Return to site

Unplugged Coding Activity:

Little Artist Inside Your Computer

Educators & parents: You can do this Hour of Code Activity as a class or students can work on it independently. If you have any questions or need help, email info@codespeaklabs.com.

Looking for an entirely screen-less activity? This activity is for you. Students will learn about how digital art is made, solve coding puzzles, and make their own creations using pixels, algorithms and repeat loops.

First, download the full PDF of this coding activity by going to http://bit.ly/cslartist.

You'll need to print the activity, and students will need scissors, glue, and a pencil or pen/marker.

The Activity Pack can be completed by kids as young as 4, if they have a grown-up working
with them. If they’re working on it by themselves, we recommend ages 6 and up. The pages do not have to be completed in order. You can save the last page (Certificate of Completion) until they’ve completed all the puzzles.

After completing the pack, we recommend reviewing these key concepts:

  • Coding is telling your computer what to do through clear instructions.
  • Bugs are mistakes in code. 
  • Repeat loops are a great shortcut so we don’t need to use as much code.
  • Decomposition is breaking down something complex into smaller pieces. 
  • Pixels are little squares of color that turn into beautiful images when you put them together.
  • RGB value tells the computer how much RED, GREEN, and BLUE light to use together to make the color you want.

In the video below, Coach Jangis will show you how to complete the activity. You can follow along and pause it when you are doing each step. Or, just use this video as an Answer Key for reference in case you need a hint.

If you liked this activity, you can check out CodeSpeak Labs' other activities on our YouTube channel. Here's a read aloud about Team Hardware vs. Team Software, and a read aloud and a related ScratchJr tutorial.