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New book teaches coding to toddlers through screen-free activities using comics and everyday craft items [1]
['Mark Frauenfelder']
Date: 2025-09-05
As an editor, I had the pleasure of working on Hannah Hagon's Unplugged Tots, a new full-color, 288-page book that introduces young children to the world of computer coding without requiring technology. It presents coding concepts through fun, engaging comics that parents can read aloud with their children before diving into hands-on activities.
The book's approach is grounded in Hannah's research into introducing computational concepts to toddlers as young as two and a half through structured play and storytelling. The activities don't require screens or devices, just everyday items like cardboard, crayons, and kids' craft items. Each chapter explores a specific concept — deconstruction, pattern recognition, algorithms, sequencing, logic, and mapping — supported by fun and engaging activities for adults and kids to do together.
Here's my editor's note from the book:
While many books spring from an author's intellectual curiosity, Hannah's emerged from a parent's moment of clarity — watching her young daughters struggle to interact with a supposedly child-friendly programming language. This personal experience transformed into a mission (then into a brand, and now into a book), infusing her work with a contagious passion and enthusiasm that made it a joy to edit. Though I wish Hannah's book had been available when my daughters were young, I'm keeping copies ready for when they begin teaching computational thinking to their own children one day. Some books have a way of transcending generations, and this is one of them.
From Hannah's introduction:
Like many parents, I want my children to be happy and resilient, ready for whatever
their futures hold. Yes, I care about their careers — but more importantly, I want
them to have the tools to think critically, solve problems creatively, and navigate
an increasingly digital world with confidence. That's really what Unplugged Tots is about — giving children access to these
fundamental thinking skills through play, long before they need to worry about
screens or keyboards. It's about creating strong foundations that will serve them
well in whatever they go on to do, whether they grow up to be artists, engineers, or
something we haven't even imagined yet.
Unplugged Tots is available now from the publisher, Raspberry Pi Press, or it can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
See also: My new book about Raspberry Pi Retro Gaming is on sale for $7
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