S1.E13: Code Breakers

It’s time to transform your child into a top secret spy! Well, maybe not quite yet, but these skills will definitely help your child to become more of a thinker... a thinker about language, communication, patterns and more.

So, how can you do this? It's not too hard actually, just start by writing your child messages, but do it in code. In the past I’ve used reverse alphabet code, Caesar’s cipher, flipped letters, scrambled letters, morse code, hieroglyphics, semaphore, nautical flags, rebus puzzles, the periodic table, specific words in books, and more. Once I even created a code for my students in the elvish language (Quenya) from Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings.

It could be as simple as when your child sits down to eat breakfast, pass them a slip of paper with code on it. Don't say anything to them, just pass them the paper. It could be folded up, or you could even seal it in an envelope that says, your instructions for the day. This is something I've loved doing with my students for years. I give them each a personal handwritten note, plus a printed secret code and they can solve it for fun. It normally includes instructions in the code itself, so they have to respond in some way or research something about the code itself to prove they really solved it.

If you have more than one child, this is something great for them to work on together. At the beginning, you may have to give them a few hints. They may need to understand a little bit about word frequency, patterns or letters, therefore it's good to start by introducing a very simple code to them, and then work from there. Reverse alphabet and morse code are good starting points. Older children can also use their research skills and go online to help them try to figure out what sort of code it might be.

A while ago, I introduced my niece and nephew to codes by doing a reverse alphabet code. I showed them how it worked simply by writing their names with them. Then we wrote messages to their parents and grandparents in the secret code. They loved delivering these messages! Since then, I sometimes send them a postcard written in some sort of code, and they have to figure out how to solve it themselves, or because they’re young, often with a little bit of help from their parents.

Of course, your child needs a basic understanding of how to read and how words are formed to be able to work with these sorts of codes. However coding is not something so challenging for children who have not even learned to read yet. If you think about coding as computer language, there are lots of robots and computer programs that work with very basic commands of coding. Coding in multiple languages will help your child become a thinker and a successful individual in their future. This is especially true as more and more electronic development and codification is happening.

Now, I mentioned that when I gave my students codes, I normally printed them. This was simply because I did not have enough time to hand write codes to more than 20 children. You can write yours by hand and learn the code better yourself, or you can use a variety of online programs that will transform whatever you write into whatever code language you choose. One good one to start with is https://cryptii.com/. It has over 30 different codes to choose from. There are plenty more out there, just Google it, and you'll find something.

One of the best ways I can think of to introduce codes is with one of my favorite picture books of all time, The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery by Graeme Base. The illustrations are phenomenal, with so much detail... including secret messages embedded into all of the pages. The mystery culminates with a code at the end which children can use a Caesar Cipher (which you can build at home for extra fun) to determine who the thief was at the birthday party. I highly recommend this book as it not only is a perfect introduction into codes, but it also is spellbinding and highly engaging even for adults!

Finally, don't forget you and your child can make your own codes! You can make your own secret family code… like a special handshake, but even better! When I went home to my parents house recently, I found a code I developed when I was much younger. I had a particular symbol designated for each letter of the alphabet. I did this on my own initiative then, and now I continue to make codes... Just using computer programs to help me!

Making codes is a lot of fun! in fact, if you introduce codes to your children, they will probably make up codes for you. Don't be surprised if they don't make complete sense at the beginning. Your child is developing an understanding of language and how to communicate in new ways. Be patient and enjoy the process with them. The bottom line is that it's a lot of fun to send and receive secret messages. Most importantly it helps us think.

Have fun making and breaking codes together!