Hello fellow Apple Educators!
As an Apple Distinguished Educator and Board Chair of Birmingham Women in Technology's K-12 Outreach Committee, I'm excited to share how we used Swift Playgrounds with differentiated learning approaches for elementary and middle school students at our "Code the Halls" Christmas Design Hackathon. This community event was hosted during Computer Science Education Week on December 13, 2025, for the Birmingham-area community. Students used iPads and MacBooks to create personalized holiday apps through Swift Playgrounds, while also rotating through complementary design stations including Canva, Cricut, 3D printing, and XR technologies.
The Design Hackathon Concept: This wasn't just about learning technology - it was about designing holiday creations using different tech tools. Students (grades 4-8) rotated through five design-focused stations, each producing a unique holiday creation:
- Swift Playgrounds - Designing personalized holiday apps (differentiated by grade level)
- Canva - Designing digital Christmas cards
- Cricut - Designing custom holiday t-shirts
- Tinkercad + 3D Printing - Designing 3D holiday ornaments/decorations
- KaiXRÂ - Designing immersive holiday Christmas parade
The Swift Playgrounds Station - Differentiated Approach:
Elementary Students (4th-5th Grade): Learn to Code Our younger students were introduced to foundational coding concepts through the Learn to Code curriculum. This scaffolded approach gave them:
- First exposure to coding commands and sequences
- Playful introduction to computational thinking
- Holiday-themed coding challenges
- Age-appropriate problem-solving with immediate visual feedback
- Foundation for future coding experiences
Middle School Students (6th-8th Grade): "Merry Me" App Design Our middle schoolers used the "All About Me" template to design personalized "Merry Me" holiday apps. This allowed them to:
- Customize colors, images, text, and interactions with holiday themes
- Express their identity and interests through festive design
- Learn that coding is a design tool for creative expression
- Create more complex, personalized interactive experiences
- Produce an app they were proud to share with familyÂ
Why Differentiation Mattered:
Developmentally Appropriate:
- 4th-5th graders needed foundational skills and guided exploration
- 6th-8th graders were ready for open-ended creative design
- Both groups experienced success at their level
Different Entry Points:
- Learn to Code: "I can follow instructions and solve puzzles!"
- All About Me: "I can design something that represents who I am!"
- Both built confidence and interest
Progression Pathway:
- Elementary students left excited to continue with Learn to Code
- Middle school students saw practical application of coding concepts
- Clear pathway from foundational skills to creative expression
Why the Design Framework Works:
Reframes Technology as Creative:
- "Design a holiday app" feels more approachable than "learn to code"
- Students see themselves as designers/creators, not just users
- Connects coding to art, expression, and communication
Cross-Disciplinary Learning:
- Students saw how different tools solve different design challenges
- Digital design (Canva, Swift) vs. physical design (Cricut, 3D printing) vs. spatial design (XR)
- Understanding that all technology is fundamentally about designing solutions
Authentic Output:
- Every student left with tangible creations: an app, a card, a t-shirt, a 3D ornament
- Holiday theme gave immediate real-world application
- Projects they could gift or share with family
Â
Why Swift Playgrounds Shined in This Design Context:
Flexible for Multiple Levels:
- Learn to Code provided structure for beginners
- All About Me offered creative freedom for experienced students
- Both integrated seamlessly into our rotation format
Quick Design Wins:
- Students created meaningful progress in 30-40 minute rotations
- Visual coding made design choices immediate and clear
- Instant preview showed design decisions in action
Design Thinking Process:
- Elementary: Follow steps → See results → Understand cause and effect
- Middle School: Plan story → Choose elements → Code interactions → Refine → Share
Volunteer-Friendly:
- Clear curriculum paths for different age groups
- Mentors guided design thinking and troubleshooting
- Students worked with appropriate independence for their level
Community Event Objectives: ✅ Exposed students to technology as a design discipline ✅ Provided age-appropriate entry points into coding ✅ Showed multiple pathways: digital, physical, spatial design ✅ Created inclusive creative experiences (especially for girls in tech) ✅ Produced tangible holiday creations students were proud of ✅ Demonstrated that coding is a creative, expressive tool at every level
The Design Hackathon Model - Replicable for Any Theme:
Why Design Hackathons Work:
- Design framing attracts students who might avoid "coding events"
- Thematic focus (holidays, seasons, causes) provides creative constraints
- Multiple tools show breadth of design + technology careers
- Differentiation ensures all students find success
How to Implement:
- Choose a design theme - Holidays, identity, community issues, seasons
- Select complementary tools - Mix digital/physical/spatial
- Differentiate by age/experience - Use Swift Playgrounds' multiple curricula
- Frame every station as design - "Design an app" not just "code an app"
- Partner strategically - We used Ed Farm for space
- Emphasize creative output - Students design, create, take home
- Celebrate diverse design solutions - Show personalized projects
For Swift Playgrounds Specifically:
- Learn to Code perfect for 4th-5th grade introduction
- All About Me template ideal for middle school creative expression
- Both can be themed for any event (holidays, identity, interests)
- Visual coding interface supports design thinking across ages
- Can be completed in short rotation timeframes
- Free and accessible for continued creation at home
Questions for the Community:
- How do you differentiate Swift Playgrounds for mixed-age community events?
- What themes work well for engaging both elementary and middle school learners?
- Tips for volunteer training when supporting multiple Swift Playgrounds curricula?
- How do you help students see coding as a design tool at different developmental levels?
The Impact:
Elementary Students (4th-5th):
- "I can code!" confidence boost
- Many asked parents how to continue Learn to Code at home
- Excitement about solving puzzles with code
Middle School Students (6th-8th):
- "I made an app!" genuine pride in their creation
- Personalized apps they showed to family members
- Saw coding as relevant to self-expression
While students loved hands-on making (3D printing, Cricut), Swift Playgrounds generated powerful responses across both age groups because students experienced success at their level. Elementary students felt accomplished completing coding challenges, while middle schoolers designed something interactive and personal. Parents were amazed their children could engage with coding meaningfully in under an hour.
The design hackathon model with differentiated Swift Playgrounds experiences helped students see technology as a creative medium accessible at any level. Swift Playgrounds' flexibility made it the perfect tool to demonstrate that coding isn't about memorizing syntax - it's about designing experiences and expressing ideas, whether you're just starting out or ready to create something uniquely yours.
Would love to hear how you're using Apple's ecosystem for differentiated, design-thinking, and creative technology education!
#AppleEducation #SwiftPlaygrounds #DesignThinking #K12Outreach #LearnToCode #CommunityTech #EveryoneCanCode #WomenInTech #CreativeCoding #DifferentiatedLearningÂ
Attach up to 5 files which will be available for other members to download.