Hello - looking for a little help. A couple years ago (I think), I read here about Slow and Steady Alice and Storytelling Alice. All three of our boys love Storytelling Alice and use it quite a bit. They've done some really fun things (and, what Mom, likes, some very creative projects). The thing is, our current windows machines are on their "lastest" legs. I'm torn between getting them another Windows machine and getting a Chromebook. Overall, I think the Chromebook would be a better use of the same amount of cash... BUT, Storytelling Alice won't run on a Chromebook. (FYI: Chromebooks run on an Android/linux system, IIRC. Anyway, they run apps as opposed to programs, and mostly, just web/cloud based services.) Any suggestions? Does anyone know of any sites where you can program similarly? It's not just "building," the boys have written little movies and very simple games on it. TIA.
Go to www.alice.org There is a new version of Storytelling Alice available...."Alice3". The System Requirement page I read indicated that Alice3 was available for Linux. I think there are pros and cons either way you go....but it's hard to argue that Chromebook is the best value for your money. Good Luck!
Code.org offers an environment for kids to learn about programming via drag and drop code blocks vs. programming syntax. It's fun for kids -- rather than playing video games, they'll be exposed to a game-based problem to solve. It's also free. I've used code.org with DD and it's been a big hit. Don't know how far along your kids are and whether it's too simplistic (it does advance in complexity as kids progress), but it might be worth checking out.
If you've got any girls who are future programmers...or are interested in checking out coding....try www.madewithcode.com Kids can design a bracelet, and they'll 3D print it and send it to them in the mail for free. Great activities for younger kids there! There's a huge initiative right now to get girls involved in programming and STEM. Lots of scholarship money...particularly for girls in these fields.
www.codecademy.com Really awesome free site! Kids (and adults) can learn: Making a Website Making an Interactive Website HTML & CSS Javascript jQuery Python Ruby PHP
