Making Things Move
Change position over and over to animate.
Making Things Move is a free Coding for Kids lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Coding for Kids learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Let Us Make It Move!
Hello animator! 🎬🐢 Today we make things move on the screen!
Moving pictures are called animations.
What Is an Animation?
An animation is just lots of tiny changes, fast! 🎞️
Like a flip book: each page changes a little, and it looks like it moves!
Position on the Screen
The turtle has a position: where it is on the screen. 📍
We use x (left-right) and y (up-down) numbers.
Moving With goto
t.goto(x, y) sends the turtle to a spot. 🎯
Change the spot, and the turtle moves there!
import turtle
t = turtle.Turtle()
t.goto(100, 0)
turtle.done()It Slid Over!
The turtle slid to position 100, 0. 🐢➡️
That is movement! Now imagine doing this again and again, smoothly.
Lifting the Pen
To move WITHOUT drawing a line, we lift the pen with t.penup(). ✏️⬆️
Then the turtle moves like a ghost, leaving no trail! 👻
Move Without Drawing
Watch the turtle glide with no line behind it. 👻
import turtle
t = turtle.Turtle()
t.penup()
t.goto(120, 60)
turtle.done()Step by Step
To animate, we move a little, then a little more. 👣
Each small step makes the motion look smooth.
Changing Position Over Time
If we keep changing x by a small amount, the turtle drifts across the screen! 🌬️
import turtle
t = turtle.Turtle()
t.penup()
t.goto(0, 0)
t.goto(20, 0)
t.goto(40, 0)
turtle.done()That Is Animation!
The turtle moved 0, then 20, then 40. 🐢💨
Many small moves = smooth motion. That is the secret of all animation!
Movement Unlocked!
You learned goto(), penup(), and that animation is many small moves. 🎬
Quick Check
Animation quiz! 🎞️
Moving Master!
Yay! 🎉 You made things move.
Next lesson: using loops to keep things moving! 🔁
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Making Things Move” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Making Things Move” is free to read here on the web, and the Coding for Kids course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Coding for Kids course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Making Things Move”?
Change position over and over to animate. You practise Coding for Kids with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Coding for Kids?
No prior experience is required. Coding for Kids on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Making Things Move” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Coding for Kids lesson?
Yes. Every Coding for Kids lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Making Things Move
- Repeating Movement
- Bouncing Around
- Your Own Animation