Enter the matrix with kano’s Pixel Kit – a fun and friendly introduction to coding that demystifies programming.

If Matrix’s Digital Rain has ever stimulated the left side of your brain, Kano’s new coding toy might appeal to you. Turn screen time into a super-powered learning experience. This DIY light board aims to teach you the fundamental basics of programming or a glimpse of what you’ll be learning if you ever decide to dive deeper. With the advent of inexpensive processors and some clever software flourishes, there has been an uprise in connected toys that interact with children. While the Raspberry Pi may be too daunting for an aspiring coder, with the Pixel Kit, your child will learn programming skills as they play, as well as the basics of computational thinking. Crack open the box to reveal an assortment of colourful, approachable parts inside. Each box comes with a wireless keyboard for typing commands, a board, a speaker for audio, a custom case, an SD card for storage and multiple cables for power and connectivity. As you leaf through the Lego-esque booklet, the construction process seems fairly simple – attach a tiny joystick, connect blocks, a mode dial and you’re ready to code simple applications that come to life through the vivid light board’s LEDs. The game mechanics enabled with the JavaScript Code allows you to create your own games and bring them to life – building characters, adding a scoreboard, for an interactive experience. With over 16 million colours engineered within, draw your own vibrant pictures and pixel art or make animations frame by frame and voila! You have your own lighting show.