Connected Camps: Kids Learn To Code at Summer of Minecraft Camp

4/21/15 - By Linda DiProperzio

Here at Mommy Poppins we’re big supporters of kids learning to code; we've written posts about free websites and apps that can help children hone the design, logic and problem-solving skills they need for coding. If you’re the parent of a tween or teen, chances are pretty good that Minecraft is part of life at your home. This summer, kids ages 9 to 13 can combine their love of the game with learning the basics of coding at "Summer of Minecraft" camp.

Our sponsor, Connected Camps, is partnering with Institute of Play, a nonprofit organization, in offering this low-cost, four-week online camp. Kids can be taught everything from the basics of building to coding in-game in a safe, multiplayer environment—all from the comfort of their own home. If this sounds interesting, be sure to read on for an exclusive offer for Mommy Poppins readers, as well as the chance to win one free spot at the camp.

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The Summer of Minecraft camp, which launches Monday, July 6, 2015, allows participants to log in from home and build and share their in-game creations through weekly challenges. These activities maximize the learning potential of Minecraft in a design-friendly environment that can teach kids problem solving, programming and getting along with others. Each week features a challenge theme that players learn about in-game.

Players ready to take their creations to the next level can participate in a separate coding track (limited to 25 campers per week) during which kids learn coding in Minecraft using the Lua programming language. While the coding is specific to Minecraft, participants learn concepts that can be applied to many other programming languages as well.

All campers can participate in the community by engaging in the challenges at their own pace in single-player mode or on their own server, and the staff is made up of trained camp counselors who are Minecraft experts, ensuring an online experience that is safe, fun and productive. The camp features live broadcasts, online discussions with campers and experts, and collaborative design events at which participants create community-driven projects.

Participants can register to play on the Connected Camps server for a $150 fee, and sign up for the advanced coding instruction for an extra $50. Feeling a little outside the loop? Parents can sign up for their own four-week Grown-Up Camp for $25, to learn more about fostering learning through Minecraft.

Mommy Poppins readers can enter for a chance to win one free spot at the Summer of Minecraft camp (value $150). But don't worry if you don't win: You can also save on registration by entering the code MP25 at checkout to receive 25 percent off the Online Kid Camp, plus an additional 25 percent off when you register multiple campers and one free Grown-Up Camp spot. This offer ends on May 31, 2015.

In addition to the virtual camp experience that anyone can connect to, Summer of Minecraft is also supporting local camp experiences and a teen camp counselor network in Los Angeles, in partnership with the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Los Angeles Public Library and Los Angeles Makerspace.

To register for the camp or for more information, be sure to visit the website.

This post is sponsored by Connected Camps, but the opinions are those solely of the author.