Wondering what is caterpillar coding? Read on to find out about this fun coding toy for preschoolers! It’s one of our favorite coding for kids activities for preschoolers.
Try this fun technology-themed Valentine STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar!
This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine’s fun!
You can use any coding robot for this activity, but we had a lot of fun using our coding caterpillar.
It was harder than we thought it would be to get the coding caterpillar to reach all the hearts successfully.
What is Caterpillar Coding?
Caterpillar coding is a simple coding toy made by Fisher Price. The caterpillar can be told to follow certain commands and patterns to teach a goal. We have an older version of the toy, but there is also an updated version.
If you like this activity, you might also like our Ozbot coding challenges, Valentine binary bracelets, or words of affirmation binary bracelets!
Coding Caterpillar Challenge: Follow the Valentine Hearts
My kids had a blast trying to get their coding caterpillar to reach all the hearts!
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What you’ll need for your coding caterpillar challenge:
- A hard floor
- A coding caterpillar
- Construction paper
- Scissors
For this challenge, I wanted to see if my preschooler (and fifth-grader, later on) could adjust her coding caterpillar so that it would reach all the hearts I spread out onto the floor.
First, I cut out several hearts from paper.
Then, I talked with my kids about what the directions on each coding segment would do.
Next, we tried out each piece individually to see what the exact movement was.
Then it was time to complete the challenge!
It was kind of hard to get our caterpillar (named Grace Hopper, after one of the first computer programmers) to reach all the hearts! First, my preschooler tried, then my fifth grader joined in. Finally, between the two of them they were able to get Grace to touch all of the hearts.
It took a combination of changing the programming and moving the hearts a bit (because of our limited number of coding pieces) to get Grace to reach every heart.
Half-way through, her batteries died! But luckily, we had some extras on hand so she was up and running again in no time.
I wasn’t really surprised at how long/how much my kids liked this activity, but I was definitely pleased to see them thinking!
STEM Skills Used in the Coding Caterpillar Challenge
We used the following STEM skills when doing this project:
Science: We used the scientific method to determine the best way to get Grace to move.
Technology: Computer programming skills and using Grace Hopper herself!
Engineering: The kids had to design the path for Grace, and in the end, change the course a bit.
