Project Bloks is a joint initiative between IDEO and Google Design Lab that creates a tactile way for children to be introduced to and learn the basics of coding. This project takes a digital language and translates it into physical parts that children can more easily digest. These blocks can be rearranged and built much like recognizable toys such as wooden blocks or Leggos. They are composed of 3 main types: pucks, baseboards and brainboards. The puck controls the command, or are the code instructions in physical form, containing instructions like “turn on and off” or “go up.” The baseboards read these instructions and follow them once they are connected to the pucks, and the brainboard is the “brains” of the operation, supplying the power and connectivity throughout the system. Together, Google and IDEO created the “Coding Kit” which is a prototype and user guide for these pieces currently being tested in select schools. The data from these experiments will further the frontier of tactile coding education.
