What if there was a way for kids to teach themselves how to build a computer while having fun, too? Kano is a kit that lets kids build their own computer and learn to code, and it’s causing quite a stir on Kickstarter.
Judging from the success of its crowdfunding campaign, the London-based project is in high demand. The Kano team reached its goal of $100,000 in its first 18 hours! To date the project has raised well over a $1 million – and 14 days remain in its campaign.
Kano’s founders, cousins Alex and Saul Klein and friend Yonatan Raz-Fridman, were inspired by Saul’s seven-year-old son Micah to create a computer kids could teach themselves how to use. Micah said he wanted to make his own computer, but that it had to be as simple and fun to use as Legos. Thus was born the idea for Kano, a kid-friendly computer children could build for themselves.
What Is Kano?
Kano is shipped as a kit that includes the single-board Raspberry Pi computer, keyboard, a case kids can customize with stickers, an 8GB memory card full of Kano software and learning games, a DIY speaker and illustrated instructional books. Once children assemble their Kano computer they can begin playing Kano Blocks, which teaches kids to use code to create the games Pong, Snake and Minecraft as well as generate videos and music. With Kano children can also create their own speaker!
Support Kano
Kano is available in English, Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin, and the team says it is working on more languages. Order your own Kano for $119 (including worldwide shipping) on Kickstarter.
Do you think products like Kano will help prepare children for our increasingly technologized future?
Images via Kano
via AllThingsD