Algorithms and programs
Year 1 · Computing
Give clear instructions, solve problems and use technology safely.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Algorithms: put the steps in the right order
Brush your teeth, plant a seed, program a floor robot: put the steps in order. A free KS1 computing game about algorithms, with a printable sheet.
Play Algorithms: put the steps in the right order
Learning about algorithms and programs
In this Year 1 computing collection, you can practise Algorithms: put the steps in the right order. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Ask your child to predict an outcome before testing it. When a prediction does not match the result, change one thing at a time. Safety games rehearse decisions, but children should still ask a trusted adult when something online worries them.
Ask: “What would happen if you changed one step?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Algorithms: put the steps in the right order
An algorithm is a list of steps to follow, in the right order, to complete a task or solve a problem. Computers cannot guess what we mean, so a program is an algorithm written in a way a device can follow exactly. In Key Stage 1, children learn what algorithms are and that programs only work when the instructions are precise and in the right order.
Try an example: Planting a seed: what comes first, “Drop the seed in the hole” or “Make a hole in the soil”?
The seed needs somewhere to go, so the hole must be made first.
Show the answer
Make a hole in the soil.
What to look out for
Thinking an algorithm has to be on a computer. Recipes, directions and instructions for games are all algorithms. A program is an algorithm a computer can follow.
Read the full Algorithms: put the steps in the right order guide
Practise away from the screen
- Ask your child to give you instructions to make a sandwich, and follow them exactly, even when they are silly.
Curriculum connections
These games support selected practice connected to Computer science in the National Curriculum in England. The programme groups requirements by key stage; the year shown here is our suggested practice placement. A game covers selected examples, rather than assessing every requirement.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with algorithms and programs?
Start with Algorithms: put the steps in the right order. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. This collection brings together the games currently available for this learning area. It supports selected skills and does not replace the full programme of study or practical teaching.