Just Launched: Jordan’s HelloCode teaches kids to code using interactive storytelling and gamification

Just Launched is a new series on MENAbytes that covers recently launched (within last six months) digital products and services from MENA. 

Amman-based edtech startup Hello World Kids has announced the launch of HelloCode, its web-based platform that teaches kids (8 and above) to code using interactive storytelling. The platform has multiple courses in form of mystery islands that kids get to explore by watching video episodes and then have to solve questions at the end of each episode to advance to the next level.

Hello World Kids, founded by Hanan Khader in 2015, is specialized in teaching computer and mobile programming to children between the ages of 6 to 12 through different offline courses in Jordan mainly. With HelloCode, Hanan and her team are taking the same mission online.

The platform according to the statement by HWK will allow children to learn to code, engage in problem-solving exercises, collaborate with each other and publish their projects to share with the community.

Hanan Khader, the founder and CEO of Hello World Kids, said, “The engagement with HelloCode’s characters along with the creatively-designed episodes and exciting activities involved, shapes a comprehensive learning environment that introduces kids to a set of crucial life-skills such as problem-solving, computational and cognitive thinking, logical reasoning and creativity, all while having fun.”

“When developing our content, we think from a pedagogical perspective. We always search for ways to provide learning with experiences related to social impact. This way, we don’t only build problem-solving and critical thinking skills, but we also focus on building a sense of citizenship and social responsibility,” she added.

HelloCode uses SmoothY®, a new programming language created by Hello World Kids using Javascript. SmoothY®, according to the statement by Hello World Kids, comes with simplified syntax which makes it easier for children to learn to code.

HelloCode can be used for a quarterly subscription fee of $29 or an annual fee of $90. There’s also a six-month option available for $54. The subscriptions can be purchased by the schools (B2B) for the use of teachers and students or the parents can buy it for the children directly (B2C).

It’s not clear if there are different B2B rates when schools are buying subscriptions in bulk. The prices listed on the HelloCode’s website are for one learner only.

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