Theme days / Coding Unplugged

Coding Unplugged ideas for OSHC

8 DIY activities for a coding unplugged at before and after school care or vacation care. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.

Children write precise step-by-step instructions to make a sandwich, then an educator follows them literally.

Children use maps, coordinates or a supervised GPS app to track down hidden caches around the grounds and log their finds.

Children spell their initials in binary code using two colours of beads to make a coded bracelet.

Children use arrow cards to code a path across a grid, guiding a classmate or toy to a goal.

One child is the robot and the others give step-by-step arrow commands to guide them across a grid, learning the basics of coding without screens.

Children learn Morse code and send secret messages to each other by tapping, buzzing or flashing torches.

Children colour squares on grid paper to create pixel pictures of animals, objects or characters of their own design.

Older children make a two-layer cipher wheel and use it to encode and decode secret messages.