Awards for the first Stack Overflow code challenge:
Most upvotes: Anon Coward
Bells and whistles: Ali Sheikhpour
New contributor: Kingsley_3z3nw4k4
Most sophisticated: return true
Technically correct: General Grievance
All of the awards given (aside from most upvotes) are subjective - Stack Overflow developers had a lot of fun reading through everyone's work and recognizing the entries that stood out.
Update on June 4, 2025: Check out the winners above! Challenge #1 is now closed, but entries can still be posted and votes can still be cast.
Check out code challenge #2 here!
Welcome to the first Stack Overflow Code Challenge!
For more context on what this is and why we’re doing it, you can check out this post on Meta Stack Overflow. If you have feedback on the challenge itself, that’s the place to send it!
Your challenge:
Implement a program that translates any sample body of text up to 100 words into baby talk.
Why baby talk?
Imagine you were talking to a baby. You would probably modify your speech to make it more engaging and accessible. This is called baby talk. Baby talk is a pattern of language used when adults talk to babies. It is different in different languages but is very widely used across almost all languages and cultures. There are even phonological rules of word transformation that are used in the creation of baby talk! This wikipedia article has more on the technical details (there might even be something useful on linguistics.stackexchange.com). Searching for baby talk translators online yields some AI-driven results but not much else. Let’s create some translators with very little practical application!
How do I participate?
Using whatever language or tools you are comfortable with, create your very own baby talk translator. It can be as simple or as sophisticated as you would like. The only requirement is that it takes non-baby-talk as an input, and outputs baby talk. (It does not have to be user-facing input, it can be as simple as a string variable.) The baby talk does not have to be linguistically accurate, though you can try if you’d like!
In your answer, please include the translated output of the sample text included below.
You can also vote, comment on entries, and share the challenge with others!
Is anything off-limits?
Please make it clear what tools you have used, and provide the entirety of the code in your answer. If you can, also provide instructions for users who might wish to test run your translator. Your answer should be your own original work and not generated by AI. If you've employed AI for code assistance or debugging, please be transparent: clearly state which AI tools were used and confirm that you were the author of the original code and its first revision. Other than that, use your imagination!
How does the actual contest work?
You have exactly one week from the date this challenge is posted to submit your entry. For the first three days, other entries are only visible once you have submitted your own. After that, anyone can view and vote on others’ entries.
May 27: Challenge goes live
May 30: All entries visible to everyone
June 3: Challenge ends
How do I win?
For this very first coding challenge test, user entries with the most upvotes will be recognized, as well as users with entries deemed to be particularly interesting by staff members. We realize this is not the most objective criteria; in the future, we plan to have a more sophisticated evaluation system! Please note that any upvotes received as part of this challenge do not count towards site reputation.
What sample text should I use to showcase my translator?
Here are two pieces of sample text taken from public domain children’s books. Feel free to use either or both!
Sample text 1: excerpt from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (public domain)
Then the two animals stood and regarded each other cautiously.
"Hullo, Mole!" said the Water Rat.
"Hullo, Rat!" said the Mole.
"Would you like to come over?" enquired the Rat presently.
"Oh, it's all very well to talk," said the Mole rather pettishly, he being new to a river and riverside life and its ways.
[...]
"This has been a wonderful day!" said he, as the Rat shoved off and took to the sculls again. "Do you know, I've never been in a boat before in all my life."
Sample text 2: The Tale of Peter Cottontail by Beatrix Potter (public domain)
Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were—
Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cotton-tail,
and Peter.
They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir-tree.
'Now my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.'
'Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out.'


Try this code!