Aside from the usual music lessons or after-class math tutoring, parents have been considering coding as one of the most viable extracurricular activities for their kids.
Coding for kids has been gaining a lot of traction, especially with the increasing demand for coders nowadays.
If you are a parent like me, you might have even looked at coding as a possible career path for your kids.
And you are not that far off.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and IT is projected to grow by 11% from 2019 to 2029.
With that in mind, I, along with other parents out there, have been scrambling and looking for ways to open up coding to my kids as a worthwhile skill to learn.
Table of Contents
How do you explain coding to a child?
To some parents, coding itself is already difficult. What more if we have to explain it to our kids?
So to further help you explain it, we have listed several ways on how you can explain coding to them.
Make it fun
Nowadays, kids mostly spend their free time playing video games.
That being said, you can explain and let them explore what coding is through games.
Apart from the usual educational science and math apps, there are also several apps and games created by programmers and developers that makes learning how to code fun and easy-to-follow.
For instance, instead of using the traditional “Hello World” method to teach kids how to code, you can start with programs like Scratch or Blockly instead.
These programs are fun to use and they would keep your kids engaged for a longer period.
By doing this, you would not only increase their interest in coding, you are also encouraging them to explore and learn more about the subject on their own.
Make it relatable
Some kids might have a hard time grasping the concepts and logic behind coding if you explain it to them at a face value, because they might not even care about its worth and importance.
Bearing that in mind, you need to make them care about coding and make it into something they can relate to.
You can break big coding concepts into pieces and then explain it using relatable analogies.
For example, programming is not that different from making a cup of hot chocolate.
There are several ways to prepare them but in the end, you would still end up with a cup of hot chocolate. Aside from the ways to prepare them, there are also variables that define the quality of your hot chocolate. Variables like how much chocolate powder or milk should you put in.
Explainers like this are a great way to introduce coding to your kids.
Make it simple
Instead of immediately explaining the logic behind coding, you can gradually start by explaining how a computer works.
Afterward, you can work your way up and explain concepts in simple terms like how robots only understand specific language and so on.
Avoid using jargon and technical terms. This way, they can easily understand the concepts and fundamentals behind coding.
What are coding classes for kids?
There are several online and offline programs where you can apply your kids for coding classes.
Coding classes for kids does not necessarily mean having your child attend and sit in several classes.
Thanks to the internet, your kids can easily attend coding classes in the comfort of your home.
Since there are several approaches to teaching coding, kids no longer have to attend after-school class or tutoring. They can just learn it through projects, educational videos, community support, and coding games.
Nowadays, coding classes for kids are mostly digital. Kids are now able to learn coding at their own pace and at their own time.
Aside from that, kids can freely choose which kids coding languages they want to learn. That being the case, you are always certain that your kid is having fun and learning at the same time.
So instead of taking the traditional approach, we have listed several coding websites that we think might be useful.
What are the websites that offer coding classes for kids?
If you Google search coding websites for kids, you might be overwhelmed with the number of resources and programs readily available on the internet.
On that note, we narrow down the options to further help you decide which is best suitable for your kid.
Khan Academy
You might already have heard of Khan Academy because of its popular test prep on SAT or because it is one of the best math help websites out there.
Well, aside from the above, Khan Academy is a great website that provides foundational knowledge on coding too.
Their course content is very approachable, especially to kids who do not have any background knowledge in coding whatsoever.
From educational videos to reading materials, their course contents are visually appealing and easy-to-follow.
Kids would not have a hard time learning how to code on their own because contents are presented in a conversational manner, which means no jargon or technical terms.
One of the noteworthy features of this website is that most of its educational videos are uploaded on YouTube as well. Having this feature allows kids to easily switch and watch videos from their mobile phones instead.
freeCodeCamp.org
This coding website has been featured in several reputable news outlets like the BBC and the New York Times.
freeCodeCamp has housed many aspiring coders who do not have any background in coding and have helped them land jobs in big companies like Google and Microsoft.
Like Khan Academy, they upload their educational videos on YouTube as well.
Their website offers numerous resources, hands-on programming practices, and interactive coding challenges to further help your kids develop their skills.
While their website does not mainly target kids, their extensive introductory course content is still perfect for kids and beginners alike.
After finishing the course, kids can receive a certificate as well.
Code HS
Despite being a “comprehensive teaching platform for helping schools teach computer science,” Code HS is also a great website to jumpstart your kids’ journey to coding.
Kids can use the material and resources found on their website to learn the basics of programming.
Aside from that, there are demos, exercises, and quizzes on the website that kids can use to practice and improve their knowledge and skill.
When they are ready to progress and level-up their skill, kids can then use more advanced modules and materials.
After they learn the basics and fundamentals of coding, they can then proceed to learn coding languages like Java, JavaScript, and HTML.
Code HS can tag along your kid’s journey from learning the basics of coding to mastering a specific language.
Codecademy
This coding website offers both free and paid courses on data science, web development, and programming.
Codecademy is perfect for kids because it has a wide range of introductory courses on coding. More than that, there are advanced courses on the website as well.
So when your kid wants to up their skill or learn other coding languages, they would no longer have a hard time looking for other coding websites.
However, while their coding courses and modules are great, their educational videos are very limited.
If your kid tends to absorb information better with videos, then you might have to use codeacademy’s learning materials along with other visual aids.
All in all, Codeacademy is still a great resource for learning materials, quizzes, projects, and even assignments.
Tynker
To start the list of paid coding websites, let us look at Tynker, one of the most popular ones.
If you already Google search some coding websites for kids before, then chances are you might already come across Tynker.
Tynker is an online learning platform that teaches kids how to code through games and stories.
Instead of the traditional approach, Tynker courses and modules involve interactive lectures, tutorials, puzzles, projects, and quizzes.
If your kid is more of a visual learner, then Tynker is one of the coding websites you should really consider.
Their curriculum approach enables kids to learn the complex concepts and logic behind programming.
More than that, kids can transition and learn other coding languages with ease.
CodaKid
CodaKid is one of the most promising coding websites for kids. Unlike other coding websites, their focus is mainly on teaching kids how to code.
With that, kids can actually learn text-based coding languages like Python and JavaScript, which are mainly used by professional programmers and developers.
Their curriculum approach is somewhat similar to Tynker, in a way that their course content is visually appealing and easy-to-follow as well.
And like any other coding websites for kids, CodaKid is also a great resource for learning materials and projects.
However, what makes CodaKid stand out is that they tap on kid’s actual interests. They incorporated popular games like Minecraft and Roblox in their curriculum to pique kid’s interests.
By capturing their interest, kids would then be more inclined to learn and explore different coding languages.
CodaKid is perfect for kids who love games and are more technology-inclined.
Once they learn how to code, they would feel rewarded and they would then be motivated to explore other coding languages.
Another bonus to this website is their pool of experts and professionals. Your kid can have private lessons with an experienced programmer and they can easily message them every time they need help.
Overall, CodaKid is definitely one of the coding websites you should really look into.
Just to add on the above, we have also wrote an article on Roblox for parents who are skeptical about this app. It is titled Is Roblox Safe for Kids and you can read it by click the link.
Code Avengers
Based in New Zealand, Code Avengers is perfect for kids who do not have any background knowledge in computer science.
It gradually enables kids to write coding programs by helping them build strong foundational knowledge.
Code Avengers does not only provide learning materials and let kids simply watch educational videos, their course content is also rich with interactive and task-based lessons.
Complex concepts are broken down into simple explanations and real-world projects are given to allow kids to apply the knowledge that they have learned.
Apart from online courses and activities, Code Avengers also conducts code camps around the world, in which kids gather 1-3 days to learn together. This would allow your kids to share their interests with others and make new friends.
Conclusion
Given that there are several ways to teach kids how to code, parents like us need to adapt and make sure that our kids are fully equipped with the latest resources.
As we previously discussed, teaching kids how to code does not simply mean letting them attend coding classes online. There are several approaches, methods, activities, resources, and even coding apps for kids that makes learning more enjoyable.
Websites like
are great learning tools and platforms that can get your kids’ creative juices flowing. These learning websites for kids can evoke your child’s curiosity, making them more interested and wanting to learn more about coding.
So rather than looking at coding as a skill that your kid has to learn, think of coding as another fun activity for your kids instead. This way, they would be more inclined to pursue it.
Todd VanDuzer
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