Overview

Module 1 introduces your child to the foundational idea behind all of programming: computers follow instructions. Three of the four lessons are screen-free, building thinking skills before any technology is involved. The final lesson introduces Scratch.

Lesson	Type	Time	Key Idea
1. What Computers Actually Do	Screen-free	15-20 min	Computers follow instructions; they do not think
2. Giving Good Instructions	Screen-free	15-20 min	Instructions must be specific and in the right order
3. The Robot Game	Screen-free	15-20 min	Practice giving step-by-step commands
4. First Look at Scratch	Computer	15-20 min	Stage, sprites, blocks, sequences

How to Facilitate Each Lesson

Lesson 1: What Computers Actually Do

Your role: Read through the lesson with your child and lead the discussion. This is a conversation-based lesson.

Tip: Start by asking your child what they think a computer does. Let them share their ideas before introducing the concept that computers simply follow instructions. There are no wrong answers at this stage -- just building curiosity.

Key activity: Computer Hunt -- walk around the house finding devices with computers inside. This makes the concept concrete and tangible.

Try saying: "A computer is like a very obedient helper. It does exactly what you tell it -- but it never figures things out on its own. That is why the instructions have to be really good!"

Lesson 2: Giving Good Instructions

Your role: You are the "computer" for the peanut butter sandwich activity. Follow your child's instructions as literally as possible. The sillier the better!

Important: Do not help your child during the sandwich activity. The whole point is for them to see what happens when instructions are not clear. If they say "put the peanut butter on the bread," put the whole jar on top of the bread. Laughter is learning!

Tip: If your child gets frustrated, pause and say: "This is exactly what happens to real programmers. Their code does not work on the first try either. The fun part is figuring out how to fix it." This normalizes struggle.

Try saying: "I am a computer now. I can only do exactly what you tell me. I cannot guess what you mean. Tell me every tiny step!"

Lesson 3: The Robot Game

Your role: First, you are the robot and your child is the programmer. Then switch roles so they experience being the robot too.

Tip: When you are the robot, move stiffly like a robot and speak in a robot voice. Kids love this! It also reinforces that you are acting as a machine, not a person.

Progression:

Start with Challenge 1 (walk straight to an object) -- this is the easiest.
Move to Challenge 2 (turn a corner) once they are comfortable.
Try Challenge 3 (pick up and deliver) if they are doing well.
Let them invent their own challenges if they want more.

If your child gets stuck: Do not give them the answer! Instead, ask a question: "What direction is the robot facing right now?" or "What does the robot need to do next?" Guide their thinking without doing the thinking for them.

Lesson 4: First Look at Scratch

Your role: Sit with your child at the computer. Help them navigate to scratch.mit.edu and click "Create." Then follow the step-by-step instructions in the lesson together.

Tip: Let your child control the mouse as much as possible. Resist the urge to take over! If they struggle with dragging blocks, guide their hand gently or point to where the block should go.

Tip: Connect Scratch to the Robot Game. Say: "Remember when you told me to STEP FORWARD and TURN RIGHT? These Scratch blocks are the same idea, but for the cat on the screen!"

You do NOT need a Scratch account to start. Your child can create and explore without signing up. If you want to save projects for later, you can create a free account at any time.

What to Say When Your Child Gets Stuck

Getting stuck is a normal and important part of learning. Here are specific phrases you can use:

Situation	What to Say
They do not know what to do next	"What is the very next tiny step? Do not think about the whole thing -- just the next step."
Their instructions are too vague	"If I were a robot and I heard that, what might I do wrong?"
They made a mistake and feel bad	"Every programmer in the world makes mistakes. That is called a bug. Now you get to debug it! That is the fun part."
They want to give up	"Let us take a break and come back to it. Sometimes your brain figures things out while you are doing something else."
They finish quickly and want more	"Can you think of a harder challenge? Or can you do it in fewer steps?"
They are confused about a vocabulary word	"An algorithm is just a fancy word for a list of steps. Like a recipe! Can you think of another algorithm you use every day?"

Common Questions Kids Ask

Q: "Are robots and computers the same thing?"

A: A robot usually has a computer inside it that tells its body what to do. So a robot is a machine with a body AND a computer brain. A computer by itself (like a laptop) does not have arms or legs -- it just shows things on a screen.

Q: "Can computers really not think at all?"

A: Computers can do things that LOOK like thinking (like answering questions or playing chess), but they are really just following very complicated instructions that a person wrote. The computer does not understand what it is doing.

Q: "What if I make a mistake in Scratch? Will I break the computer?"

A: You cannot break anything in Scratch! If something goes wrong, you can just pull the blocks apart and try again. Scratch is a safe place to experiment and make mistakes.

Q: "Is this real coding?"

A: Yes! Scratch is a real programming language used by millions of people. The blocks represent the same ideas that professional programmers use. You are learning to think like a coder, which is the most important part.

Q: "Why do we have to do the non-computer lessons?"

A: Because the most important part of coding is thinking clearly, not typing on a computer. When you played the Robot Game and made the peanut butter sandwich, you were practicing the exact same skills that programmers use. The computer is just a tool -- your brain is what matters!

Vocabulary Reference

Word	Meaning	Example for Kids
Algorithm	A step-by-step list of instructions	"A recipe is an algorithm for making cookies."
Sequence	The order that steps happen in	"You have to put on socks before shoes -- that is the right sequence."
Instruction	One single step that tells what to do	"STEP FORWARD is one instruction."
Bug	A mistake in a program	"When the robot turned the wrong way, that was a bug in our instructions."
Debugging	Finding and fixing mistakes	"When you changed your instructions to fix the problem, you were debugging."
Sprite	A character on the Scratch stage	"The orange cat is a sprite."
Stage	The area where sprites perform in Scratch	"The stage is like a theater where the cat acts out your program."
Decomposition	Breaking a big task into smaller steps	"Pick up the cup and bring it here gets broken into many small robot commands."

Module 1: What is Thinking Like a Coder? -- Parent Guide

Think Like a Coder -- Kids Coding Course -- Safaa Dabagh -- sdabagh.github.io

Module 1: Parent Guide