Unplugged coding cards, Grades R to 3
Six activity cards with no devices needed, one to a page, each tied to a Foundation Phase CAPS topic, grade, term and page.
DownloadSmall children learn by doing.
A four-year-old learns “first, then, next” by stepping it out on the carpet, not by watching it on a screen. Talking, moving and taking turns come first.
Since April 2022, early childhood development falls under the Department of Basic Education. The Coding and Robotics CAPS for Grades R to 3 starts with coding unplugged: grids on the floor, arrow cards, toys and props. Devices are optional.
Steps in order
Put the steps in order, try them, then check. The thinking behind every program, practised with bodies, cards and toys.
Talk and turn-taking
One learner gives the instructions, a friend follows them, and together they find what went wrong and fix it.
A room to listen in
In a loud room, small voices get lost. Softer sound and a quiet corner give learners a place to listen and settle.
Coding without a screen.
In Grade R, coding is a game on the floor. Learners plan a route, give the instructions and watch them play out, then find and fix what went wrong.
Mai-Z robot mouse
Mai-Z, a robot mouse from 2Simple, built by Kitronik, that learners code. It follows lines, plays sounds and draws as it drives. Floor tiles turn the classroom into mazes and little towns to drive through, with units of work and lesson plans from Grade R to Grade 7.
See the Mai-Z robots →Screen-free coding kit
Learners lay colour-coded instruction blocks in a row, and Mai-Z reads them and acts them out. No tablet or computer needed, so it suits classes with few devices. It works with a Mai-Z robot.
See the screen-free kit →Unplugged coding cards
Six activity cards for Grades R to 3 with nothing to plug in: just chalk, cards and bottle tops. Each one names its CAPS topic, grade, term and page.
Download the cards ↓
Mai-Z and the screen-free kit are on their way to South Africa. Add them to your quote basket and we confirm what is in each set, and the delivery date, in your quote.
A safe first place to click.
When little ones are ready for a screen, Mini Mash is a gentle start. It is Purple Mash for the youngest learners: 2Simple's online space for little learners, for Grade RR and Grade R. 2Simple is the UK company that makes Purple Mash.
- Comes with every Purple Mash plan
- Safe and ad-free
- Local setup, support and training from us
Room to settle.
By the end of a morning, a room full of small children can get very loud. A sensory corner gives a learner a quiet place inside the classroom, with softer sound and light, to reset and come back. If the whole room echoes, Sonic Hugs, our felt ceiling clouds and wall panels, take the echo out.
- A calm option that is part of the room, not a punishment
- Planned with you, room by room
- Every acoustic quote starts with a visit to the real room
Training for the people in the room.
New tools only help once practitioners feel at home with them. We run practical sessions at your school or online, on your own school's Purple Mash account, from first logins to planning a term of lessons.
- Every Purple Mash plan includes CPD sessions, by the size of your school
- Mai-Z Class and Group Sets add a CPD session for schools with Purple Mash
- In person within 50 km of major centres, online everywhere else
Free for ECD and Foundation Phase teachers.
Print them, laminate them and use them tomorrow. Each one is checked against the Coding and Robotics CAPS for Grades R to 3.
More printables for Grades R to 3, including a field guide poster of coding words, are on our Free resources page.See all free resources →
Planning for next term?
Add Mai-Z, the screen-free kit or sensory corners to your quote basket and we send one quote for your school. Or book a free 20-minute call and we talk it through.
Setting up for your youngest learners?
Tell us about your centre or your Foundation Phase classes, how many learners you have and what you would like to change.
What happens next
- We reply within one working day.
- If it helps, we set up a free 20-minute call about your school.
- Anything with a cost, we price in writing before it is booked.
Prefer to pick a time? See the calendar →