Northfield CoderDojo

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this for me?

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Coders: if you're between 6 and 17 and interested in expressing your creative side, then...yes! You don't need any programming experience or even typing skills to get started, and we have plenty of computers to use. Note, though, that if you're under 13, an adult responsible for you needs to stay onsite at Greenvale (but whether you stay next to each other is up to the two of you!). If you're 6 or 7, we ask that you bring an adult partner to sit with you (but it's okay if they're new to programming too!).

Mentors: if you have programming experience in any language or are willing to invest a little time before you start, we'd love to have you volunteer with us. Experience with young people is a plus but not required - you just need to be patient and encouraging. 

How are events structured?

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Each meeting starts with a welcome and short community-builder of some sort; expect to introduce yourself and meet at least one other person. We split into groups and spend the bulk of our time programming, then reconvene to show off what we've created.

As for programming time, it's not a class: there are no assignments, no grades, and likely no formal lessons. Mentors are on hand to help and can steer you toward a tutorial if you like, but ultimately it's all about coders taking the wheel and discovering for themselves!

What languages are you using?

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At any given session you'll see a wide array of languages and tools. Here are a few of our favorites:

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- Scratch, a great language for new coders of all ages to make games, stories, and animations, all without having to type

- AppInventor, a more advanced block-based interface used for making mobile apps

- Python, an industry-standard language we're using for making games, solving math problems, power micro:bits, and tinker with Minecraft

- Javascript, another industry-standard language we're currently using primarily to hack open-source web games and with PlayCanvas
 

We've also got an assortment of hardware you can explore, including an Ozobot, a Coder MiP, and a Bluebot; several micro:bits, a couple of Raspberry Pi kits, and a couple of tablets.