About Bitsbox and Coding
What's Bitsbox?
Bitsbox teaches kids to code by delivering insanely fun app-building projects in the mail every month. Kids code their projects on the Bitsbox website and their apps work on any device with a web browser.
How does Bitsbox work?
Kids create a coding account, which brings them to a virtual tablet in our coding environment. Kids then type in the code from the physical app projects into a text editor next to their virtual tablet. Once they finish writing the code, the new app will run on our website!
Bitsbox apps run on most mobile devices. They can be shared via email, text message, QR code, or a web link. The apps update in real time, so your kid can continue tweaking their apps online! You can even play multiplayer games across screens.
The best way to understand it is to try it out yourself!
What ages is it for?
Bitsbox is designed for kids 6-12 years in age.
How your kids engage with Bitsbox will depend on their age, of course. If your kiddo is 6 or 7, they may choose shorter projects and make simpler customizations. It's best if a parent or teacher can be around to help, especially at first.
Older kids will move through the projects faster and need less help.
All that said, we have a number of younger kids (as young as 4) who have had success with one-on-one help from their parents. If your kid can read, they can code with Bitsbox.
Can teenagers or adults learn to code with Bitsbox?
Absolutely. A lot of teenagers and grownups have learned basic coding skills from Bitsbox and enjoyed it!
Bitsbox is a wonderful stepping stone for any new coder. If you have a kid, learning side-by-side with them is a great way to do it.
What kind of computer do kids need to use Bitsbox?
A computer (Mac, PC, Linux, or Chromebook) with a web browser (Google Chrome is our favorite.) Bitsbox works inside a webpage. No complex tools to download and install. No worries about managing files. It's all in the cloud. And though it's theoretically possible for kids to do Bitsbox on a tablet, we'd recommend using a machine with a physical keyboard—typing a set of {} on an iPad is an ordeal, even for grownups.
You don't need a powerful machine to do Bitsbox. Any computer made in the last few years should be fine.
Can it work on an iPad?
Kids love phones. Kids love tablets. If you or your kid has one, then good news: they can play every program they write in Bitsbox on their tablet. All you have to do is point your device at our site, and the fairy dust will do the rest.
Imagine what your kid will say when they see their very own program running on an iPad. Picture their face.
However, when they're coding, kids need a physical keyboard. So, if your tablet has an attachable physical keyboard, that's great! (We're exploring a pure-tablet version as well, but it's not our focus just yet.)
How do I run an app on my phone or tablet?
It's really quite simple! Just follow these simple steps.
What computer language are you using?
It's Javascript/HTML5. However, it's not naked Javascript. We provide a short and sweet library of programming commands, all carefully designed to be easy to type, easy to learn, and flexible.
Why Javascript? Because it's arguably the most popular computer language around. Javascript is neat because it's the language of the web. Facebook, Google, Pandora, and Twitter are all written in Javascript (at least partially). Javascript is also great because it's a close cousin to C, C++, Objective C, and Java, which are Big Important Languages used by Serious People Doing Serious Programming.
Here's what we found in a recent dice.com search. Note how Javascript compares with other languages that are often touted as good ones for kids to learn.
| Language | Number of Jobs |
|---|---|
| Javascript | 10,000 |
| Visual Basic | 7,500 |
| HTML | 7,000 |
| Python | 6,000 |
| Objective C | 5,000 |
| Ruby | 2,000 |
| Lua | 35 |
The average salary for a Javascript Developer in the US? $110,000 per year.
Can I use it in a classroom?
Sure can. See our teacher's page with more information.
About the Company
Who are you guys?
Bitsbox was started by Scott Lininger and Aidan Chopra, a couple of dads in Boulder, Colorado. They met at Google where they both worked for many years. Aidan was a global product evangelist and Scott was a senior software engineer.
They left their cushy corporate jobs to chase this dream, and built a team of passionate builders, dreamers, and educators.
How can I stay informed about Bitsbox?
Best thing would be to sign up for our mailing list. Also, we'd love your help in spreading the word about Bitsbox. Scroll down to the very bottom of this page to follow us on social media and share the love!
If you are an educator, please sign up for our teachers list, and we'll let you know about classroom-oriented opportunities.
Thanks! :)
How can I contact you?
Just email us! We're friendly!
We'd love to hear your thoughts and get to know you! :)
