Before anyone writes code, they need to think like a programmer: break a task into small steps, put the steps in order, notice what repeats and find the mistake when something goes wrong. None of this needs a screen. Paper, a few toys and your voice are enough to practise the ideas behind coding, and children often find the games very funny.
What an algorithm is
An algorithm is a list of exact steps to get something done. A recipe is an algorithm. So is brushing your teeth: take the brush, add toothpaste, brush the top teeth, brush the bottom teeth, rinse. Computers follow steps exactly as written, with no guessing, which is why being precise matters.
Four big ideas
| Idea | What it means | Everyday example |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence | Steps in the right order | Socks first, then shoes |
| Repeat | Doing the same steps several times | Stir, stir, stir: "stir 3 times" |
| Condition | Doing something only if something is true | If it's raining, take an umbrella |
| Debugging | Finding and fixing a mistake | "Oops, the shoes went on before the socks!" |
Games to play without a computer
- The robot grown-up. You become a robot that does exactly what it's told. Your child gives instructions to walk to the door or make a sandwich. Follow them literally: if they say "put the bread on the plate" without "open the bag", you can't reach the bread. The laughter teaches precision.
- Grid walk. Draw a grid on paper or tape one on the floor. Make arrow cards: forward, turn left, turn right. Lay the cards in a row to move a toy from start to goal. Add obstacles and a second goal as it gets easy.
- Steps in order. Draw a routine, such as getting dressed or planting a seed, as picture cards. Mix them up and ask your child to put them in order.
- Find the bug. Read out a sequence with a mistake: "Put on shoes, put on socks, go outside." Your child finds the bug and fixes it.
- Repeat it. Make a dance: clap, clap, jump. Do it three times. Then write the program the short way: "repeat 3 times: clap, clap, jump".
- If-then cards. Hold up coloured cards. "If the card is red, jump. If it's blue, sit down." Then let your child invent the rules.
- Secret code. Give each letter or shape a symbol and write a short message in code. Your child decodes it, then writes one for you.
What suits each age
Every child is different, but as a rough guide:
| Age | Good starting points |
|---|---|
| 5–6 | Picture sequences, the robot grown-up, grid walks with 3 or 4 steps |
| 7–8 | Longer grids, repeats, finding the bug, simple codes |
| 9–10 | Conditions, combining repeats, writing algorithms for someone else to follow |
Tips for playing
- Let mistakes happen. When the toy walks into a wall, that's not failure: it's debugging time.
- Keep programs short at first. Three or four steps, then add more.
- Swap roles. Sometimes your child is the programmer, sometimes the robot.
- Use the words. "Steps", "repeat", "if", "bug" and "fix" become natural through play.
In Dologi, "Drive the car" puzzles ask children to fill a row of moves so the car collects every star without hitting a wall, a small program written without a keyboard.
In short
- The thinking behind coding is about steps, order, repeats, conditions and fixing mistakes.
- It can be practised with paper, toys and your voice, no screen needed.
- The robot grown-up, grid walks and finding the bug are easy places to start.
- Mistakes are part of the game: finding and fixing a bug is the best part.
Read more: Logic puzzles for children aged 4 to 10, with answers and hints