Coding For Kids For Dummies

Project 9

Monster Mashup

Mix-and-match toys take a variety of forms, from Mr. Potato Head to paper dolls. Now, you can create a virtual mix-and-match toy in the form of a monster generator called Monster Mashup.

Monster Mashup invites you to paint a collection of crazy monster parts — hair, faces, bodies, and feet — and then code an interface that allows a player to mix and match parts to create a new monster. You’ll program drop-down lists and buttons to assign parts based on player choices, and build a Mashup button that randomly mashes parts together!

Brainstorm

Around Halloween, kids love coding Monster Mashup. But at other times of the year, they produce a wide variety of other mix-and-match toys. What are some options you can dream up?

• Potato people parts, similar to Mr. Potato Head
• Sports smashup featuring jumbled-up sports attire
• Fashionista diva dress-up doll
• School lunch smorgasbord (entrée, side, beverage, dessert)
• Celebrity family (mixed-up moms, dads, and kids)

Programs written for entertainment purposes take many forms, including games and toys. Games typically feature a goal the player strives to attain and some criteria for winning, while toys usually have no specific goal and are intended more for exploratory play.

Start a New Project

Begin creating your Monster Mashup toy by starting a new project as follows:

1. Start MicroWorlds EX.
2. From the yellow MicroWorlds ...