In this article, we will explore the best coding toys for 11 year olds. These interactive and educational toys provide an exciting hands-on experience that combines play and learning.
Coding is what makes it possible for humans to create software, apps, and websites on a computer simply. For instance, the apps on your phone are all made with a code.
Technology has really played a great role in how the world operates. Everything we do involves technology, and in one way or another, we cannot resist it.
Nowadays, we learn online, shop online, and even love matters. People have gone to the extent of dating online. In short, we cannot resist using technology in one way or another.
Coding is literally applied in the use of computers. It is, therefore, important to introduce it to your kids. It is a language that helps computers to understand what you want them to do.
This further assists in simplifying daily tasks and teaches thinking and problem-solving skills. Having your children learn and understand coding prepares them for the future and helps them understand the technology around them.
Considerations for the Best Coding Toys for 11 Year Olds
Educational Value
Look for toys that teach coding concepts in a fun and engaging way. Ensure they facilitate learning key programming concepts such as loops, variables, and conditionals.
Age Appropriateness
Check that the toy is suitable for the age group, in this case, 11-year-olds. It should be challenging enough to keep them engaged but not so difficult that they become frustrated.
Interest Level
Consider the interests of the child. If they have a penchant for robots, a programmable robot might be more appealing. For children who like games, a coding toy that allows them to create their games might be best.
Scalability
Choose a toy that offers different levels of complexity so that as the child’s skills improve, the toy continues to be challenging and engaging.
Support & Community
Check if the toy has an active online community or support forum. This can be incredibly beneficial for troubleshooting and sharing ideas and projects.
Quality & Durability
Ensure that the toy is made from high-quality materials and is durable enough to withstand the rigors of regular use.
Interactivity & Feedback
Opt for toys that provide immediate feedback. This can be through lights, sounds, or movements and can be invaluable in helping children understand the cause-and-effect relationship of coding.
Ease of Setup and Use
Ensure that the coding toy is easy to set up and start using. Cumbersome setup processes can be off-putting and demotivate the child.
Cost
Consider your budget and the cost-effectiveness of the toy. Remember that a higher price doesn’t always mean better quality. Sometimes reasonably priced toys can offer great value.
Compatibility with Devices
Check if the toy requires a computer or mobile device, and make sure it is compatible with what you have at home.
Why is it Important to Introduce Coding to 11 Year Olds?
- Coding is another language. Your child will learn how to communicate and enhance logical thinking. The language will also assist in enhancing their verbal and written skills.
- Coding fosters creativity. The use of experiments helps children learn and strengthen their creativity.
- It also assists kids in solving math problems by applying math to real-world situations.
- Another reason is that coding improves academic performance simply because a child who learns to code understands how to organize his thoughts.
- Coding also helps kids to become great problem solvers.
With these above important reasons, we are confident to take you through several reviews that will assist your child with coding skills
Best Coding Toys for 11 Year Olds
1) Osmo –Coding Starter Kit for IPad
This coding starter kit is suitable for children between the ages of 5 years and 10 years. It has three educational learning games; Coding Awbie, Coding Jam, and Coding Duo.
This coding kit assists kids to learn an introduction to coding and advanced coding puzzles. It also has an interesting way of learning, so kids find it interesting to learn coding skills.
With the Coding Awbie, you control the Awbie, a playful character who loves strawberries. Each coding command guides the Awbie on an adventure. The Coding Jam teaches by clicking together sequences of coding commands and creating your own explosive beats.
While the Coding Duo helps your kid learn by solving advanced coding puzzles with others using teamwork and strategy to unlock more than sixty puzzles. Moreover, your child can guide himself or herself on this coding kit by following the directions, solving game problems, and staying on task.
Therefore, this becomes an easy way to introduce coding to your kids. It is approved by parents and teachers worldwide, making it suitable for your children.
Pros
- This starter kit is magic. Your child interacts with handheld pieces and an iPad, bringing a child’s game pieces and actions to life.
- Used for teaching by simply using the Coding Awbie, Coding Jam, and the Coding Duo.
- A number of skills are learned from this starter kit. For instance: coding fundamentals and basic programming skills.
- Used by kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years.
- It is compatible with all iPads except generation 1 iPads, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Cons
- Not ideal for android devices
Why you should buy this product
The Osmo games bring a child’s imagination to life with the help of handheld pieces that interact with an iPad and an Osmo base. It assists your child in gaining the following skills: logic, coding fundamentals, basics of programming, and solving coding puzzles.
Moreover, your child can gain basic life skills such as teamwork, listening, critical thinking, observation, and creative problem-solving. This will assist in expanding their brains so they can think outside the box.
2) Code Rocket Coding Toys for Girls and Boys
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Code Rocket Coding Toys for Girls and Boys is one of the best Coding Toys for 11 Year Olds. It’s suitable for children between the ages of 8 years and 12 years.
It assists kids in learning programming skills through the use of electronics. It consists of 21 online projects to learn to code. In addition, it is a good gift to surprise your techie kid while teaching them coding skills.
The toy is a rocket-shaped circuit board equipped with eight LED lights, a speaker together, and buttons controlled with code.
By the use of a computer and a code rocket, your kid can learn how programs in a computer are used to control physical objects and be able to obtain feedback from the rocket that they can code.
The use of online projects also makes learning fun, and this will make your kid grasp those skills at a fast rate. Examples of projects with this kit include:
- Laser blaster LED lights
- Countdown sequence with light and sound effects
- Morse code messages on the sounds and lights of rocket
- Fade up and down the thruster LED lights.
The coding concepts introduced by this kit include variables, loops, functions, If statements, for loops, troubleshooting, and Bug hunting.
Pros
- offers challenging fun through 20 free online projects
- it is easy to use. Your child can start playing and coding immediately with the LED lights, two buttons, and a speaker.
- Offers a real learning experience. The online projects teach typed C++ learning, just like in NASA.
- It is a perfect gift for your kid since it provides hours of fun and a huge learning opportunity.
- Free software requires a Mac, Windows, or Chromebook computer or laptop and an internet connection. It is not compatible with smartphones or tablets.
Cons
- Small size
Why you should buy this product
This coding toy has 20 free projects that teach coding by examples. The projects show the kids how to modify codes and customize their programs. Moreover, the potential of this coding toy is unlimited.
Kids can build anything they can dream about when they use its coding language. The toy is also compatible with most popular laptops, making it easy to use.
Built with kids in mind, it has a tough plastic carrying case that latches shut and can fit all included components, making it easy to keep all the items together when coding is over.
3) ThinkFun Hacker Cybersecurity Coding Game and Stem Toy
Suitable for both boys and girls aged 10 years and above. The toy is well-made with high-quality components and has clear instructions for your child to start playing immediately.
It also has 120 multi-level challenges, from the beginner to the expert stage. The toy brings a whole idea of cybersecurity and how to outsmart cybercriminals.
It assists your child to discover how a hacker can damage programs and, therefore, learn how to secure them from future attacks.
The coding game has three simple steps to play. First and foremost, you program an agent to reach the exit, alter the program to unleash a virus, and then secure the resultant program to prevent future attacks.
Pros
- It is trusted by families worldwide. ThinkFun leads in brain and logic games.
- Develops critical skills by playing through the challenges
- It consists of a hacker who is a cyber-security coding game and stems toys for kids where they learn programming principles through gameplay.
- It has clear instructions to make learning easy.
- Comes with multi-level challenges that become increasingly difficult as you play through them.
Cons
- None
Why you should buy this product
It is one of the best gifts you can buy for kids who like smart games and challenges. The toy is made with high-quality components and has very clear instructions that are easy to understand.
Moreover, hacking is developed to enhance your child’s critical thinking skills. Playing through the difficult challenges will assist in improving your child’s logical reasoning, spatial reasoning, and planning skills, all through fun gameplay and teaching major programming principles.
4) Osmo-Coding Family Bundle for iPad and Fire Tablet
With three educational learning games, the Cosmo family bundle is suitable for children aged 5 to 10 years. It offers three ways of learning. The Coding Jam, whereby you click together sequences of coding commands to create your own explosive beats.
The Coding Awbie whereby you control an Awbie who is a playful character that loves strawberries. Each coding command guides the Awbie on an adventure.
The Coding Duo solves advanced coding puzzles by using teamwork. With this family bundle, your child can guide himself/herself on the learning adventure by simply following the clear instructions it offers.
No Wi-Fi is necessary for gameplay. It is approved by parents worldwide and is therefore suitable for your child.
Pros
- This starter kit is magic. Your child interacts with handheld pieces and an iPad, bringing a child’s game pieces and actions to life.
- Used for teaching by simply using the Coding Awbie, Coding Jam, and the Coding Duo.
- A number of skills are learned from this starter kit. For instance: coding fundamentals and basic programming skills.
- Used by kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years.
- It is compatible with all iPads except generation 1 iPads, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Cons
- Only works on Ipads
Why you should buy this product
The Osmo games bring a child’s imagination to life with the help of handheld pieces that interact with an iPad and an Osmo base. It assists your child in gaining the following skills: logic, coding fundamentals, basics of programming, and solving coding puzzles.
Moreover, your child can gain basic life skills such as teamwork, listening, critical thinking, observation, and creative problem-solving. This will assist in expanding their brains so they can think outside the box.
5) Ultimate Coding Kit for Boys and Girls
This kit is suitable for boys and girls aged between 10 and 14 years. It helps your kid learn STEM programming skills and has over 100 online projects. The kit has combined easy-to-use electronics to assist your kids in the best way to start learning real codes.
Therefore, as parents, you do not require an expert to get your kids started; they will learn with the pre-written codes by experimenting with them and trying out challenges. Its resource is designed with educators and coders to teach kids core coding concepts.
This is done in a way that engages the kids, challenges their minds, and introduces them to core coding concepts while they have fun. The ultimate kit 2 has the following items;
- Maker board 2.0 microcontroller
- Maker screen3.0 LCD screen
- Flexible LED strip with 15 pixels that can be programmed to 300 colors
- Sound sensor
- Light sensor
- Temperature sensor
- Speakers
- 4 buttons
- 2 (red-green-blue) LED lights
- 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 green LED light
- USB cable
- Component and code reference cards
- Carrying case
With over 100 online projects, your kids will learn the following:
- Analog vs digital logic
- How fast can computers process logic and sensor readings
- How computers are programmed to make decisions
- Building basic electrical circuits
- How computers can interact with real-world sensors and,
- Displaying data in creative ways using screens, lights, and sounds.
Pros
- Start small and go far with this ultimate coding kit since your kid can learn coding with no prior skills.
- It is all-inclusive since it has everything you need
- Has won several awards
- It is a great birthday or Christmas gift for your future little beginner
- Free software compatible with Windows, Mac, or Chromebook computers.
Cons
- Small
Why you should buy this product
With the ultimate coding kit, your kid will get immediate feedback when they develop something with this kit. The hands-on components guides will assist them in building real electronic projects. Moreover, your kid gets exposed to real coding concepts and how computers make decisions with the if statements.
6) Base Kit 2 For Boys and Girls
It is designed for kids between the ages of 8 to 12 years. The base kit assists kids to learn computer programming and circuits. It comprises over 50 free online projects to teach S.T.E.A.M skills.
The kit has combined easy-to-use electronics to assist your kids in the best way to start learning real codes. Therefore, as parents, you do not require an expert to get your kids started, as they will learn with the pre-written codes by experimenting with them and trying out challenges.
Its resource is designed with educators and coders to teach kids core coding concepts. This is done in a way that engages the kids, challenges their minds, and introduces them to core coding concepts while they have fun. The ultimate kit 2 has the following items;
- Maker board 2.0 microcontroller
- Speaker
- 4 buttons
- 2 (red-green-blue) LED lights
- 1 red, 1 blue and 1 green LED light
- USB cable
- Component and code reference cards
- Carrying case
With over 100 online projects, your kids will learn the following:
- Analog vs digital logic
- How fast computers can process logic and sensor readings
- How computers are programmed to make decisions
- Building basic electrical circuits
Pros
- Great gift for kids interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
- A self-paced fun with over 55 online projects
- Kids can learn through play with over 1000 lines of codes
- It is all-inclusive, with 12 electronic pieces and access to free online software
- Requires internet and Windows, Mac, or Chromebook computer
Cons
- Small size
Why you should buy this product
With over 50 projects and tutorials, your kids learn through experimentation and play. The kit is created with over 1000 lines of example code and hours of free video tutorials to assist your kids.
Therefore, with the starting examples, they can get immediate feedback from their programs more quickly. This encourages them to go further and ask more questions. It is also a great gift for a child interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.
7) Matatalab Coding Robot for Kids
Suitable for kids between the ages of 4 and 9 years. It is compatible with different DIY models. It is simple to use since you only need to turn on the toy’s power and establish a connection.
You then put the Matatalab kids toy on the starting point and make your playground area, rules, and game challenges. Your child then prepares a plan, selects coding blocks, and hits play to see the robot in action.
With this, they can learn basic symbols, recognize directions and learn short coding commands.
Pros
- Screen less. It saves your screen time and protects your children’s eyesight.
- Assists in learning basic coding concepts through hands-on play.
- No literacy required
- Packaged with challenge booklets.
- It is easy to expand.
Cons
- Does not last for long
Why you should buy this product
The kit assists in enhancing your kid’s growth in computational thinking. Your child can learn several parameters and longer coding commands and be able to set special actions for the robots. Moreover, your child can recognize patterns using loops and functions to solve complex problems. Also, its unique feature of being screenless saves screen time and helps in protecting your child’s eyesight.
8) ThinkFun Circuit Maze
This is an electric current brain game and STEM toy for boys and girls aged 8 years and above. With the circuit maze, your child needs a real electrical circuit that lights up specific beacons.
The 60 challenges are tricky but clever, providing hours of continuous and electrifying fun. Moreover, playing the circuit maze helps your kid discover how circuits work.
It has three simple steps to play: begin by selecting a challenge card, whereby you set up the game grid to match the challenge.
Your child then determines where to add the indicated tokens to the grid, and the final step is to position the tokens so that the beacons light up and you win.
Pros
- Trusted by families worldwide with over 50 million sold.
- Develops critical skills by providing a stealth learning experience.
- Best gift you can offer boys and girls ages 8 and above.
- It has clear instructions so you can start playing and solving right away.
- Comes with multilevel challenges.
Cons
- Basic kit
Why you should buy this product
The maze has high-quality components and very clear instructions that will enable your kid to play within minutes of opening the box. Moreover, the maze is built to develop critical thinking skills and relates to STEM subjects like science and engineering. Building and playing through difficult challenges improves logical reasoning, spatial reasoning, and panning skills while learning the fundamentals of circuitry.
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Best Coding Toys for 11 Year Olds FAQS
1) What is the country of origin for ThinkFun please?
ThinkFun is an American company.
2) Can you use an iPad to program your let’s start coding kit?
No, you cannot use an iPad.
3) Would someone with full color blindness be able to pay the ThinkFun game?
No, it would be difficult as the game requires color.
4) Is the ThinkFun game electric?
No, the game is not electric.
Conclusion
Coding is the future for our kids since it is and will always be high on demand day by day. There are many openings in the future fields, and many of those jobs pay well. Jobs related to computing have been projected to grow more than any other occupation for over five years now.
Therefore, getting your child to learn coding is one of the best investments to pay off with huge benefits. Therefore, you should not hesitate to offer this huge opportunity to them.
Best of luck as you choose to code for your little engineers.
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