Coding is not a recent phenomenon and has been in existence for a few years. The first commercially available programming language, FORTRAN, was developed back in 1956, while Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson developed the famous programming language C at Bell Labs in 1969. Computers have evolved since, and programming language has branched off for multiple purposes.
Coding is an essential skillset of modern times, thanks to the specialized skills and focus on technology innovation in the market. According to research, there are 18.2 million software developers globally, and coding is valued as an important skill not just for programming but in several business areas. However, how early should kids be acquainted with it?
Today, thanks to the many coding programs for kids, children as young as 7 years of age can start coding and understanding the basics of programming, but teaching it to these bright young minds is a skill in itself. To help you get your young one acquainted with computers and understand what goes on behind the scenes, here are 7 coding programs for kids that’ll give their coding careers the right foundation:
Code Avengers
Cost: $20-$29/month following a Free trial
Age: 5-15+ years
A great website to teach kids the basics of coding, the page has great coding programs for kids on building web pages, apps, and interactive games. Although it lacks the eye-catching graphics, Code Avengers offers multiple courses of computer programming for kids that range from Python, Javascript and more.
The curriculum is self-paced and prompts kids to debug codes, work through each lesson and challenge their thinking. The coding program for kids covers the basics for younger and advanced learners alike.
Kodable
Cost: $6.99/month or $59.88/year
Age: 4-11 years
Dedicated specifically for the younger target audience, Kodable is a great coding program for kids that teaches basic programming logic and how to build codes from scratch. From those in kindergarten up to fifth grade, the coding program for kids will help students learn and write JavaScript code and will boost your child’s exposure to coding.
The coding program for kids uses interactive assignments and quizzes to make it a fun learning experience. It is widely used in schools and is available for iOS devices.
Codemoji
Cost: Start at $7/month
Age: 6-14 years
CodeMoji is a relatively inexpensive coding program for kids that provides great user-friendly emojis to teach coding. The website has many emojis to learn complex codes to substitute HTML, JavaScript and CSS codes. The well-structured coding program for kids will enable children to build their own websites and animations and complete dynamic project assignments.
The coding program for kids is marketed for schools and parents for kids starting from the age of 6. CodeMoji is especially recommended for introducing kids to the basics of coding and web development.
Code Q Junior
Cost: Trial starting Rs. 3600
Age: 10-13 years
Code Q is a programming curriculum developed and taught by experts from the ITT, Google, Flipkart, and Ola. The coding program for kids is designed from different age groups with a curriculum that spans foundations of computer, Microsoft Office, Internet and how it works, Networking, AI, Robotics, and more.
Kids who are of a higher age group can explore the coding program for kids like CodeQ Explorer and CodeQ Senior. The CodeQ Junior is recommended for kids between ages 10-13 years.
Udemy
Cost: Rs. 720
Age: 8-16 years
Kids Coding with Scratch is a step by step guide to help young minds learn the techniques of writing programs. The course is offered on Udemy by Gabriel Serrano and consists of interactive videos that cover the general concepts of animation, games, programming languages and more. The coding program for kids will give lifetime access to two hours of video lessons, games, and presentations with a certificate of completion once the program is successfully completed.
This coding program for kids is highly recommended for its step by step exercises, intuitive and straightforward learning lessons and a wide range of topics that it covers.
LinkedIn Learning
Cost: Part of Lynda (LinkedIn Learning) platform with plans starting Rs. 900 per month
Age: 8-16 years
The coding program for kids offered as part of LinkedIn Learning teaches Scratch programming language that is developed for kids. The program features interactive stories, web animations, games, and teaches Scratch without a single line of code. This coding program for kids focuses on teaching the techniques of scratch and helps students create projects and develop applications using Scratch.
The video lessons teach at a learn at your own pace and can be completed in a duration of 2 hours. The coding program for kids is perfect for those who have a subscription to LinkedIn learning and can add a certification too once the entire course is completed.
Shaw Academy
Cost: Completely Free
Age: 8-16 years
Shaw Academy’s Scratch for Beginners is an entirely free online coding program for kids that is perfectly suited to trains young minds critical problem-solving techniques through interactive lessons and fun games. The play at your own pace games and fun puzzles will help kids learn the graphical programming language, Scratch through interactive stories, animations, music, art, and more. The coding program for kids contains interactive lessons and have assignments to make sure your kids perfect the art and get introduced to the world of coding.
The coding program for kids covers a range of topics, provides interactive learning and is completely free, making it ideal for young tots who want to learn coding through story-telling.
To summarize, coding for kids is all about making the process fun and interactive. These coding programs for kids are sure to improve your child’s logical thinking and make them a better coder. Coding is an essential skill, and these resources are excellent to get your kids to be early adopters in the digital and tech-savvy era.
If you are seeking fun and exciting ways for your kids to enjoy and learn to code, click on this link and enroll today.
