Editor at TechForge Media. Often sighted at global tech conferences with a coffee in one hand and laptop in the other. If it's geeky, I'm probably into it.











Coding can be fun, but it’s hard to persuade a child to put down their console and start learning a whole new language. Programming is becoming more and more vital in our society, and many jobs are being replaced by intelligent machines and applications built by the digital generation.

The coding begins as the player programs the Dalek back to health via a myriad of related puzzles and challenges.

The BBC has realised its importance, and is helping to get kids into coding through use of a game based on their flagship Doctor Who series which teaches children the basics of programming so perhaps one day they will be able to create the next Halo or Call of Duty – rather than just play it.

A game entitled ‘The Doctor and the Dalek’ will launch in the UK from Wednesday 22nd October for free, and will be voiced by the current doctor Peter Capaldi. Of course Doctor Who isn’t good without a decent story, and so in the game players will guide The Doctor as he teams-up with a Dalek to save all of creation.

The coding begins as the player “programs” the Dalek back to health via a myriad of related puzzles and challenges to subtly introduce kids to this brand-new world. It appears to follow the UK’s new Computing curriculum which is ensuring children gain the required knowledge – and are aware of their options – to follow a career in the industry post-education.

In order to aid teachers and parents, the BBC is releasing additional resources designed for them to help kids get more from the game. Even if you’re just a Doctor Who fan, no matter the age, you may find the game interesting as it gives deeper insight into the never-before-seen Sontar homeworld and the Clone Chambers.

‘The Doctor and the Dalek’ was produced by BBC Wales and BBC Future Media, and developed and built by London-based agency Somethin’ Else.

Now, if anyone wants to create me a coding course based around Breaking Bad, I’m sure we could get a few more adults into the world of programming…

What do you think about the BBC’s plan to teach kids programming? Let us know in the comments.