Online School Startup Camp K12 Makes Its Hatch Kids Metaverse, AR/VR Creation Platform Free

Supporting AR/VR Educator Resources, Curriculum for Coding Lessons Also Now Free, Hatch Kids Says

Online school startup Camp K12 today announced it is making its Hatch Kids AR/VR and Metaverse creation platform for K–12 students free for use, along with supporting AR/VR curriculum models for educators and schools also at no cost.

Hatch Kids allows students to create 3D, augmented reality, virtual reality, and Metaverse experiences even with no previous coding experience, according to a news release. “Younger students and first-time coders can create using a visual, blocks-based programming environment similar to that of MIT Scratch, while older or more experienced students can create advanced 3D applications using JavaScript,” said Camp K12.

Students’ creations in Hatch Kids can be published instantly to any connected device using a QR code scan or a link, the company said.

Camp K12 initially created Hatch Kids for its own online courses but decided to launch the platform publicly for free after “witnessing strong demand from educators and students while working with early partners,” according to the news release. Hatch Kids is compatible with iPad and Chromebooks.

Since its launch six months ago, Hatch Kids has seen 1.1 million students logging in from 150 countries, with 75% of those users coming from North America, Camp K12 said.

CEO Anshul Bhagi noted that while most of the free coding platforms are still using 2D project creation, the 3D platforms such as Minecraft and Roblox are winning market share as well as students’ engagement.

“As technologies like AR and VR go mainstream, we need to upgrade the tools that kids learn on and that educators teach on for modern-day use cases and content formats,” Bhagi said. “We built Hatch as a kids’ coding platform for the age of the Metaverse. We want to give 100 million young kids their first AR/VR creation experience and the self-confidence to be builders in the inevitable Mixed Reality future rather than passive consumers of it.”

Learn more at Kids.HatchXR.com.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • stylized human profiles, tablets, and floating icons

    From Feedback to Flexibility: 5 AI Tools Teachers Should Try

    As a fifth-grade teacher and AI School Champion in the St. Vrain Valley School District, I've seen firsthand how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education. Here are five AI-enabled tools I've found especially powerful in my classroom and professional practice.

  • teenager’s study desk with a laptop displaying an AI symbol, surrounded by books, headphones, a notebook, and a cup of colorful pencils

    Student AI Use on the Rise, Survey Finds

    Ninety-three percent of students across the United States have used AI at least once or twice for school-related purposes, according to the latest AI in Education report from Microsoft.

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • robotic elements such as a mechanical arm, AI brain, microchip, and wheeled robot in a muted blue color scheme

    California District to Build New Robotics Facility for Student Creativity and Collaboration

    California's Fremont Union High School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.