At Kiddie Academy, we love it when we can make learning fun. If you’re having trouble reading the headline for this post, well, that’s the point. It’s written in code. People write in code when they want a message to be secret or hard to read. You can make coded messages as easy – or as hard – to solve as you want. In this case, it’s pretty simple. It’s just a sentence written backward.
!nraeL ot ecalP nuF a si ymedacA eiddiK = Kiddie Academy is a Fun Place to Learn!
A code is defined as a system of signals or symbols (such as letters or numbers) for communicating secret messages. Codes can take on various forms – backwards writing, upside-down writing, or replacing letters with other letters, numbers or symbols.
Some of the earliest examples of codes date back thousands of years, found in ancient Egyptian ruins. They’ve been used to keep messages or important information private. To solve the code, the person on the receiving end of the message needs a “key” – a list or device that translates each character in the coded message into real-word characters.
With April Fool’s Day approaching, it’s a great time for a fun activity using codes. Using the key below, help your child write a coded message to give to a friend or family member. Have them deliver the message, then wait for a reaction when the recipient can’t read it. Then have your child provide the key to the recipient so they can decode the message. Then they can take turns sending and decoding more messages. This activity is a great way for children to practice letter recognition and writing, and strengthen their problem-solving skills.
Use the key below to solve this code:
!51&# 1#4 !1)78 1( \94495 13145@?
A = 1 G = 7 M = @ S = * Y = ?
B = 2 H = 8 N = # T = ( Z = /
C = 3 I = 9 O = $ U = )
D = 4 J = – P = % V = +
E = 5 K = \ Q = ^ W = <
F = 6 L = ! R = & X = >
If you want to learn more about secret codes the following sites and books have some great information and activities:
“Cool Secret Codes for Kids” – picklebums.com
“5 Secret Codes for Kids to Write a Coded Letter” – kidsactivities.com
“Secret Codes for Kids” – Mensa
“U.S. A. Secret Code Puzzles for Kids” – Dover Children’s Activity Books
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