Reading, writing and arithmetic. Oh, and history and geography and physics. And music and chemistry. Students these days learn a lot. It’s also critically important that they pick up practical skills and knowledge, like the ability to code. Sure, they may not be programming the next big social media platform, but the logical thinking that goes into coding empowers them to key into details and follow a process. For that, they might try their hand with the Code Rocket from Let’s Start Coding ($44.99). Let me tell you what it’s all about.

A short while, someone shared an article with me from the Calgary Herald on the “lost art of tinkering.” Basically, we’ve gotten to a point where people don’t “tinker” much anymore. Rather than fiddling around with something to figure it out for ourselves, we buy (sometimes disposable) things that work out of the box. Or, we might download an app that does the work for us. But, there’s so much to be learned by doing things yourself.

In the video, I talk about my experience with exploring raw HTML code, playing around in Macromedia Dreamweaver, and toying around with a couple of websites on Geocities. In an earlier life, I was into the whole “import tuner” scene too. I played around with minor modifications on my car, like installing strut bars and underdash neons… you know, rather than more practical things like changing my oil, but that’s beside the point.

The point is that I tinkered. I fiddled. And while it was ugly and messy and nowhere near professional, I learned something. So, with this Code Rocket coding kit from Let’s Start Coding, I played around with some basic coding and programming. I used my trusty Lenovo Chromebook for this, which makes sense as it’s an education Chromebook, but there are also apps for macOS and Windows.

No, they probably don’t teach C++ coding in kindergarten, so this is still a little out of reach for my little one. But, if you’ve got kids in the 8- to 15-year-old range, this might be worth checking out. It’s a fun mix of digital and analog, and maybe you’ll learn a few things along the way too.

For more information, check out LetsStartCoding.com. Coding kits range from $19.99 to $149.99. Each kit offers between 12 and 21 projects, providing between 10 and 100+ “hours of fun.” The Code Rocket is recommended for ages 8-12.

Disclosure: Let’s Start Coding provided me with the Code Rocket coding kit at no cost for review purposes. We were offered no other compensation. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.