App Review: 'Hopscotch' (iPad/iPhone)

App Name: Hopscotch Make your own games

Cost: Free

What does it promise? The Hopscotch application for iPad and iPhone devices allows kids to create their own games through coding. It promises a fun and engaging way for students to learn how to code which being able to use their creations. It also promises a way for students to express their creativity.

“Hopscotch offers free, super simple videos that let you to make your own versions of your favorite games (like Geometry Dash!), create drawing apps, and build tons of cool projects. Plus, over 40 challenges help you develop your skillz. Most importantly, the Hopscotch community is always around to answer questions, squash bugs, and give you ideas.” – iTunes

Does it deliver? Yes. This is one of the most creative free applications offered in the iTunes store. It’s not just popular with students but with adults as well. Coding small games is completely easy to do. The best part about this application is the fact that kids don’t actually have to write or create the code. They drag pre-coded boxes into place so that the functions are right where they want them. You can set a position, speed and even angles. It’s a bright and well-designed application and when students or users see the end result of their “coding,” it’s very rewarding. Even better, students can then enjoy playing the games they created along with games that other users have created.

Can I use it in the classroom? Yes. This is a great way to get students on the right track to coding. They will also be able to better understand how the machines they use on a daily basis work. Teachers might assign students the task of building one game a week and having them explain how they built it and what fundamentals of code they used.

Students can, “explore computer science fundamentals like abstraction, variables, conditionals, loops, and more—while making stuff that you actually want to play,” according to HopScotch. They want to remind users or curious downloaders that there are very real elements of code within the application.

Note: Students can only create games on iPad devices. The iPhone app is strictly to play the games others have coded.

App review by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor