You might remember that I have been having fun with my girls in using the Kano and learning coding in fun ways. I share my experiences with the Kano Screen and Computer Kits as well as the add-on Motion Sensor in the past and today I am sharing the new Kano Pixel Kit with you!
Kano has added a pixel kit to their line of kid’s computer and coding products, bringing yet more fun and potential to this unique learning experience. For those that already own a Kano system and have been enjoying the experience of watching your children become more adept at creating games and creatures through the actual manipulation of code language, the Kano Pixel Kit is a natural next step.
The Kano Pixel Kit is a fun way to learn how to code, simply connect it to any computer and follow the step-by-step challenges to get started. Creators can create characters, make them run and jump, make spaceships swerve, balls bounce and keep track of scoreboards. You can also make your own drawings and see them lit up on the pixel kit.
At first glance, a Kano Pixel Kit seems little more than an extension of the computer monitor itself, bringing to life creations on an LED panel that could, just as easily, be viewed on a screen. However, the benefit of the Pixel Kit has less to do with the “extra dimension” that the peripheral provides and more to do with expanding the user’s thinking about how coding can be applied to devices beyond their monitor.
Designing and transferring digital creations to the Pixel Kit, and then maneuvering those creations around the pixel kit with an independent “joystick” reinforces in the user the more hands-on, real world applications of computer coding. Creating code that will be capable of manipulating a robot arm or a CAD (Computer Aided Design) device will be the next logical step, and something they will certainly look forward to. The Pixel Kit is the gateway to recognizing these possibilities.
Young coders will love being able to use this device to make flashing signs, manipulate coded characters, and become acquainted with some of the landscape algorithms that have made games like Minecraft and Roblox popular. It also comes with a few lightshow modes that allow the user to experience a sound visualizer as well as an interesting and stimulating “particle flow” simulation. Rudimentary games can also be created and played, such as the classic Breakout and Super Snake. Much like the Kano computer itself, the excitement of the Pixel Kit isn’t derived from any incredible graphic capabilities but rather the straightforward way it is able to take the user from basic coding steps to a simple creation that is all their own. As an add-on, the Kano Pixel Kit represents the next progression in your child’s coding adventure.
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