How to play Code Golu to the Star
Golu stands on a grid of garden tiles, a golden star waits on another tile, and rocks block some of the way. Your child plans the whole path first by tapping arrows, which line up in a plan strip, then presses Go. Golu hops along the plan one tile at a time. If he bumps a rock, he hops back to the start for a new plan; after two tries the right path glows.
Everything is spoken aloud in your child's language, so a child who cannot read yet can still play. The word also appears on screen in your own script, so print and sound arrive together. Tap 🔊 to hear the question again.
No wrong answers, only another try
If your child taps the wrong one, it still says its own name, which is its own little lesson, and Golu asks again. After a second try the right one bounces or wiggles to help. Nobody loses and there is no timer. At the end a marble drops into Golu's jar.
What your child learns
Planning a sequence of steps, directions (up, down, left, right), and testing and fixing a plan: the first ideas of coding. At this age children learn best by doing one clear thing and seeing something happen straight away, which is why every tap makes the 3D world move and answer straight away.
Play it together
Sit with your child for the first round and say the words with Golu. Point at it, name it, and let your child tap. Five minutes is plenty. Then try the same thing for real, away from the screen.
More 3D games
All of Golu's 3D games are on the 3D games for kids page, sorted by age.
Now do it for real
When the screen goes off, do something with your hands. Try 🎭 Paper plate face — an easy craft for ages 3-6, with every step read aloud in your language. You will need a paper plate or a card circle, crayons, string and scissors (grown-up); nothing that needs a trip to a shop.
There are 56 more on the things to do at home page, and free printable worksheets if you would rather have something on paper. Ten minutes on a screen and twenty minutes off it is a good shape for a day at this age.
