Little Hands, Big Discoveries
By Meghan Holcomb
Kindergarten students at East Falmouth Elementary bring creativity and teamwork to life as they build, explore, and take their first steps into coding with FEF funded Lego Duplo sets in the Library Makerspace.
Kindergarten Students Learn to Code
Kindergarten students build train tracks and the foundational skills of coding in the libaray at East Falmouth Elementary School
The library at East Falmouth Elementary was buzzing with energy. Shelves of books lined the walls of the welcoming space and colorful activity stations invited exploration. On this particular day, the room belonged to a group of enthusiastic kindergarteners, each one ready to take on a very important mission: build, create, and bring their ideas to life.
Spread out across the room, small groups of students gathered around Lego Duplo Brick Sets made possible by FEF. With big imaginations and even bigger excitement, they got to work. Their challenge? Build a train track, create a village alongside it, and then “code” their train to stop, change direction, and even make sounds.
Tiny hands snapped bright plastic pieces together: tracks taking shape here, a house popping up there, a train slowly coming to life in the middle of it all. Some groups jumped right into building their tracks and sending their trains on their first journeys. Others carefully crafted vehicles and scenes for their village, adding thoughtful details like figures and accessories. But the real magic wasn’t just in what they were building, it was in how they were building it.
“But the real magic wasn’t just in what they were building, it was in how they were building it.”
Working together doesn’t always come easily when you’re five or six years old. There were moments of negotiation, bursts of laughter, and a few pauses to figure out who would do what next. With guidance and encouragement, the students began to share ideas, divide tasks, and celebrate each small success together.
And just like that, something bigger was happening.
Through play, these young learners were being introduced to the earliest concepts of coding and problem-solving. These skills will grow with them over time. What looks like simple play today is planting the seeds for future innovation.
Guiding it all was Ms. Draper, whose steady encouragement and joyful energy helped keep the room focused and fun. She gently coached the students through challenges, helping them turn frustration into discovery and teamwork into triumph.
In a space designed for curiosity, these kindergarteners weren’t just building trains and villages, they were building confidence, collaboration, and a love of learning.
“My students have loved using these LEGO sets, and they have proven to be a wonderful way to help introduce the concept of coding to our students at a young age. All while learning how to work together, which has proven to sometimes be the biggest challenge!
Thank you so much to FEF for your continued support of my school library and makerspace! Without you most of the things I am able to do would not be possible! You are all incredible!”
