Loop dance routine: learn coding loops by moving

In code, a loop repeats instructions so you do not have to write them again and again. This activity gets children up and moving while they discover why loops make programs shorter and clearer.

• Ages: 6–11
• Time: 20 minutes
• Skill: Loops and patterns

What you need

• Space to move
• Paper and a pencil
• Optional: music

Step by step

1. Invent moves. Choose four simple moves: clap, jump, spin, touch toes. Give each a symbol or letter.
2. Write a routine. Write a routine the long way: clap, clap, jump, clap, clap, jump, spin.
3. Spot the pattern. Which parts repeat?
4. Write it as a loop. Rewrite it: repeat 2 times (clap, clap, jump), then spin.
5. Perform it. Do the routine following the loop version.
6. Make a bigger one. Create a routine with a loop inside a loop.

What your child learns

What a loop is, how to spot repeating patterns, and how loops make instructions shorter: exactly what our Fun with Coding students use to draw patterns that would be impossible by hand.

Make it easier or harder

• Easier: loops of two moves only.
• Harder: nested loops, such as repeat 3 times (repeat 2 times (clap), jump).

Enjoyed it? Book a free coding demo class, or see Fun with Coding for year-round coding.