It doesn’t matter what age you are, we are always learning new things. And it is good to learn. But for children a well-rounded education is extremely important, at home as well as school. That makes educational games that are fun to play, entertain as well as educate and all without the children knowing that they are learning, a superb activity. It a world of educational games, there are plenty that help with English, maths, spelling and phonics but in a world of tech, coding is also an excellent subject for the children to learn and grasp. So how can you introduce young children to coding? With a fun, child-friendly coding board game of course – a game such as Code & Go Mouse Mania from Learning Resources.
When we think of coding, we probably think of someone sitting in front of a screen typing away in a language that we don’t understand. Obviously, that is probably more advanced than your five year old can do (and to be honest, they would probably find it tedious and boring at that age), and you don’t want them plonked in front of a screen all day anyway.
Code & Go Mouse Mania introduces young minds to the basics of coding in a fun and engaging way without the need for any screen or typing. This is a fun and engaging board game for parents looking to provide their kids with a head start in the increasingly important world of computer science.
In the box (122 pieces):
- Game Board
- Coding Die
- 8 Game Cards: 4 Super Mouse, 4 Warp Zones
- 90 Coding Cards: 40 Forward, 20 Right Turn, 20 Left Turn, 10 Reverse
- 4 Robot Mouse Pawns
- 12 Cheese Wedges
- 8 Maze Walls and Stands
- Instructions
Learning Resources Code & Go Mouse Mania is a delightful introduction to coding for kids. It is a game for 2-4 players, age 5+. The game’s objective is simple yet captivating: guide your mouse to collect the most cheese wedges by inputting a sequence of commands using the coding cards provided. The game play provides real STEM learning for young children.
So what is coding? Coding is series of commands, commands that tell a computer what to do. When you program your microwave to heat up food, you are telling it what to do, essentially coding it. Code & Go Mouse Mania is a coding game where directional instructions are given using coding cards.
As a basic introduction to coding the game is very simple. With just four types of coding cards – forward, reverse, turn left, and turn right – children learn to think logically and sequentially, which are foundational skills in coding. But this is a board game, it must also be fun and engaging so it includes a dice with numbers and a barricade symbol, adding an element of strategy as players can block their opponents’ paths, making the game more dynamic and competitive.
Setting up the game is easy. Unfold the game board and place it in the centre of the table. Each player takes 1 robot mouse (they are different colours) and 1 super mouse card. Players then place their robot mouse on the corresponding robot mouse colour which can be found on the corner of the board (this will be their start position). Separate the coding cards into four piles of forward, left turn, right turn and reverse and place them face down on the table next to the board. Place the 12 cheese wedges on the board on the cheese marked spaces. Players take turns in placing the 4 warp zones anywhere on the board except the cheese spaces (which are already occupied with cheese). Place the maze walls into the stands for later use.
Playing the game is straightforward. Players take turns using coding cards to move their robot mouse to collect the cheese wedges. The player that collects the most cheese is the winner. The youngest is given the honour of starting first. They roll the die and take that number of coding cards. Then they build a sequence of moves on the table using the cards, laying them out in a row, planning the movement of the mouse in advance. They then move their mouse on the board according to that sequence. If they land on a space that has a cheese wedge, it’s theirs and they take it. If landing on a warp spot, they can instantly jump to any other warp zone on the board. When their move is finished, they set aside the cards and it is now the turn of the next player.
If players roll the die and roll a wall symbol they can take a wall and place it anywhere on the board. The object of this is to block another player’s route so they must then take a longer way around, slowing then down. If all the maze walls have been used they can move any already in play.
During play, players can use their super mouse card in their sequence of moves to jump over a maze wall that is blocking their path.
Play continues around the board until all the cheese pieces have been collected. The player who has collected the most cheese is the winner!
Overall, I think that the Learning Resources Code & Go Mouse Mania is an excellent fun and educational board game that is perfect for encouraging sequencing, problem-solving and strategic thinking.
It is an easy game to play but requires forethought and strategy. Players can only move their robot mouse according to the coding cards that they have and must plan out the best way to move using the cards before moving their mouse. This encourages them to examine the board and try to make the best use of their coding codes and find the most efficient way to reach a cheese wedge. It also helps them work out how to overcome problems when walls are put in place and how to reroute and get around them. The very basics of coding and lots of fun that puts brains to work.
The concept of the a robot mouse chasing cheese wedges is excellent and very appealing to children (and clearly the robot mouse).
Whilst it is an educational game, it is not formal structured learning and children playing will be taking onboard some excellent skills without even knowing that they are learning.
I love that the die is on the larger size with easy to read numbers, it makes it super easy for little hands to pick up and roll. Although it is soft foam rather than hard plastic so I am not sure how long it will last with little fingers potentially picking at it. The robot mouse pieces are also a great size for little hands to be moving around.
In conclusion, Code & Go Mouse Mania is more than just a game; it’s a delightful educational experience that brings families together in the spirit of learning and fun.
Happy coding!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £22.50
For more information or to buy direct, visit www.learningresources.co.uk. Also available to buy from Amazon here.
