Action programming games - fun or a way to introduce children to algorithms and robotics

Usually, when parents hear the phrase “teaching children programming and robotics,” they imagine lessons in circles or school or sitting down at a computer / tablet with a learning software or a book.

But many parents do not know that there are board games that are built on the mechanics of “programming” actions and that during the game instill in children the basics of algorithms, logic, building programs, etc., and some of them even claimed to be educational. Some additionally provide the basics of robotics.


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Below I will give examples of games for programming actions (educational and not only), which can be bought in Russia? They can and should be used to not only explain to the children the algorithms and even robotics, but also just have fun and have a good time with the family. I deliberately do not give links (this is not advertising) - all games are searched in search by their names and can be bought in different stores (both online and offline). If you do not find it - ask me in the comments and I will give links.

1. Battle of Golems

A game (if I am its author), in which short battles are combined with cheerful excitement. You have to stand in the arena against the combat robots of your opponents in 10 rounds, program them for movement and strikes with defense. Despite its apparent simplicity, the board game has laid the foundations of flowcharts, the limitations of the robot hardware, complex software constructs (including subroutines), and even logic constructs. On the site of the game there are a lot of educational videos, parsing rules and flyplays that will help you. The game will be useful both at home and in the classroom in clubs and schools. You can play with bots, even one. 1-4 players 6-12 years old.

If you place your order before the end of May, then as a gift you will receive the addition “Knights against Parobotov”.

2. Progresses

One of the few board games that teaches programming from early childhood (but can be boring for children over 10 years old). With it, children will learn what algorithms are, how to build them and put them into practice, driving all-terrain vehicles on a multi-level field. The game trains logic, strategic thinking, attentiveness and imagination. 3D field, planet rovers, teleporters and you at the console in the Mission Control Center.

3. Roborally

Classics of the genre and its initiator. Players will manage the programmable robots and bring them through the control points to the finish. Cleverly chosen strategy and cunning will help to bypass competitors and win a hard victory in this dangerous duel. The key to start! Unfortunately not in Russian: (Although the game has been reprinted by Hasbro, it’s by experience that the brain is “taken out” by players over 12 years old and not recommended for children under 10 years old.

4. Tanchiki

So that people would not forget the classic Dandy, the developers moved the legendary game from console to cardboard. Here everything is the same as in the original Tanchiki, even the graphics are absolutely the same. Desktop Tanchiki players compete with each other, giving them commands and getting under fire from enemy Bots.

5. Colt Express

In Colt Express, players act as thugs in the Wild West who rob a train. The game lasts five rounds, each round is divided into two phases: planning and looting. During Planning, players program from 2 to 5 robbers' actions, and during a Robbery, actions are activated one after the other in the order in which the cards were laid out. The task of the gangsters to collect loot and bypass the Marshal. There are no robots or guided tanks, but the Robbery is a classic artist in a multithreaded mode.



PS Links to pages where you can look at the games in more detail, in response to the first comment.