A gaming console is a great gift for kids. It is a good way of keeping them busy and engaged at the same time.
Many parents worry for their kids getting spoilt with digital gaming. Smartphone, Tablets, Laptops! There are games everywhere!
Have you ever thought of using these gaming consoles in an educational way? Yes, it’s possible with programmable game consoles where kids can code, program and play their own games. So, if you are bored playing the same game over and again, just design a new one. How cool is that? And who knows, maybe your child also gets inspired to become a programmer or developer in future and be a part of a skilled future workforce at a tech company. So next time you buy a gaming console for your kid, you can buy it like an educational toy or tech toy which can be used for coding and STEM learning for your kids.
Sounds like a life saviour, isn’t it? Read more about programming gaming consoles and our list of top 9 DIY or Programmable retro gaming consoles for kids.
1. Pygamer
Adafruit PyGamer is an entry-level gaming handheld for DIY gaming, and maybe a little retro-emulation.
It fits in your pocket, is fully Open Source, and can run CircuitPython, MakeCode Arcade or Arduino games you write yourself.
2. Mewobit 
Meowbit is a card-sized graphical retro game computer designed for teenagers which allows you coding with Makecode arcade and Python.
In other words, it combines game programming with hardware devices.
3. Nibble
Nibble comes preloaded with four retro games inspired by cult classics - Bonk, Invaderz, Snake and SpaceRock. 
You can code games for your Nibble in CircuitBlocks code editor similar to Scratch or Code.org that makes it easy for beginners to get into embedded programming.
4. Tetris 
The Tetris® MicroCard is the ultimate on-the-go gaming hardware for those moments where you want to take a quick Tetris break!
The Tetris MicroCard is powered by Arduboy. USB rechargeable with six hours of battery life and the size of a credit card.
5. Adafruit PyBadge for MakeCode Arcade, CircuitPython, or Arduino
The PyBadge is a compact board, it's credit card sized. It's powered by the ATSAMD51, with 512KB of flash and 192KB of RAM. 2 MB of QSPI flash added for file storage, handy for images, fonts, sounds, or game assets.
An all-in-one dev board and can run CircuitPython, MakeCode Arcade or Arduino
6. 8BitCADE XL
Play over 200+ Arduboy & retro themed games organised in an easy to use menu system that comes preinstalled on your console.
It is for gamers who want to experiencing retro games on the large 2.42 inch OLED screen with fast access via a memory chip with a customisable menu system.
You can build, hack, program and rip apart to learn more about electronics and coding with these gaming consoles. So get one now!