SCRATCH

Aimed at students aged 8-12 years old, Scratch is one of the best ways to take the first leap into programming. Developed by the MIT Media Lab, Scratch is a visual programming language. It allows students to build interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art. This visual approach to programming is the perfect way to teach students the fundamental concepts behind programming and software development. Scratch is free to download and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux.

ALICE

A 3D programming environment that allows students create animations, games, or videos to share on the web. The application will help students understand key principles such as object orientated programming and 3D modelling. Programs are created by drag and dropping graphic tiles. Each instruction corresponds to standard statements in a programming language, such as Java, C++, and C#. Alice is free to download and runs on Mac and Windows.

CODAKID

This program teaches kids 7 to 15 to write real code while creating custom Mods for Minecraft and Mobile Game Apps from the ground up. Created by a veteran Silicon Valley game designer, CodaKid provides online, self-paced courses such as Mod Creation: The Adventure Begins, a Minecraft Modding with Java course. CodaKid courses are fun, upbeat, and feature 35-45 hours of interactive projects and HD videos.

CODECADEMY

You will experience coding as soon as you open the page and is a fun, social introduction to programming for kids. Aimed at higher level students, courses focus on generic programming skills and JavaScript development. Codecademy is different to other courses in its very interactive approach to programming. Students work through an integrated terminal that gives feedback as they code. The social element is grown through earning badges and sharing progress with friends.

CODE COMBAT

Best for older kids, Code Combat uses an interactive, competitive gameplay mode to stimulate learning. There are online courses that require registration, but kids can be online, playing for free in seconds, too.

STENCYL

Inspired by Scratch’s snapping blocks system, this software allows users to create simple games for iOS, Android, Flash, Windows, Linux and Mac systems. If your child is serious about it, there are paid pro plans that come with advanced functionality.

TECH ROCKET

Coding and design courses for kids and teens ages 10 to 18. Python, iOS, Java, Minecraft, 3D printing…it’s all here! Each course contains lessons, support materials, and interactive challenges. Gain points and badges along the way!

TREEHOUSE

Some of the biggest names in tech (Twitter, Square, Airbnb) Treehouse is one of the most trusted and well known platforms for learning to code. With interactive online tutorials for beginner and advanced coders, ranging from developing webpages to building and launching apps, Treehouse has one of the largest collections available. Kids can take a 7-day free trial to test the waters and get started on a lifetime journey of coding and creating.

Tynker

A fun, intuitive suite of games that make it easy for kids to learn basic “computational thinking and programming skills.” Their Hour of Code feature is a great starting point for jumping into all that the site has to offer.