School's out - so let's start LEGO Camp activities!

School's out but there's no enrichment or holiday camps.  That's ok, we've got you covered.  Just get out a box of LEGO® bricks and read on, we've got at home enrichment activities for you to try.  As an added bonus, some of them are screen free!  This week, let's get coding.

Coding doesn't just have to be about computers.  though we will use those later!  Start teaching coding and binary alphabet concepts using bricks.  Then create code messages to decode.  Just like spies!

There are a few ways you can combine computer coding with LEGO® bricks depending on the skill and interest level  of your child.

Start off with some easy fun.  Bits and Bricks is a computer game produced by The LEGO Group. it's based on helping a little robot called Bit in his home Cyberbit.  Without giving too much away, Cyberbit is infected with a Teravirus and Bit needs to take part in coding related challenges to beat the virus.  Topical?

Taking the challenge offline, LEGO bricks can be used with the binary alphabet to create analog messages.  You just need a binary alphabet chart and some coloured bricks and you are on your way to creating code (spy) messages)  Who needs invisible ink! 

Assign a colour to each letter, learn your binary alphabet (or just use the cheat sheet below) and off you go.

What's the best message you can come up with?  By the way, this challenge is easier if your child can sort LEGO bricks and create patterns already.  If you still need to do that check out our math home based learning post first. 

Mastered that?  Want to move on to something a bit more challenging?  You can use your code to create little LEGO world's and mazes and give directions to your LEGO minifigures to navigate through them.

Once you've done that, take it to the next level with LEGO Boost, a multi way robot you can build into 5 different things and code via your ipad or phone.  Video's like this on the LEGO Discover channel can help you get even more out of Vernie.

Who needs holiday camps when you have LEGO bricks!  And if you're looking for more fun challenges and activities, be sure to check out our FB and Instagram for the 15 brick challenge (S$25 LEGO vouchers to be won).