A message from SES Librarian Gillian Grimm:

We are fast approaching the 2016 Hour of Code week here in the library, and this year my hope is to get every child in our school coding. We live in a world surrounded by technology. And we know that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly depend on understanding how technology works.

That’s why our entire school is joining in on the largest learning event in history: The Hour of Code, during Computer Science Education Week (December 5-11). More than 100 million students worldwide have already tried an Hour of Code. Last year our 3-8th graders participated in the event, and it was such a big hit that I’ve decided to bring it to the K-2 grades, as well.

So what is it? A group of experts and enthusiasts have built an array of games available for free to introduce, encourage and increase skills in coding. While they are available year-round, the goal is to get as many kids coding during Computer Science Education Week as possible.

What do you need to do as the grown-ups of SES students? We will be talking about, trying and experimenting with coding games here in the library that week, so be sure to ask questions and, if possible, allow kids to continue playing at home or at a public library. I’d love to see every child complete one full hour of coding during that week. Learning to code is similar to learning a second language: The earlier you start, the easier it is to become fluent. And it’s a language that is becoming increasingly necessary in our digital world. So let those kids code! It’s a great indoor activity for the coming rainy and cold months.

Games can be sorted by grade, ability and interest; find them here. Code away!