by PLIX Ambassador Dana Phelps, Hedgesville Public Library, WV
Designed for ages 5 and up, this board game can be used before OctoStudio to introduce early coding literacy. Includes printable resources!
Codesaurus is a fun, hands - on board game that introduces children to the basic ideas behind computer programming. Players control dinosaur game pieces using simple command cards that act like lines of code. By planning moves and sequencing commands, players guide their dinosaur across the board toward the nest.
🥰 Ages 5+ 🕐 15-30 minutes 👩👧👦 2-4 Participants 🎨 Downloadable Materials
The goal is simple: be the first dinosaur to reach the nest! Along the way, players learn how instructions, order, and logical thinking work - just like in real coding.
Play Anywhere!
Codesaurus can be played at home, in classrooms, coding clubs, or after-school programs, and works well for a wide range of ages by adding different card sets as players become more experienced. Codesaurus is available as a print-and-play game.
Printable Resources
👉🏼 For best results, print all game files on cardstock.
- Game instructions
- Game board
- Command cards
- Dinosaur game pieces
Printing Instructions
To print the 20 × 20 inch game board:
- Open the board PDF in Adobe Reader.
- Select Print.
- Choose “Poster” as the page size option.
- The board will print as a 20 × 20 grid across 6 sheets of 8.5 × 11 paper.
- Cut and tape the sheets together to assemble the full board.
Game pieces and cards can be printed, cut out, and assembled. Fold the dinosaur pieces and tape them so they stand upright with a visible front and back.
3D Printable Resources
Instead of the paper dinosaur game pieces you can use 3D printed dinosaur game pieces.
Check out the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) store for their 2026 Digby, found on this page
🦖 Or head to Thingverse for dinosaur game pieces