10 Resources to Teach Your Kid to Code

By Laura Alexander

Posted on September 1, 2022

Teaching children how to become programmers has to be done with care because it is very easy to scare them away from it for life. If they show resistance, it’s probably best to shelve your idea and wait until your kid is a few years older before trying to introduce coding again. However, if they do show interest and an inclination to it, here are a few resources that will help both newbies and children learn how to code.

1 – Code Monkey

This one is very much aimed at kids for a soft entry into coding and programming in general. It tries to remove the more sterile and clinical side of coding to help younger people explore coding concepts. Once they have a feel for how coding works, they are further introduced to the more technical side of programming. It is a pretty handy platform that offers online coding for kids.

2 – Code Combat

This is similar to Code Monkey in that it tries to get kids away from the more sterile side of coding, but it does it with games. It does have a teaching structure, but it is more interested in showing off its games and showing how they teach the basics of coding to kids.

3 – CodeEmoji

This is a far more structured course that is more similar to what you may see in a classroom. It introduces kids to programming with a more colorful and vibrant interface than what an actual coding tool may offer.

4 – Wibit.Net

In a series of courses taught by two of the most delightful nerds, their courses start at the absolute beginning, which means they suit people of any age. They may move too quickly for smaller children, but anybody can learn from their courses because they start from the very beginning, including which tools to download for free and how to set them up.

5 – Code.Org

Through a series of courses, your child can learn how to code, or you can teach your child how to code. This is a very full and robust library of coding courses and teaching. It is really up to you as the parent to pick out what is needed and lead the way in your child’s coding education.

6 – Sprite Box

Don’t let the colorful graphics and the sweet looking adventure game fool you, this is a programming app for tweens and older. It offers puzzles where you have to use coding to find the solution. 

7 – Swift Playgrounds

As your kids show an interest in coding and perhaps start showing some aptitude, you can put them onto this Apple app. It offers coding lessons for people who are already interested in coding. It requires at least a little dedication, so is perhaps not suitable as a first experience of programming.

8 – Codeable Crafts

This app will instruct your child very little in the way of usable codes or skills. However, it does introduce children to the principles of coding, and can show how a small series of commands be altered to generate very different results.

9 – Raspberry Pi

Another Apple-only approximately, pick a course or a club and get on it. There is plenty to choose from, which is a good thing, but it makes it difficult for kids to get into the system on their own. They may need a parent to direct the classes a little.

10 – Made With Google

The Google search engine has its own set of toys and learning guides to help developers find their feet in the programming world. It has plenty of starter content, but it can be tricky to find. Still, it works well as a teaching tool or as something for older children and teens to scratch their coding itches.

Article contributed by Laura Alexander.

About the author: Laura Alexander is a freelance digital content manager and copywriter. She specializes in tech, ecommerce, and educational content.

Also read: Build An Actual Touchscreen Computer with Kano’s DIY Computer Kit Touch

10 Resources to Teach Your Kid to Code