In honor of Samuel F. B. Morse’s birthday (April 27, 1791), today we have an article on teaching your kids Morse Code.

Googles Logo in Morse Code

Google's Logo in Morse Code

Morse Code, while seemingly obsolete in today’s technology-driven world, is a good system of communication that can still be put to use.  Morse Code was originally used for telegraph communication; however, long after the telegraph went extinct and was replced by Mr. Bell’s telephone, militaries and radio broadcasters still used Morse Code.

Morse Code, at its base, is simply a series of dots (short sounds) and dashes (long sounds) that represent letters and numbers. they can be clicks on a Ham Radio, blasts on a car horn, beams from a flashlight–anything that can be made to signal audibly or visually from one person to another. You can see why it’s such a versatile way to sommunicate!

To aid in learning Morse Code, I’m linking up, once again, with an article from Brett McKay over at the Art of Manliness. Brett has a full history of Morse Code laid out on his site along with a chart you can use to help your kids memorize Morse Code. Bonus: The internet is full of schematics and designs for simple contraptions that allow your kids to practice Morse Code; these devices are usually nothing more than a piezoelectric buzzer connected to a battery and a push-button switch. They’re easy (and cheap) to build, and can provide lots of educational entertainment for children and adults alike. If you find such a design, leave a link to it in the comment box below so that we can all check it out.

Click here to visit Art of Manliness, and learn more about Morse Code!

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