Tuk Tuk

Abstract

Studying computer programming helps children develop computational thinking, a problem-solving methodology that can be transferred to solve everyday problems. Additionally, exposing children to an advanced computational concept of search algorithm allows them to see how different problem-solving techniques are designed to tackle more challenging tasks, and improve their ability to solve problems. We present a block-based programming game called Tuk Tuk for children in kindergarten level (junior version), and elementary and middle school level (standard version). With Tuk Tuk, learners create a computer program in a block-based language to control a car to complete a given task, earn money, reach the next level, and unlock new coding blocks. By completing each task, learners will learn important computational concepts and algorithms, a basis of computational thinking, such as conditionals, iterations, depth-first search (DFS) and breadth-first search (BFS).