Robokids Africa — Coding Steps

Step 1 · Design

Every program starts with an idea. Design means deciding WHAT you want your program to do before you build it. Pick a mission for your goat:

💡 Coders also make choices with IF … THEN. An IF/THEN rule means: IF something is true, THEN do this. For example: IF there is a rock ahead, THEN go around it. Real programs use IF/THEN to decide what to do — just like you do in the Make Wise Decisions game!

Step 2 · Plan

Before building, plan the steps in words (this is called an algorithm). Think: which way must the goat go? Put these plan steps in the right order by moving them up or down.

💡 A good plan makes building much easier — real coders always plan first!

Step 3 · Build

Now turn your plan into code. Every program has a green START and a red END — your blocks go in between, running from top to bottom. Tap a block to add it, then set how many steps it moves with −/+. One "Move right × 3" is smarter than three separate blocks! Use Repeat to loop moves too.

🗺️ The path to match

This shows the steps the goat should take to reach the water. Build blocks that make this same path!

Blocks

Your program

▶ START every program begins here

■ END every program stops here

Step 4 · Run

Press Run to test your code. Watch the goat follow your blocks step by step. Did it reach the water?

Step 5 · Debug & Improve

If it did not work, do not worry — that is normal! Debugging means finding the wrong step and fixing it. Go back to Build, change a block, and Run again. When it works, can you make it shorter (more efficient) using a Repeat?

💡 Every real coder writes code, tests it, finds bugs, and improves it. Design → Plan → Build → Run → Debug is how ALL software is made — you are doing it for real!