Each Unplugged activity is available to download in PDF format, with full instructions and worksheets. Background sections explain the significance of each activity to computer science, and answers are provided for all problems. All you need for most of these activities are curiosity and enthusiasm. There are photos and videos showing some of the activities in action, and we’ve collected links to other useful resources.

The activities are primarily aimed at the five to twelve year-old age group, but they are by no means restricted to this age range: we’ve used them to teach older children and adults too, with little modification.

The Activities

Data: Representing Information

Algorithms: Putting Computers to Work

Procedures: Telling Computers What to Do

Intractability: Really Hard Problems

Cryptography: Sharing Secrets

The Human Face of Computing: Interacting with Computers

Community Activities