Popular Coding Tools For Kids That You Must Check Out

here are a variety of coding tools available for kids, ranging from simple drag-and-drop interfaces to more complex text-based languages. Here are four of the most popular coding tools for kids:

Scratch is a great platform for coding for kids

Scratch is very user-friendly and has a great community of coders. kids can learn how to code on Scratch by following tutorials and building their projects. Scratch is a great way for kids to learn coding and have fun at the same time!

Though a little background knowledge of coding might be needed before kids start from scratch. Scratch can be used to create simple games, animations, and stories. scratch is also a great way for kids to learn about collaboration and sharing their work with others.

Features that separate Scratch from other platforms:

-Scratch is very user-friendly and has a great community of coders.

-Kids can use Scratch to build their projects by following tutorials and sharing their work with others.

-Scratch is also a great way for kids to learn about collaboration and sharing their work with others

-You have the option to browse through an amazing collection of projects posted by other participants.

-It's easy to share one's work on the platform.

-Independent learners will enjoy the platform because it encourages creativity.

-The projects are also motivating because they can be easily shared with a global audience.

What age can participate in Scratch?

The platform is designed for children of age 8 to 16 years but even younger children with some help from adults can use the platform.

How to get started on Scratch?

-Go to www.scratch.mit.edu and create an account by clicking on the "Join Scratch" button.

-Once you have registered, you will be taken to the Scratch website where you will see the Scratch Cat and a bunch of featured projects.

-To start coding, click on the "Create" button at the top of the page.

-You will be taken to the Scratch project editor, where you can start coding your project.

What can I create with Scratch?

You can create anything you can imagine with Scratch! Some popular things to make with Scratch include games, animations, and stories.

What is the Scratch Community?

The Scratch community is a great place to share your projects, find inspiration, and give feedback. You can also join forums and discussions, or just chat with other Scratchers.

To access the Scratch Community, click on the "Community" button at the top of the Scratch website.

How do I share my project?

Once you've created a project, you can share it with the Scratch community by clicking on the "Share" button. You can also share your project with specific people by sending them a link.

If you want to share your project with the world, you can also publish it on the Scratch website. To do this, click on the "Publish" button.

How do I get help with Scratch?

If you need help with Scratch, you can find lots of resources on the Scratch website. There are tutorials, forums, and a knowledge base where you can find answers to your questions.

You can also ask for help from the Scratch community by posting in the forums or chat rooms.

Is Scratch safe for kids?

Scratch is a safe and fun place for kids to code and share their projects with others. All content on Scratch is moderated by the Scratch community, so you can be sure that everything is appropriate for kids.

In addition, kids can only communicate with other Scratchers through messaging features that are built into the Scratch website. This means that kids can't share personal information with anyone on Scratch.

Scratch is available in different languages

Scratch is used in more than 200 different countries and territories and is available in more than 70 languages. You can change the language on Scratch, click on the "Language" drop-down menu at the top of the page, and select your preferred language.

There are so many things to explore on Scratch that it can consume a lot of time. It's important that as parents you help kids navigate so that they are not lost. Allocate a time for kids to use Scratch so that they can balance it with other activities.

What are the benefits of using Scratch?

To summarize some of the benefits of using Scratch include:

-It's a great way to learn coding concepts

-It's easy to share your work with others

-You have the option to browse through an amazing collection of projects posted by other participants.

-It's easy to share one's work on the platform.

-Independent learners will enjoy the platform because it encourages creativity.

-The scratch website is also available in various languages which makes it easy for people from all over the world to use.

-Scratch is also safe for kids as all the content is moderated by the scratch community.

-Kids can learn a lot of things from participating in forums and discussions, or just chatting with other Scratchers.

-Tutorials, forums, and a knowledge base are available on the scratch website in case anyone needs help with using the platform

Price

Free

Founders

Mitchel Resnick, David Siegel

2007

age groups- 8 to 16

Code.org is a great platform to learn to code

Code.org is a great platform for the kid to learn coding for free. It offers a variety of coding courses for different ages and levels. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a way to get their kids into coding!

Code.org is a nonprofit education initiative with a vision that every child has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of their education. 

Code.org's mission is to increase participation in computer science by making it available in more schools and increasing the participation of women and underrepresented minorities.

Code.org has developed a comprehensive K-12 curriculum that anybody can use to teach computer science, and offer teacher professional development resources.

Many teachers are using code.org to teach in schools as it has easy-to-use LMS that helps you to manage their class easily.

Over 70 million students and 2 million teachers on Code.org

Learn coding from home with Code.org

But that does not mean parents cannot take advantage of the platform, too. The home page has a big "Learn at Home" button that takes parents to a landing page with options for kids of all ages, even those who are not yet old enough for school.

For the youngest learners, Code Studio offers tutorials featuring characters from "Frozen," "Angry Birds," and "Star Wars." These start with the basics of coding concepts like sequencing and loops.

Older kids can try their hand at tutorials featuring instructional videos from professional coders, or they can jump right into projects on making games, learning how to code art, and more.

Code.org also offers resources for parents who want to help their kids learn to code but don't know where to start. The "Parents & Guardians" section of the website has articles on why learning to code is important, how parents can support their kids' coding journey and more.

Programs in Code.org for kids to try

Kids can try an hour of code to start coding-

One-hour tutorials are available to pique kids' interests that feature popular games and movies like Minecraft, Frozen, and Star Wars.

Listen to amazing stories all about computers, the internet, and code from people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and more-

Self-paced introductory courses - It is a great option for beginners where they can learn the fundamentals of coding with drag and drop boxes.

Pre-readers course for ages 4 - 8 - This is an introductory course for younger kids

Express Course for ages 9 -14- This course is also available in Hindi, Italian, Spanish, etc.

Self Paced introduction to Game lab and App lab- These are short modules for kids to learn concepts that span all programming languages and tools.

Project Inspiration- Kids can get inspired by projects in Sprite Lab, Game Lab, App Lab, and Web Lab. These include project descriptions, tips, and demo projects you can remix to make your own.

Code.org offers a variety of coding courses for different ages and levels, so there's something for everyone.

Code.org is a great platform for kids to learn coding because:

-It's free

-It offers a variety of courses for different ages and levels

-It has introductory courses for beginners

-It has professional development resources for teachers who want to learn how to teach coding in their classrooms.

Parents need to create an account for their kids where all the courses and modules done by the child can be saved.

Code.org is a great opportunity for kids to learn coding from anywhere in class or at home, parents should explore the platform to learn about it.

Price

Free

Founders

Hadi Partovi and Ali Partovi

Tynker provides story-based learning that allows kids and teens to learn the basics with easy block-based coding challenges before they transition to real-world text-based languages like JavaScript and Python. Coding with Tynker is easy and fun!

Tynker offers self-paced online courses for children to learn programming at their own pace. Through these courses, kids learn the basics of coding by solving puzzles and completing challenges. As they progress, they can unlock new levels and earn rewards.

With Tynker, kids can also create their games and share them with friends. They can even publish their games on the Tynker website for other kids to play. Tynker is a great way for kids to learn coding and have fun at the same time!

If you're looking for a way to introduce your kids to coding, Tynker is a great option. It's easy to use, and it's a lot of fun. Your kids will love creating their games, and they'll be learning valuable coding skills at the same time.

3 Mobile Apps for Learning Code

Tynker Junior

It is a picture coding game with voice-overs. Children who have not yet learned to read can solve story-based puzzles and build their first programs in coding sandboxes. This is applicable for ages 5-7.

Tynker

This is for older kids aged 6-11. This is more like drag-and-drop block coding with a full-featured workshop. Kids can build games and apps, compose music and art, they can control smart devices, etc.

Mod Creator

This is like drag-and-drop Minecraft modding. Kids can design skins, blocks, and items. They can modify mob behavior and add another add-on for ages 6-11 years.

Children can learn Real-world computer skills

• Learn real languages like JavaScript
• Code Data Science with Python
• Explore Art and Image Processing
• Prep for AP CS with Java

Creativity tools that kids will love

• Code Editors
• Paint Editor
• Animation Tool
• Physics Engines
• Game Builders
• Character Creators
• 3d modeling Minecraft

Why Tynker is a great program to explore?

Parents need not depend on the schools to teach coding to kids, they can explore the program to help kids learn. Coding is a thinking process, and Tynker offers the tools kids need to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success in the 21st century.

Tynker provides an opportunity for parents to be part of their child’s learning journey and see firsthand how coding helps them develop essential problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. Parents have access to the dashboard, they can see what progress the kids have made and share it with friends as well.

Coding is a new literacy and Tynker offers a comprehensive learning pathway to ensure kids have the opportunity to develop this important skill.

Tynker’s visual programming language makes it easy for kids to get started with coding.

As they progress, they can learn text-based languages like JavaScript and Python, which are used by professional developers. In Tynker, kids can code independently at their own pace, or they can join forces with friends to code together in multiplayer mode.

Tynker offers a variety of creative ways for kids to learn programming – from self-paced courses to multiplayer games to coding projects.

The features like a Built-in tutor are a great help for parents to guide their kids in the learning process. Tynker also offers progress tracking so that parents can see how their kids are doing and which areas they need to work on.

Tynker is a great way for kids to learn coding, and it’s a lot of fun. Your kids will love creating their games, and they’ll be learning valuable coding skills at the same time.

Tynker provides a community for kids where they can share their creations, play games, and interact with other coders from around the world.

Tynker has live classes- where kids can join in and learn from experienced educators. Tynker also offers an educator community where teachers can share resources and best practices for teaching coding in the classroom.

Tynker is also used by Byju's Future School as part of their curriculum- a leading K-12 ed-tech company in India with over 10 million students as their primary coding platform

Tynker provides family plans for bigger families with more than one child. The plans are very flexible and parents can choose the plan that suits their needs the best.

Hour of Code by Tynker - Tynker is a supporter of Hour of Code, a worldwide campaign to introduce millions of students to computer science. Tynker offers a variety of Hour of Code activities for kids of all ages like:

• Block coding
• Text coding
• Arcade
• UN
• NASA
• STEM
• Gallery

Price

Free and paid

Founders

Srinivas Mandyam

CodeMonkey is an educational game-based platform that helps kids learn to code without any prior experience.

The app teaches kids how to code through a variety of fun and interactive games, which gradually get more difficult as they progress.

CodeMonkey is available on both iOS and Android devices and can be played for free or with a paid subscription. The paid subscription gives access to additional features, such as unlimited playtime, more challenging levels, and access to a private forum where kids can ask questions and get help from other coders.

Whether you're a parent looking for a fun and educational game for your kids, or a teacher looking for a new way to teach coding, CodeMonkey is a great option.

What I found interesting about code monkey is that it has plans for

• Individuals - This offers one parent and a child account along with progress tracking.
• Family - This has 1 parent and 3 child accounts with progress tracking.
• Homeschool- This offers 3 students, and 2 teachers' accounts. It offers a classroom dashboard. lesson plans, solutions, etc.

The plans also include the below features:

All the above plans include:

• Block-based Coding Courses
• Game Creation Courses
• Mini-Courses
• Text-based Coding Courses
• Game Builder Future Releases
• Python Courses
• Challenge Builder

Code Monkey offers a free trial as well so that people can try it before they buy it. I think Code Monkey is a great app for kids to learn how to code. It's interactive and fun, and the gradual difficulty progression is perfect for kids who are just starting.

Coding concepts that kids can learn with Code Monkey

• Loops
• Variables
• Objects
• Functions
• Arrays
• Conditions
• Segments

It offers languages like

CoffeeScript: A programming language that is transcompiled into JavaScript.

Python: A widely used high-level interpreted language. A few of CodeMonkey’s courses teach it, specifically Banana Tales.

Courses offered by Code Monkey

Code Monkey Jr- A block-based coding game for prekg and kg children.

Beaver Achiever- A block-based coding game where kids learn through a story of a beaver.

Dodo Does Math- Coding courses to practice maths and programming

Coding Adventure - Real-world coding challenge for kids

Game Builder - It teaches kids to build games using CoffeeScript

Banana Tales- A games based python course for ages 11- 13

Coding Chatbots- Coding Chatbots introduces kids ages 13+ to the programming language of Python.

Parents can start for free on Code Monkey and then decide which plan to choose according to their child’s needs. I think Code Monkey is a great app for kids to learn how to code. It's interactive and fun, and the gradual difficulty progression is perfect for kids who are just starting.

Code Monkey is a part of the free Hour of Code event. An event that is organized by code.org to promote computer science. It is the largest learning event in history. Over 100 million students have tried an Hour of Code.

Here are some free programs to check out https://www.codemonkey.com/hour-of-code.

Price

The free and paid version

Founders

Jonathan Schor

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