Coding is the language of the future! If you have kids interested in computers or how things work in this age of technology, here’s a set of coding activities your kids are going to love. We’ve been playing with them in our house, our friend’s houses, and in-class and here’s what we think. Check out these 10+ Awesome Coding Apps for Kids.
Our Favorite Coding Apps for Kids
Coding apps provide ample opportunities to help your kids learn adaptability, enhance critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This list of apps teaches kids the computer programming skills they need while they’re having fun with video games! Many of these interactive games utilize their own programming languages that include visual coding blocks. Some are web-based, but many allow for safe usage in a standalone app for tablets or laptops.
Kodable
This app includes games for kindergarten to fifth grade. It’s a great beginner app that is especially perfect for young kids. Kodable is free too and teaches concepts like looping and branching.
Scratch
You know I’m a fan of anything from MIT, my alma mater! This app was created by students and staff from MIT specifically for kids ages 8 to 16 and is a visual block coding language that makes it easy for kids to create.. It’s the perfect follow-on app to Kodable.
Minecraft
Of course, we have to add this popular app. There are entire worlds your kids can build using this paid app. Check out some of the opportunities for kids to learn to code with Minecraft and their whole education section.
Tynker
This app is a lot like Minecraft, but as kids learn to code they move up to using visual blocks before starting with Python and JavaScript. Pretty cool! It’s recommended for kids ages 7+.
Nancy Drew Codes and Clues Mystery Coding Game
Anyone else grow up reading Nancy Drew? Well, she is back with her own coding game! This is the perfect meld of mystery-solving and coding for your STEAM kids! This was actually a fun and sneaky way I introduced coding for my daughter without telling her. You know how some stubborn kids can be, once you tell them they have to learn something, it’s like nope!
Hopscotch
Not sure how to start teaching your kids about coding? This is the app for you! There are several great Play Projects already set up AND lesson plans for teachers too. Users have made over 26 million games… Plus the video tutorials are great. And it’s all based upon their Hopcotch visual programming language. If Hopscotch is too advanced for your kiddos, try Daisy the Dinosaur, their game for younger coders.
Hour of Code
Be sure to check out this event that brings the world together with one-hour coding activities for kids. In 45 different languages. For all levels of experience and all free.
Coding Apps for Kids Using Robots
My next favorite apps are definitely the ones that come with robots. We’ve tried almost all of the major robots like Dash, Cozmo, Jimu, Sphero, LEGO Boost, and more, so click over to The Best Toy Robots for Kids to learn more about their programming apps.
We used the Jimu Unicornbot to program our way through a glitter forest.
Screen-Free Coding for Kids
Maybe the kids have used up all their screen time for the day/week/Millenium and you want to take coding learning screen-free. Here are some fun ways to do it.
If-Then Backyard Backyard Coding For Kids This modern spin on Simon Says is a great way to get kids moving AND learning coding vocabulary.
Coding for Kids When you aren’t sure where to start with coding, try this post. This is a list of the very best coding activities your kids are going to LOVE.
Color by Coding
Kick up your next coloring session with some coding in these fun color by number coloring pages that incorporate ASCII binary code into the mix. Kids will love both the astronaut and unicorn versions!
To have this printable Astronaut Color by Coding Activity emailed to you, simply fill out the form below.
FREE! ASTRONAUT COLOR
BY CODING PRINTABLE
To have this printable Unicorn Color by Coding Activity emailed to you, simply fill out the form below.
FREE! UNICORN COLOR
BY CODING PRINTABLE
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