Look before you run
Look at the whole board first. Find the goal. Find any rocks. Then plan every step.
- move rightmove rightmove right
Count the squares
Count squares from the robot to the goal. The flag is 3 squares right. So you need 3 right blocks.
- move upmove rightmove rightmove down
Go around a rock
A rock is in the way. The robot cannot go through it. Plan a path around it.
- move upmove rightmove right
Up and over
The flag is 1 up and 2 right. Plan all three blocks. Check each one before you press Run.
- move rightmove right
Fix a short plan
This plan stopped one square short. Look where the robot stopped. Count what is left. It needs one more right block.
For parents
Goal: Your child learns to look at the whole board, count squares and plan every step before pressing Run, then practices in three short game labs.
- Before your child presses Run, ask them to say the whole plan out loud.
- Ask: where is the goal? Is anything in the way?
- If the robot stops short, ask: how many more squares? Which way?
Away from the screen: Make a grid on the floor with tape or sheets of paper. Put a toy at the goal and a pillow as a rock. Your child plans the arrows on paper first, then walks the plan.