Coder Kids Podcast and Other COVID Changes

For information about Coder Kids classes and camps, including online coding and gaming topics, visit register.coderkids.com/onlineclasses.

COVID-19 Impact

When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, Coder Kids was in the middle of the spring semester. We held everything together the best we could, and did many of our classes virtually. We revamped our systems so that we could offer more classes online and James became a master of all things Zoom and Discord. Both James and Jeff dramatically increased their microphone and webcam prowess.

The spring was a difficult time. Most of our instructors who taught in-person classes were unable to resume teaching due to new scheduling and social distancing issues. Since most kids were not attending school we realized we could teach our classes throughout the whole day, thereby allowing us to continue with classes for the rest of the semester. James ended up teaching most of our spring classes.

Going virtual for a company that is used to doing everything in person is a bit difficult, but James and I eventually found our way, and Coder Kids is doing well. Maybe not better than ever, but we are surviving and expanding our business in new and interesting ways. In some ways, the pandemic has made us step back and reflect on our business as it is and how we want it to be.

Coder Kids Podcast

One day in July, James and I decided to start the Coder Kids podcast. As of this writing, we have recorded 17 episodes, ranging from James and I discussing our favorite coding resources, to interviews with creators and educators. We feel like we have a lot of things yet to discuss and momentum for moving forward. Our goal is to bring parents and educators our thoughts and ideas for how to navigate youth in a day and age of ubiquitous technology.

If you are a parent who is interested in technology, and particularly your child’s relationship with technology, I’d invite you to tune in. We are broadcasting the podcast on all podcast channels and youtube. And the great thing about the podcast is it lets you get to know us a little better as well.

New Coder Kids Projects

As we hope to get into schools for the spring, this fall we have been offering virtual classes. But given the reduced driving time and hiring demands, we had a little more time to dive into some projects that we might not usually have time for. James has been working on a video series for YouTube called “Kid Friendly Game Reviews”. Basically these videos highlight a game that is popular with kids, and then James breaks down what you should know from a parent perspective about playing that game. If your child loves gaming, this video series is a must-see!

One project I have been working on that I am excited for is our Minecraft Server. I have wanted our own Coder Kids Minecraft Server for a long time, and now it is a reality. We have even loaded a few plugins into the server so that users can lock their chests and to manage griefing, which is basically when someone goes in and breaks down someone’s house or similar to that. All kids, whether associated with Coder Kids or not, are invited into our server. There are server rules that need to be obeyed before entering. If you would like for your child to have their own private server, check out this blog post.

James and I are also actively working on a series of On Demand videos which we hope to release soon. Our first videos will cover Scratch, and over time we hope to cover a wide variety of topics and interests for kids.

We look forward to being back in schools for the Spring and the Summer. Trust me when I say, all of us here at Coder Kids are hoping for a Covid vaccine. Until that day when we can all be safely Covid free, I wish you all great health and safety for the rest of the year!