Wundermind

The challenge

Programming has been always synonymous to writing code on a computer, using a screen interface. However, research shows that increased screen time causes detrimental effects on the cognitive and social developments of a child. They displace sensorimotor skills (manipulation, building, sensory deprivation) in children as they begin to learn about the world around them. An average Dutch child of age 8-11 spends an average of 4.5 hours on a screen every day.

The solution

dCode WunderMind is an educational toy that helps children aged 6 to 9 to learn coding concepts, through a completely screen free and tactile interface. It consists of the main compiler (WunderMind) and a reader which reads the code (using machine vision) and sends the instructions to the output (Wunderball) which they could play with. The Wunderball could be tweaked to display lights and sounds according to the code. As there are sensors within the ball that detect vibration, shake and throw allowing you to create logic based on these possibilities to create their own games. We also hand out pre-designed games and activity sheets to inspire them to create their own fun games but also making sure that they learn the core concepts of coding.