It’s Hour of Code 2016 and our Kano Kit has arrived just in time for us to start tinkering…
So we’re going to start with these 8 activities recommended by Kano for the Hour of Code:
Make Flappy Bird with Code.org
If you’ve been under a rock and you have never heard of Flappy Bird, here’s what the game looks like:

The idea is simple enough – navigate the flappy bird through the obstacle course of pipes. The reality is a lot harder than it sounds. It was apparently a game that had a lot of people addicted to it, though I struggle to see the appeal.
You can also try one of the many other projects on Code.org.
Kano Hour of Code: Pixel Hack
This year, Kano’s Hour of Code will take you through video game history with projects like Pong – one of the first arcade computer games ever made. I remember playing it on the Apple IIe. It’s a little like Ping Pong, hence the name Pong.

Work your way through all 13 pixel hacks and claim your certificate at the end.
Create an app with MIT Media Lab
Learn how to make your own android app!
Make a card with Scratch
This one’s perfect with Christmas just around the corner. You can learn how to make an interactive greeting card to share with friends and family.
Thimble by Mozilla
Learn how to create and publish your own web pages using HTML, CSS and JavaScript with Thimble by Mozilla:
- Start a new project
- Make a Keep Calm Poster
- Create a homework excuse generator
- Make a Back to School Postcard
- Make a Current Events Comic
- Create a simple website
Learn to Code with Codecademy
Codecademy is a free resource site with lots of courses that will teach you the following:
- Make a Website
- Make an Interactive Website
- Sass
- Deploy a Website
- JavaScript
- Rails
- AngularJS
- ReactJS: Part I and Part II
- Ruby on Rails Authentication
- Command Line
- Git
- SQL; Table Transformation; and Analyzing Business Metrics
- Java
- HTML & CSS
Hour of Code by Thinkersmith
The Hour of Code by Thinkersmith collates numerous coding projects designed for individuals of all ages in 45 languages. You’ll see projects from Tynker, Khan Academy, Codespark, Kodable, Scratch, and more.
Hour of Code with Minecraft
With a Minecraft fan in the house, obviously I’m not going to get away without adding a couple of Minecraft coding projects on the list so here they are…
You can complete this hour of code in one of two ways:
- Coding with the Board Game (you can print and assemble the game yourself)
- Coding with Minecraft (see requirements)
Complete the 6 challenges that have been set.

- Minecraft Designer – Program animals and other Minecraft creatures in your own version of Minecraft.
- Minecraft Adventurer – Use code to take Alex or Steve on an adventure.
- Diamond floor
- Floating water cube
- Shady tunnels
- Build a house
- Volcano
- Teleport
- Sky jail
- Instant farm
- Lava trail
- Frozen
- Water slide
More Stuff to do with Kano
After you’re done with all that, there’s more:
- Kano projects – loads of projects!
- Kano lessons plans covering the following subjects:
- Social sciences
- Arts and drama
- Mathematics
- English and language arts
- Design and engineering challenges
- Creative computing
- Harry Potter Magic Wand Coding Kit
- Computer Kit
- Motion Sensor Kit
- Pixel Kit
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