 3 groups of classes (hardware-based learning, applied learning and subject-based learning) which will broaden students’ exposure and understanding of the power of computational thinking.

Our hardware-based learning classes involve the use of unique tools like Micro:bit, the pocket-sized computer transforming how kids learn digital skills. Our applied learning classes teach students how coding can be applied – like artificial intelligence and machine learning! We’ve also got subject-based learning classes involving Maths, Physics and Biology, which will also pique students’ interests in coding as they get to reinforce what they’ve learnt in school!

Check out these 3 ‘Did You Know’ facts that we share with our YCS students across their different classes – and make sure to pass on the knowledge to others! You know what they say, sharing is caring. 😉

1. Augmented Reality:

Augmented reality is a technology that overlays a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a blended image.

In 1968, Ivan Sutherland, with the help of his student Bob Sproull, created what is widely considered to be the first virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) head-mounted display (HMD) system at Harvard University [1]. Now, there are numerous applications of AR – like in the military, navigation, sightseeing, medical, entertainment, advertising and gaming!

This advancement in technology has brought numerous benefits in education, one of them being further enhancing students’ visual and auditory skills as they immerse in a digital construction of their surrounding [2]. It makes learning so much more fun! In YCS’s Augmented Reality class, students learn to create AR games – just like this Piano one! 😎

2. Physics:

We all know that what goes up must come down. Gravity is the force that keeps us grounded on earth, and it is also this force that makes things fall to the ground. The bigger (and heavier) an object is, the stronger its gravity. The moon is 1/6 the size of the earth and thus the moon’s gravity is 1/6 of that of earth’s. This means that you can jump six times as high on the moon than on earth [3]!

In YCS’s Physics classes, students learn to create fidget spinners, spinning wheels and projectile motion games, among others… As they get acquainted with Physics by seeing how matter interacts with energy and forces, they’ll start to do higher-level thinking that enables them to see the big picture in the world around them [4]!

3. Artificial Intelligence:

Some of us are better at face recognition than others. In the last decade or so, it’s become apparent that around 2% of the population is born with a severe face-recognition impairment (known as congenital prosopagnosia) [5]. There is a similar proportion of ‘super-recognisers’ with unusually exceptional face-recognition skills, and the rest of us are on a spectrum in between.

In YCS’s Artificial Intelligence class, students get to dabble in machine learning to create a ‘face unlock’ system. It’s almost like they’re recreating Face ID! With an early understanding of this technology faucet, students will get to breed their creativity and develop their imaginations as they take a step closer to becoming a technology innovator.

Now that you’ve learned some cool information, make sure to spread the joy of learning by sharing this post with your close friends and family!

Hop on board the Young Computer Scientists’ train – where we help to build your child’s aspiration of becoming the next future leader in technology!

(Written by Zulaikha)

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Congratulations to our 8 Olympiad Medallists!

Our mighty students showing their strength!

3 Ways to be Your Child’s Cheerleader During Their Exams!

#TechtivitiesOfTheMonth: Fun Techtivities in October!

#CodingLabParenting: Tech Podcasts & TED Talks to get you psyched about tech (We’ve shortlisted the essential 5!)

We’ve rounded up the 5 most interesting and engaging (in our opinion, that is!) tech podcasts and TED Talks for you to embark on an auditory tech journey! Calling all our parents, students, and teens – we’ve made sure that there’s something for you to listen to, no matter who you are!

Whether you’re driving your little techie to school in the morning, taking a jog with your pals, or simply relaxing at home in between homework assignments, easily keep up to date with current advancements in science and technology. The best part? Bonding with your child over his favourite activity and maximising the use of your time. Learning has never been easier. ☺️

We’ve shared our favourite episode for each selection (and we hope you’ll like them too!)

Happy listening and stay safe!

1. CodeNewbie

(available on their website, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts)

What it’s about: Stories from people on their coding journey.

Code Newbie covers a diverse range of guests on their show – from web developers to UX designers, open source developers and many more! With the main target audience being beginners who are new to code, anything that’s very technical is explained simply. The podcast is not so much about how to code, but more about how to be a coder – it’s especially reassuring to newbie coders, with every episode reminding listeners that everyone has had to start at some point before progressing to success.

Duration: ~30-50 minutes per episode

Recommended episode: “How do you go from hackathons to building a hurricane relief business?” with Nick Feuer – This episode definitely brought back memories of our Young Coders Global Hackathon (YCGH) that took place earlier this year. It was truly a blast marvelling at all the brilliant ideas that our participants came up with!

2. Learn to Code with Me

(available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or here)

What it’s about: The podcast is hosted by Laurence Bradford, a self-taught techie who’s on a mission to help anyone who wants to teach themselves how to code. For each ‘Learn to Code with Me’ episode, she sits down for a chat with different amazing and inspiring individuals in tech.

With captivating interviews and useful advice given in every episode, you’re sure to learn a lot about how to code as well as the basics of building your very own technology career!

Duration: For Season 7: ~40-50 minutes per episode

Recommended episode: “Building a Robotics career and the impact of mentorship with Camille Eddy” – Having had internships with big companies like HP, Google and NASA, Camille is grateful to have been able to grow her career with the help of her mentors. We couldn’t agree more! An experienced individual by your side will help you grow to greater heights – just like our dedicated tutors at Coding Lab! 😉

3. Brains On! Science

(episodes available on Spotify or on their website)

What it’s about: This award-winning science podcast from American Public Media is great for kids and curious adults! With its mission of encouraging kids’ natural curiosity and wonder using science and history, every episode has a different kid co-host who joins in to find answers to the fascinating questions they have about the world.

With over 100 episodes to listen to, you’re in for hours of endless fun and learning!

Duration: ~30 minutes per episode

Recommended episode: “Why does green mean go? And other colour conundrums” – This episode explored the primary colours red, green and blue – and how you can mix them together to get all the colours of light! Our wonderful Young Computer Scientists learn about RGB in their class (BOT: Robotics) too, as well as other fascinating topics like Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)!

4. TED Talks by brilliant kids and teens

(watch them here)

What it’s about: This awesome playlist features kids and teens under 20 conducting their own TED Talks about science, music and other relevant topics. Be awed by the young and bright speakers as they talk about what they’re most passionate about – you’re certainly never too small to dream big!

Duration: Ranges from ~5-20 minutes per talk

Recommended episode: “A 12-year-old app developer” – We’re reminded of our very own app inventors and computer scientists who always have a whale of a time in our classes. It’s amazing to see the endless possibilities once you learn how to code!

5. Tumble Science Podcast

(available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or here)

What it’s about: The podcast has episodes exploring a multitude of fascinating topics like volcanic eruptions and the physics of basketball. Now in its 6th season, Tumble strives to foster the love of science into listeners by bringing science to life through interviews with scientists on their process and discoveries.

Suitable for the entire family to listen to, everyone wins as they learn a thing or two about the wonders of science.

Duration: ~10-20 minutes per episode

Recommended episode: “Building a Robotic Eel” – This episode had us all fascinated on Envirobot, a robot that moves through the water like an eel and also has special sensors designed to seek out water pollution! It’s truly amazing to see how tech is put to good use – in this case, tech helps us understand our environment better and assist us in finding solutions to problems!

(Written by Zulaikha)

#CodingLabParenting Series: Towards Better Learning

Image of kids for Top 10 STEM shows for kids blogpost

Top 10 shows/cartoons to teach children about STEM

STEAM is the new STEM: How does this impact you and your children?

2023 Year-End Holiday Coding Camps

(1) Online Safety and Privacy Features

Minecraft

Roblox

(2) Programming Support

Minecraft

Roblox

Minecraft Education Privacy

In summary

Our decision?

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

1) ScratchJr

2) Tinker with Stem

3) Hands-on Robotics

4) Binary and Pixels – Montessori-style (Screen-free!)

So why Coding Lab’s Junior Coders Programme?

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

What is the Advanced Computer Scientists programme about?

What do students learn in class?

Here’s the lowdown on our Advanced Computer Scientists programme:

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

Is Your Child Passionate about Coding?

What is The School they want to DSA into?

The DSA Timeline

Does Your Child Have a Good Support System in their Coding Journey?

Need Help? Our DSA Coaching Programme can assist!

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

Best-in-class Curriculum for Coding

We are honoured to be the winner of multiple awards.

Thank You for your support.

1. Role Playing Games

2. Global Positioning System

3. Quiz Gameshow

1. Augmented Reality:

2. Physics:

3. Artificial Intelligence:

1. CodeNewbie

(available on their website, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts)

2. Learn to Code with Me

(available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or here)

3. Brains On! Science

(episodes available on Spotify or on their website)

4. TED Talks by brilliant kids and teens

(watch them here)

5. Tumble Science Podcast

(available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or here)

Get in touch

Office @

Learning Centres @

Contact Us @