Coding isn't the easiest of skills to pick up and it's even more difficult for young learners. However, computer programming for kids is becoming increasingly popular since information technology is everpresent in our daily lives.
Naturally, programming is an essential part of the internet, but there are plenty of less obvious applications for programming. Coding skills have become non-negotiable for future generations, meaning that very young children should be encouraged to learn them.
This doesn't mean that every child in the future will grow up to be a software developer, but understanding even the fundamental concepts underpinning programming logic and computer programming will become valuable to employers.
For those who choose to dedicate their lives to computer programming or coding, there's the advantage that most roles are well paid, at least in terms of national average salaries.
Learning to code also comes with transferrable skills that can be beneficial for both technical and non-technical careers, like creative skills, problem-solving skills, and logical reasoning.
Coding can be difficult, especially for children, but in addition to programming courses for kids, you can also look to apps, resources, and websites that help them get to grips with programming languages.
There are lots of incredible resources for teaching adults about programming and software development, but when it comes to teaching kids, you must find resources that are appropriate to their level while also providing them with fun and engaging ways to learn.
Here are just some of our favourites.
The Best Apps for Teaching Kids to Code
Many parents are looking for ways to limit their children's screen time. It's not that the screens themselves are inherently bad, though, it's more that the way we use screens is mostly unproductive and seemingly a waste of time. Adults are guilty of this, too, but this article isn't about us.
If you feel your child is spending far too long using digital devices, you might consider looking to programming toys to teach them core programming concepts.
Even without programming toys, though, it's a good idea to simply shift the time they spend on their smartphone, tablet, or computer to something productive and useful.
Any of these apps would be a better use of their time than simply scrolling TikTok or watching endless YouTube videos.
codeSpark Academy
codeSpark Academy is an app that's suitable for children aged between 5 and 9. Like many other resources for teaching kids how to code, it uses engaging and fun activities to keep children interested in programming. It's available for iOS, Android, Kindle, and Windows.
The platform includes hundreds of different activities including puzzles and minigames that teach primary school children programming concepts like sequencing, loops, and conditions while also providing them with the means to design and code applications and games.
Kodable
Kodable is another popular app for teaching young children about coding. This app is recommended for children between the ages of 4 and 11.
Kodable teaches kids how to program in JavaScript or Swift, which are useful programming languages for children, especially since the former is widely used for most of the web and many of their favourite applications and games.
Kodable goes from the very basics of programming to some quite advanced topics, which means it's a resource that your child could use for a while.
You can get a monthly or yearly subscription to Kodable or pay for lifetime access (which is less than the cost of two years) if you feel that your child is going to be using it a lot.
Swift Playgrounds
The Swift Playgrounds app for iOS is a great solution for kids between the ages of 8 and 12.
The app focuses on the Swift programming language. The best thing about Swift is that it's a visual programming language, which makes it more engaging than writing lines of code.
Visual programming languages are also incredibly useful for kids with dyslexia who'd otherwise struggle reading and writing lines and lines of code.
In the Swift Playgrounds app, kids can code a character that they use to explore a 3D environment while also learning how to program in Swift.
Cargo-Bot
Cargo-Bot is an app that challenges users to solve puzzles by programming a delivery robot.
This isn't as much a structured programming course as it is a game, but it can and should be used in conjunction with other resources to help children develop problem-solving and creative-thinking skills through coding.
Cargo-Bot uses the Codea programming language, which is built on the Lua programming language.
Tynker
While Tynker is an app, it's also more of a programming course than some of the other apps that we've mentioned so far. This solution is suitable for a broader range of ages than most so both primary school and secondary school children might enjoy using it.
It's a fairly comprehensive solution that allows children to explore programming through lessons on things they'll likely enjoy such as modding Minecraft, studying AI through JavaScript, and learning how to code browser-based games using Python.
The Best Websites for Teaching Kids to Code
Smartphone and tablet apps are very useful for introducing kids to programming, especially if they're already comfortable using these devices.
However, with most programming being done on computers, then there's no reason your child can't sit down at a desktop or laptop computer and visit some of these websites to learn more about coding.
Code.org
The Code.org website is a comprehensive resource for aspiring programmers of all ages. Kids as young as 5 through to those in secondary school and beyond should bookmark this site and regularly visit it.
There are programming courses to teach younger kids about the basics while also specific courses on programming languages as well as HTML and CSS.
The "Hour of Code" section is great as it offers hour-long activities and practice, which can help add some much-needed structure to your children's coding journey and the sessions are short enough that they should be able to stay focused for most of them.
Lightbot
On the Lightbot website, kids can learn about recursive loops, conditions, and sequencing by solving puzzles. This is more a game than a website, but since you can access it via a web browser, you should consider bookmarking it.
Lightbot is also available for Android, Windows, iOS, and Mac OS.
The Best Courses for Learning to Code
Coding can be difficult, but kids can learn how to do it with the right courses and structure. They're particularly useful if you feel that you don't know enough about programming to help them as much as you'd like.
We've chosen a couple of courses here that are specifically suited to children, but as you start researching different resources and courses for your kids, you'll likely find even more that may be better suited for them.
To get started, however, we'd certainly recommend these two.
Code Combat
Most resources for teaching children how to code will try to add an element of fun to keep the content engaging. Code Combat takes this to the extreme by showing kids how programming is used to make video games while also having them create and play games.
For kids who like RPGs (role-playing games), this course is great as they essentially complete a high-fantasy quest while using programming skills and writing code. They can see the code they've written come to life on the screen and use it to solve problems and defeat their enemies.
Code Combat can teach them about things like coding syntax, strings, and loops.
Coder Kids
Coder Kids is a website that offers private tutoring and both online and offline coding camps for kids. The courses and programmes focus mainly on coding and robotics for ages 7 to 13.
There's a structured curriculum (which they call the Coding Journey). This features coding foundations, ScratchJr, Scratch, game design in Roblox Studio, and Minecraft Modding in Java. It also covers programming languages like Python, C++, Java, and JavaScript.
Of course, if you want to provide your child with even more ways to learn about programming, why not look for a private programming tutor on the Superprof website?
You just need to search for programming or coding and you can start browsing the profiles of tutors in Ireland and across the world.
Many of the tutors on the website offer the first lesson for free so try a few out before deciding which one is right for your child, how they like to learn, and how much you're willing to spend.
Generally, online tutors are cheaper than face-to-face tutors because they don't have to travel, but you can also find affordable programming tutoring by opting for group tutoring since the cost of the tutor's time will be shared amongst every student in attendance.
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