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On November 19, 2014, Code.org and Disney Interactive announced a *Frozen*-themed Hour of Code tutorial in which learners used block-based commands to help Anna and Elsa draw snowflakes, lines and ice patterns. Contemporary coverage called it “Artist with Anna and Elsa”; Code.org’s current course page lists it as “Code with Anna and Elsa.” The activity is still available, although today’s interface and Code.org’s wider Hour of Code program have evolved.
What Code.org and Disney announced in 2014
The partnership placed Disney’s *Frozen* characters inside Code.org’s second annual Hour of Code campaign. Using Disney Infinity versions of Anna and Elsa, students programmed the characters to create winter drawings. The announcement was made on November 19, ahead of the campaign’s December 8–14, 2014 event week—not at the time of the film’s release.
Disney Interactive’s role went beyond supplying characters. Code.org said Disney Interactive would contribute $100,000 to support Code.org’s after-school computer-science work in the United States. Disney Interactive also planned Hour of Code events at offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, Palo Alto and Kelowna, British Columbia. Those events were announced plans for that 2014 week, not evidence of a continuing Disney program.
The original report from GeekWire used the title “Artist with Anna and Elsa.” The current Code.org listing uses “Code with Anna and Elsa,” a naming change that can otherwise make the same resource look like two different lessons.
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How the Frozen lesson teaches programming
This is not simply a character-themed drawing toy. The activity uses Blockly-style visual blocks, so beginners assemble executable programs without typing syntax. Code.org’s introductory notes describe a play area, a toolbox of commands and a workspace where learners connect blocks, then select Run to see the result.
Sequencing and movement
Early challenges ask learners to place commands in the right order and direct Anna or Elsa forward. A movement block can specify a distance in pixels; a turn block changes the character’s direction by a number of degrees. The visible drawing makes cause and effect immediate.
Parameters and geometry
Changing a distance or angle changes the shape. Students discover that geometry is part of programming: repeated turns can make polygons, while carefully chosen angles produce snowflake-like patterns. They learn that a command is not just an action but also accepts values that control how it behaves.
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Loops and repetition
Rather than placing the same movement and turn dozens of times, learners can use loops to repeat instructions. This introduces a central programming idea—describe a pattern once, then tell the computer how many times to apply it.
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Conditionals and debugging
Later stages introduce “if/then” logic and ask students to diagnose programs that do not make the intended picture. Debugging means checking the order of blocks, the distance, the angle and the number of repetitions, then running the program again.
Creative output
The result is a visual winter scene or pattern that students can experiment with and share. That creative endpoint connects algorithms to art and design instead of presenting coding as text-only technical work.
Who the activity was for
The 2014 campaign targeted school-age beginners. Current Code.org teaching materials describe the lesson as suitable for roughly middle-grade learners ages 10–13, while noting that teachers can adapt it for younger or older students. Basic familiarity with drawing angles can help, but the lesson is intended as an introduction rather than a prerequisite-heavy course.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe activity was open to all learners. Code.org and Disney emphasized encouraging girls and widening participation in computer science, but the evidence supports an intention to broaden access—not a claim that the partnership produced a measured increase in girls entering the field.
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Representation in the launch
The tutorial included short video contributions from women in technology and media. Code.org’s 2014 announcement identified Jess Lee, then CEO of Polyvore; Paola Mejia, a Microsoft engineer; Lyndsey Scott, an app developer and model; and Karlie Kloss, described at the time as a beginner learning to code. Their presence paired female protagonists with visible women discussing technology, offering learners more than a fictional hook.
That representation was part of the campaign’s outreach strategy, not proof that a particular type of character branding is necessary for girls to learn programming.
Why the collaboration mattered
Code.org already had the Hour of Code format: a short, browser-based introduction designed to lower the barrier to trying computer science. Disney supplied a culturally familiar world and promotional reach. For children who knew Anna and Elsa, programming a snowflake could feel like an extension of play rather than an intimidating technical exercise.
The lesson also reframed what programming could involve. Movement, angles, loops and conditions produced drawings, so learners encountered algorithms through geometry, storytelling and visual design. The partnership illustrates how entertainment licensing can attract attention to an existing educational structure; it does not turn a one-hour activity into a complete curriculum.
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Try Code with Anna and Elsa today
Code.org still lists a 20-level sequence in the Code with Anna and Elsa unit. You can also open the first level directly at studio.code.org/s/frozen/lessons/1/levels/1. Current pages may look different from 2014 screenshots, and individual videos, labels or menus may have changed.
Learner steps
- Open the Frozen unit page and choose Try Now, or open the first level directly.
- Watch or skip the introduction.
- Drag blocks from the toolbox into the workspace.
- Combine movement and turn blocks to make the requested drawing.
- Select Run to execute the program.
- If the result is wrong, change the order, distance, angle or repetition count and run it again.
- Continue through the increasingly complex pattern challenges.
Teacher preparation
- Preview the current activity and confirm that classroom devices, browsers and network access work.
- Introduce the words algorithm, program, coding and debugging.
- Use a short geometry or “Drawing Machine” warm-up if students need help visualizing turns.
- Pair learners so one explains the intended algorithm while the other manipulates blocks, then switch roles.
- Ask students to predict a result before running it and explain what they changed after a failed attempt.
- Check current accessibility controls and the needs of assistive-technology users rather than assuming every device behaves identically.
The official guides recommend reviewing the lesson in advance and checking technology: Code.org’s teacher guide and the current Code with Anna and Elsa lesson plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the activity cannot do
- It is an on-ramp, not a full programming course. It does not cover topics such as data structures, software architecture or typed-language syntax.
- A learner can sometimes finish by trial and error without understanding the underlying algorithm, so discussion and prediction matter.
- The *Frozen* theme will motivate some students and leave others cold; the same coding concepts can be taught through non-branded activities.
- The 2014 event context is historical. Code.org’s broader initiative now also promotes the Hour of AI, alongside coding activities.
Common classroom snags
The expected lesson is hard to find
Use the current unit overview or the direct first-level link. A teacher-assigned course flow may not display the same navigation shown in older articles.
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Have students inspect command order, the turn angle, the movement distance and the loop count. The character turns from its current direction, so the same angle can produce a different line after earlier turns.
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Students struggle with geometry
Sketch the intended shape first and label the direction the character is facing. A quick paper “drawing machine” exercise can make the relationship between turns and repeated patterns concrete.
Video or loading problems occur
Preview the lesson, use the written notes at Code.org’s introduction page, and make sure the core block interaction is available even if a video does not load.
Students finish immediately
Ask them to minimize the number of blocks, predict a parameter change, or design an original snowflake. Require a short explanation of the algorithm rather than accepting copied blocks as the whole task.
The lasting lesson
Disney’s 2014 collaboration did not create a measurable outcome record in the available announcements, but it demonstrated a practical outreach idea: a familiar story can make the first encounter with programming feel approachable. The enduring Code.org activity lets learners move from a character’s movement to sequencing, parameters, loops, conditionals and debugging—and then decide whether they want to keep going.
Quick Recap
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