Alice: a creative journey into programming and 3D creation

In previous episodes, we introduced how you can teach children to program using simple programs and popular game titles. In today's episode, we'll look at the Alice platform, which guides your children through the world of 3D animations. How does it work, and for which users is it suitable?

What is Alice?

Alice is an educational tool designed to teach programming through 3D animations and interactive projects. Unlike traditional programming environments, Alice focuses on a visual approach - instead of writing code, users work with colorful blocks that represent different commands and functions.

These blocks are then arranged into sequences that animate characters, change environments, or create stories. The platform is designed to be understandable to beginners but powerful enough for more complex projects. It allows users to transform their ideas into 3D animations or simple games, making it a popular tool not only in schools but also for self-learners.

How does Alice work?

Users start by choosing what type of project they want to create - it can be a simple animation, an interactive story, or a basic game. The platform offers prepared templates that can serve as inspiration or a blank environment for those who want to start from scratch.

Each project begins with selecting characters, objects, and environments from a rich library. It contains hundreds of pre-made 3D models that can be further edited and customized according to the user's needs.

Users can freely manipulate the characters and objects in three dimensions - change their position, size, angles, or properties such as color or textures. Children can, for example, create a scene where a character dances in a meadow, responds to a mouse click, or performs various movements according to preset conditions.

Alice allows advanced timing and condition settings for individual actions. This means users can precisely determine when and under what circumstances something should happen in the scene. The platform enables immediate project execution. If something doesn't work as expected, it's easy to find out where the problem is and fix errors.

Advantages of Alice

Alice offers a unique way to introduce children and students to the world of programming through creating 3D animations, stories, and games. Like other platforms, it avoids complicated text coding and allows a focus on program structure.

Unlike platforms such as Scratch or Tynker, which focus on two-dimensional environments, it allows working in three dimensions. This helps develop spatial imagination, which is useful not only in technical fields. Additionally, the platform is available for free.

Disadvantages of Alice

Although Alice brings many advantages, it also has some disadvantages that should be considered. One limitation is its technical demand. Working with a 3D environment requires more powerful devices, which can be a barrier for schools or families with limited budgets.

Another disadvantage is a somewhat steeper learning curve compared to simpler platforms, such as Scratch. While Alice is designed to be accessible to beginners, working with a 3D environment and more advanced features can be initially confusing.

The negative side is also a smaller community compared to more popular tools like Scratch or Minecraft: Education Edition. Fewer users mean fewer available projects, tutorials, and online support.

How to get started with Alice?

First, visit Alice's official website and download the application for free. Alice is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The installation is intuitive and quick, so even less technically skilled users can handle it without problems.

Then you can start exploring the user interface. The program offers a clear editor divided into several parts: the workspace, the library of 3D objects, and the control panel for adding command blocks.

For beginners, it's ideal to start with a simple project, such as an animation of a moving character, to grasp the basic principles of working with objects and commands. You'll also find helpful tutorials and guides that lead you step-by-step through the first steps.

Alice offers a rich library of templates. You can choose from pre-prepared scenes or characters and further customize them according to your ideas. If you prefer to create your own work, you can start with a blank project and build your environment from scratch.

Alice uses visual programming with colorful blocks. These blocks represent different commands, such as movement, color change, or interaction with other objects. Users can easily drag them onto the workspace and connect them into logical sequences.

While working, you can run your project at any time and test how it works. Once your project is complete, you can export it and share it with others. Alice allows creating presentations that children can use in school to present their progress and ideas.

Alice is an ideal platform for those who want to start programming while also developing their creativity. Just download the application, go through the introductory tutorials, and start creating your own animations or stories. The platform is suitable for both younger schoolchildren and students in secondary and higher education.