Coding at Canary Wharf and kayaking on the Grand Union Canal

Trying to do fun, family activities when you have a child on the autism spectrum can sometimes feel like pulling teeth. Over the years, Jonah’s interests have quite often been quite niche, from the years he was obsessed with trains to the many months we couldn’t walk past a newsagent without him demanding Match Attack cards, or Bumpees – an obsession that must have cost us hundreds of pounds until it ran its course.

This can mean that organising activities for the kids over half term can be a bit tricky. All the boys from Jonah’s circle at school are going kayaking today at the local centre on the Grand Union Canal near where we live  – it’s cheap, at just £2 for a day’s childcare for over 9s, and on a golden autumn day like today, should be a great laugh. But for Jonah, who tried it once before – and got wet – it all feels like too much trouble when he could have a nice quiet day spent coding his latest game – his latest obsession – on Scratch.

This is why events like Coderdojo, which we went to this Saturday at Barclay’s posh investment centre at Canary Wharf, are so good for children on the spectrum. Even the London ambassador of the event, the charismatic John Claffey, who talked to me in detail about his passion for coding, how much it has helped his own children gain confidence through becoming coding mentors at the events which are springing up across the country – recognises the benefits of the events for children who are a little different in the way they learn. The events provide opportunities for young people who have the capacity for brilliant coding, even if they might also be a little quirky or socially awkward, to thrive. In the short term, they help kids network with other young people in a calm and collaborative environment. In the long term, these events teach them valuable – and marketable – skills, and with local volunteers and partners, such as the lovely Danielle from Hays Recruitment, keeping a close eye on talent. And there’s plenty of advice on offer for kids who might find negotiating the complexities of Scratch somewhat easier than negotiating the social minefield of the playground – not to mention the jobs market in years to come.

At this, the second time we have been to a Coderdojo event (one of the school dads, Neil Allgood, is part of the team from Barclays organising the event) Jonah got the opportunity to show his work to a crowded room of peers – kids from his school, and around the local area, their parents, and event organisers, young mentors and partners. For a boy who can talk at length about his particular passion, but struggles to remember social niceties, it was really good to see him take the stage, and talk about his game, “No Pause” –  an elaborate and jumping and rolling game – even if the pressure to perform saw him die three times in quick succession. But he took it all in his stride in this very nurturing environment, where he was far from the only kid who struggled with the basics of eye contact and smooth verbal delivery. And even Ava, who at just seven has never really coded before, managed to create a good game with Tom’s patient assistance, and seemed to get a lot out of the session, even while lacking Jonah’s obsessive dedication.

Afterwards, hyped on Maom and other sugary treats provided at the event, rounded off with a  goodie bag on top, while we were wired on coffee, we went along to the pricey but nice Sushi ‘n’Sticks, whose complicated menu and lack of conveyor belt didn’t mean it was family unfriendly. The kids menu – chicken wings, sticky rice, edamame and juice, was plentiful, and to save ploughing through the 18 or so pages of hand roll options, we ordered two platters for us grownups – “big chicken, little duck” and salmon and tuna rolls, which was the perfect amount , and it was tasty and delicious, although I objected for paying 50p extra for “raspberry foam” on the kids’ sorbets. With drinks on top – two beers and a prosecco for me, we paid nearly £100, which is a lot for family dining, but you’d pay more for a romantic dinner a deux – chance would be a fine thing.

We rounded off what had been the perfect windy October day watching Hotel Transylvania 2 at the cinema – which even I didn’t find a drag, and so began what will inevitably been a rather pricey half term, what with childcare and keeping the kids busy when the weather can’t be guaranteed. But despite that, Monday has been cheap, and Jonah, when I picked him up from the Laburnum Boat Club after work on my bike, he’d had a rather lovely time with his friends, even though he said, “kayaking is basically just a nightmare, Mum”, he had been allowed to steer the narrowboat up the river for the “longest time” and was not too averse to returning there on another occasion once I’d explained the economy it offered.

 However, by far his favourite – and the cheapest thing we have done so far (and we took them to see Peter Pan – a Musical Adventure at the Adelphi on Sunday – verdict: kids loved it. Tom and I fell asleep) was the Coderdojo, which was a bargainous free. You can say what you like about raising kids and exposing them to different experiences, but I always find that playing to their strengths is by far the easiest and most rewarding path – the one of least resistance.

For anyone interested in finding out more about the Coderdojo movement in and around East London  – though it’s spreading around the country, John Claffey kindly sent me the following information, but this blog was written off my own volition.