Coding for Kids
Table of Contents
Edutopia
10/10/13
Editor’s Note: Helen Mowers, co-creator of the Tech Chicks podcast, contributed to this post.
It’s hard to imagine a single career that doesn’t have a need for someone who can code. Everything that “just works” has some type of code that makes it run. Coding (a.k.a. programming) is all around us. That’s why all the cool kids are coding . . . or should be. Programming is not just the province of pale twenty-somethings in skinny jeans, hunched over three monitors, swigging Red Bull. Not any more! The newest pint-sized coders have just begun elementary school.
If you’re concerned that that a) elementary school students don’t have the ability to code, b) there’s no room in the curriculum, and c) you don’t possess coding chops to teach programming skills, throw out those worries. The following sites and apps can help anyone who has basic reading skills grasp the basics of thinking and planning in order to make things happen (the whole purpose of coding) and create applications: interactive games, quizzes, animations, etc. Best of all, many of these tools are free, or almost free, and require no coding background or expertise!
In no particular order, we have listed all the coding apps that are appropriate for young learners. We’ve used many of them with elementary-aged students.
Tynker
Platform: Web
Cost: Free! (with Premium upgrade option)
Although Tynker is relatively new, we definitely count it as one of our favorite coding apps. The interface looks similar to Scratch. But while Scratch was designed to program, Tynker was built to teach programming. The app features starter lesson plans, classroom management tools, and an online showcase of student-created programs. Lessons are self-paced and simple for students to follow without assistance.
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