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Coding has become an essential skill for kids. Not only does it prepare your child for great career opportunities but also helps sharpen other essential skills. Contrary to popular belief, learning how to program can actually be quite fun and interesting. If you are keen on teaching your kids how to code, here are some effective online coding resources for your child that will guarantee a fun learning experience.
Popular Online Coding Resources for Your Child
Listed below are some of the top online coding games and apps for children of all ages:
1. Scratch Jr
Inspired by the popular kids programming language Scratch, Scratch Jr is a coding app for kids. Scratch Jr is a simple app that lets kids create interactive stories, apps, and games using a drag-and-drop code. The app is suitable for young kids who do not have prior experience with coding.
2. Tynker
This award-winning app is one of the best kids coding games available in the market. With Tynker, kids can create fun games and animations through simple intuitive visual blocks. It also comes with step-by-step tutorials and gives the kids an opportunity to learn the basics of Python, JavaScript, and more.
3. LightBot
This programming based puzzle game not only helps your kids learn how to code but also strengthens their problem-solving skills. Lightbot is a fun game where the player guides an animated robot to light up tiles and pass levels using commands. The higher levels are quite challenging and help in sharpening your kids’ coding skills.
4. Codespark Academy
Codespark is a fun coding app suitable for children as young as 5 years. This app uses interesting games, projects, and puzzles to teach kids the fundamentals of coding. The app comprises personalized daily activities and new content to keep your kids interested. The app rewards kids for code writing with gold stars which helps them enhance their code writing skills.
5. Sphero Edu
Sphero Edu teaches kids about the basics of programming with fun animated Sphero robots. The app supports a drag-and-drop feature and code writing feature. Sphero Edu is the perfect app for kids who love robots and coding.
6. Think and Learn: Code-a-pillar
Think and Learn is an interactive game where kids can explore the world of coding with the aid of a friendly caterpillar. This coding game with its bright colours and fun music makes for the perfect code learning tool for visual learners. The game can be used with or without the accompanying caterpillar toy.
7. Spritebox
The makers of Lightbot bring to another captivating coding game for kids. This game is suitable for kids from the age of 4 years and up. The game is designed with alluring colours and graphics. Each level is a new adventure and is assured to keep your kids entertained while they learn.
8. Kodable
Kodable is a fun coding app for kindergarten kids. The app is popularly used by teachers and parents to teach the basics of coding to kids. It utilizes fun animated characters to guide kids through the world of coding. The app is a refreshing twist for those who want to take a break from block-coding.
9. Hopscotch
Hopscotch is one of the most popular coding apps for children. This app provides the kids with a platform to create their own fun projects, apps, and games through coding. The app consists of helpful video tutorials along with over 40 interesting challenges. There is both a free and paid version but the free version has enough entertaining and educational material for beginners.
10. Code Monkey
Code Monkey is a no-fuss coding game for young children. This game consists of a monkey character that kids have to aid in crossing obstacles through coding. The game presents a wide variety of challenging problems that can be solved by text-based codes.
11. Swift Playgrounds
Swift Playgrounds is a fun way to learn Swift, a programming language. This iOS app provides kids with a platform to learn to code and implement their knowledge of coding to solve puzzles. The paid version of the app lets kids interact with cute and colourful characters.
12. Box Island
Box Island is an entertaining app with interesting visual features. This narrative gameplay teaches your kids the basics of coding with a drag and drop method. The impressive graphics of the game makes it the perfect coding game for kids who love video games.
13. Mimo
Mimo is one of the most popular coding apps for kids. With Mimo, one can build interesting websites and apps. Mimo has special modules that will not only help kids build websites but also learn and analyze data easily. The app teaches popular programming languages such as Python, HTML, JavaScript, and more.
14. Lego Boost
Lego Boost is a unique app that lets kids build lego models with coding. Students can program and customize their Lego models using drag and drop code. The app has specialized instructional videos on how to create different lego models.
15. Bee-Bot
Bee-Bot is an app designed especially for young children who want to learn how to code. This app consists of 12 different challenging levels and is based on a lovable robot character. Bee-Bot not only teaches kids the fundamentals of code but also enhances their sequencing-abilities.
16. Daisy the Dinosaur
Looking for an adorable app to introduce your kids to the world of programming? Daisy the Dinosaur is a cute app that teaches kids the fundamentals of coding with cute animations. Kids have to guide Daisy the dinosaur through different levels through drag-and-drop commands.
17. Code Adventures: Coding Puzzles for Kids
Code Adventures is a fun game designed for children and adults. The game is about guiding an adorable fuzzball back home using programming commands. The game not only helps your kids learn to code but also improve your kid’s logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
18. BeBlocky
BeBlocky is a fun interactive app that makes learning computer programming a piece of cake. This revolutionary app is specifically designed for kids with no prior knowledge about programming. The app uses graphical programming blocks to educate kids about the basics of programming.
13. Nancy Drew Code and Clues
This is one of the most interesting coding games for kids. This female-centric coding app is a refreshing twist from the regular apps. The app helps both young boys and girls learn sequences and loops and sharpens their critical thinking skills.
20. Pocket Code
Pocket Code is one of the few coding platforms for kids that allows them to program, play, and share gripping games. This game enables kids to program games with great animations and music. With Pocket Code, kids can upload and download Catrobat programs and remix programs to create something unique.
21. Move the Turtle
Move the Turtle teaches kids the basics of programming with the help of an animated turtle. The app teaches the concepts of loops, sequence, conditional instructions, and variables through simple tasks. This app is perfect for young with who have no experience with coding.
22. Stencyl
Stencyl is a coding game very similar to BeBlocky and Scratch Jr. In this game, kids can use drag-and-drop blocks to create characters and other elements of a game. Kids can also create their own code and share it with other players.
23. Lego Mindstorms: Fix the Factory
Lego Mindstorms: Fix the Factory is a dream come true for every kid who loves robots. This unique game comprises a variety of puzzles that can be solved with logic and command skills. The game uses programming knowledge as a solution to clear the obstacles encountered by the robot character.
24. Coding Planets
Coding Planets is a coding puzzle game like no other. The simple yet eye-catching graphics of the game is sure to please the player. In this game, the player is supposed to help the robot navigate through obstacles using programs and codes.
26. Code Kart
This is the perfect game for your kids who love racing cars. Code Kart combines racing car and coding to give you a unique game that’s hard to not notice. In this game, kids navigate colourful race cars around tracks using block commands. The game also has a race mode where players can test their coding speed.
26. Cargo-Bot
Cargo-Bot is a visually appealing game where players guide a robotic arm to place colourful boxes to form a particular design. Players have different levels, and each level comes with a new set of challenges. The game aims more at teaching sequence than code writing.
27. Tinkerblocks
Tinkerblocks is a coding app for kids ages 6 and above. Tinkerblock simplifies the concept of coding for kids. This app has some simple and complex projects for kids and is perfect for kids who have no prior knowledge about coding.
28. Goldieblox: Adventures in Coding
Goldieblox is an award-winning one-of-a-kind gaming app for kids. This is the game with the world’s first female engineer character. The game is suitable for boys and girls and teaches the basics of coding through simple and fun challenges.
29. Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the best programming games for kids. The simple and unique graphics keeps kid intrigued and help the learn the fundamentals of coding. The USP of Minecraft lies in its simplicity. Kids can explore and go on exciting adventures through creativity and problem-solving skills.
30. Algorithm City
Algorithm City is a fun coding game for children. This game teaches the basics of coding in a fun and interesting way. Players get to learn basic elements of programming such as functions and loops and command sequencing. The game has 51 educational levels and chapters.
31. Code Quest
Code Quest is an innovative coding game that not only teaches coding but also improves one problem-solving skill. This is also one of the few games designed to be used by visually-impaired kids. In the game, the players score the highest by crossing levels with the least number of steps.
32. Run Marco
This game teaches children a sequence of actions with simple straight-forward instructions. Children also get to design their own levels in addition to crossing the different levels in the game. It also teaches children how to change the code to complete levels.
33. Roblox
Roblox is one of the top coding games for children. This site encourages kids to design and upload their own games and creations. Roblox is better suited for kids who already have some experience with coding. The game is quite popular even among teenagers.
34. Kids Ruby
Kids Ruby makes learning programming an absolute fun experience. This program not only helps kids learn to code but also gives them a platform to test out their own codes and check the output of their code. Kids Ruby is available on various popular platforms.
35. Algorun
Algorun is a fun way to learn coding and programming. The app focuses on puzzles that can be solved with programming. The game teaches kids about loops and conditionals without requiring the kids to memorize the loops.
Advanced Online Coding Resources for Older Kids
1. Codea
Codea is a code editor suitable for kids above the age of 12 years. Codea provides you with a platform to add life to your thoughts and translate them into creations. Kids can type in their code and interact with the results. Codes allow kids to add imagery, sounds, and more to their creations.
2. Scratch
Scratch is an online coding community that provides kids of all ages a chance to learn to program. With Scratch, kids can create animations, games, and apps with their own code and enhance their programming skills. It is one of the biggest coding platforms for older kids currently.
3. Thimble
Looking for a platform that will help your child’s website creation skills? Thimble is just what you are looking for. Thimble lets kids create their own web pages using HTML, JavaScript, and other coding languages. Thimble bridges the gap between visual coding and text-based-coding.
4. PluralSight
PluralSight is a learning platform that offers a wide variety of coding and programming courses. These courses cover the fundamentals of coding with some courses solely dedicated to popular programming languages. The courses come with tests where kids can assess their skills.
5. Hackety Hack
Hackety Hack is an open-source application that teaches children and young adults the fundamentals of coding. The interactive platform also lets users discuss ideas and as questions. Hackety Hack has the perfect learning environment for kids who are intent on mastering their programming skills.
6. CS Unplugged
CS Unplugged is a platform with a curated collection of free lessons about programming and coding. CS Unplugged lets kids learn the fundamentals of basics through fun and interesting games, puzzles, and other online tools.
7. Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a coding app that teaches the basics of JavaScript coding with the aid of a cute animated grasshopper. This app teaches you how to write code with fun games and activities. The app uses slides to teach the basics of coding to newbies. After each section, the users are presented with tests that let them assess their programming skills.
8. Code.org
Code.org is one of the best coding websites for kids. The website consists of a plethora of coding lessons for kids, teenagers, and adults. The interactive virtual lessons help kids learn to program and build on their programming skills from the comfort of their house.
9. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the most popular websites for coding and programming. This user-friendly website is plagued with fun and interactive lessons about different elements of programming. It also hosts a community where students can share projects and ideas with other students and teachers.
10. Codemoji
Codemoji takes a unique approach to teach kids coding. Instead of the usual boring tools, Codemoji resorts to fun emojis to teach the basics of coding. Codemoji simplifies the complex parts of coding and helps enhance kids’ coding skills.
11. Dcoder
Dcoder is one of the fastest code compiler apps in the industry. This cloud-based IDE helps kids code and learn algorithms with much ease. With Dcoder, kids can code on the go on their compact devices in more than 35 languages.
12. Enki
Enki is a popular award-winning app that teaches older kids how to code and learn new technical concepts. The app consists of a structured curriculum that makes learning easy. The app is suitable for both beginners and professional developers to hone their programming skills.
13. Code Monster
Looking for an app that will helps kids practice their JavaScript coding skills? Then you should look into Code Monster. This is an interactive game that teaches kids the basics of JavaScript coding. The app not only teaches kids about coding but also encourages them to ask questions and improve their skills.
14. Glitch
Glitch is a top-notch programming tool that helps kids create websites. It consists of simplified developer tools which makes it the perfect platform for older kids who are serious about coding. Glitch lets you build websites and lets students collaborate and work on a single project.
15. Coding Hero
Coding Hero is an online platform for coding and programming. Coding Hero brings to you a plethora of learning material in regards to coding. Teach your kids the fundamentals of coding with the myriad of interesting and simple courses on Coding Hero.
There is no dearth of options when it comes to online coding resources for children. These fun and interactive apps, games, and websites not only help your kids learn to code but also sharpen other essential skills. Take your pick from the above-mentioned resources and let your kids have fun learning!
