The age of digital connectivity provides children with opportunities to learn anything about computers if they’re interested in them. As a parent or a teacher, take it a notch higher by introducing coding to children!

Coding is an important skill that your children must learn. They’ll be more prepared for an advanced future with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

You might wonder how kids can learn the science of coding. Luckily, there are lots of coding apps that cater to children so that they can study and learn.

Key Takeaways:

• The best coding apps children can learn
• Why coding is crucial for kids
• How parents can motivate their kids to learn to code

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Why is Coding Important For Kids?

A few technical skills can pave the way for a bright future in a world driven by technology. Coding is a skill that is essential in various fields, like computer programming, software development, and data analytics. Allowing your children to gain coding knowledge from a young age gives them a competitive edge in the future.

Moreover, coding also teaches children these valuable hard and soft skills:

• Logical thinking: Children think of the next best thing to do to make their codes work. They need to learn how to think rationally and find the best solution. 
• Problem-solving: Coding comes with challenges, like lack of help, practice, and technical problems in the codes themselves. Children will learn how to solve these problems with all the skills they have.
• Creativity: Children can be creative with coding as they make interactive stories and games and the worlds that run these games. They can create the lore and the game design based on their preferences.
• Perseverance: Any challenge can disrupt your child’s coding journey every day. They may also lose motivation in the process. Coding will teach them the value of perseverance to finish a project despite all the trials they face.

Developing these skills through coding can equip your children with the necessary skills to survive coding projects and real life.

Best Kids Coding Apps in Elementary School

Elementary school children need coding apps that suit their age. These four of the best and most engaging coding apps are built for their level as they start to explore coding:

1. CodeSpark Academy (Ages 4-9)

CodeSpark Academy takes children into the world of programming with interactive activities. Teacher characters will guide them in solving puzzles and playing games, which allow children to learn coding concepts in a structured process. CodeSpark monitors the user’s progress and keeps them immersed by adjusting the difficulty level in the succeeding games. Users can access this app since it’s available for iOS and Android.

2. Kodable (Ages 5-10)

Kodable is a combination of storytelling and cognitive development. The story of an alien family exploring a maze teaches kids JavaScript and basic coding concepts. They can navigate the entire game’s world with simple commands. You can access Kodable on Windows and iOS devices, which means your kids can play using an Apple or Android device.

3. Code Karts (Ages 3-5)

If you want to introduce elementary-level students to programming, a fun and interactive app like Code Karts may get their attention. It uses drag-and-drop code blocks, which kids can use to guide their designed race cars around a track. Code Karts has a milestone tracking feature where kids can view their progress in the app. It doesn’t need reading skills to play, so it’s suitable for children as young as three to use Android and iOS.

4. Lightbot (Ages 4-13)

Lightbot shows puzzles that children can solve and learn coding concepts at the same time. In this app, that’s available on Android and iOS, children will help the cute animated robots get through challenges, sharpening their logical thinking and problem-solving skills. It has a range of puzzles for different ages, making the app ideal for elementary students to study coding.

Best Coding Apps for Kids in Middle School

Middle school kids can explore these apps to develop their coding skills further. Here are the coding apps they can use:

5. Hopscotch (Ages 8-17)

Hopscotch fuses science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and arts in one app. It’s a popular app containing various tools where children can create art, games, and stories. With Hopscotch, your child can learn key programming concepts and creatively control the designs and characters.

Hopscotch is only exclusive on iOS devices. Use the in-app purchases to buy additional content. The monthly subscription is $7.99 per month and $79.99 annually.

6. Sphero Edu (Ages 5-13)

Sphero Edu is a combination of robotics and engineering. This interactive coding app on iOS and Android allows kids to make their own landscapes and use the drag-and-drop interface to learn coding. For middle school kids who like robotics and coding, Sphero Edu is the perfect coding platform for them.

7. Everything Machine (4 Years and Above)

If you want to introduce your child to programming and engineering concepts, Everything Machine is the perfect app! Kids will learn to create features, like stop-motion cameras and voice disguising, to broaden their creativity. Everything Machine lets children push their limits in creating projects. If you want to use this app, it’s only available on iOS.

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Best Coding Apps for High School Kids

The following apps are suitable for high school students who can already grasp more advanced coding languages and concepts:

8. Mimo (4 Years Old and Above)

This is a free coding app that children can use every day to practice and sharpen their coding skills. It offers real-time feedback and various coding concepts. Since Mimo caters to all ages, it can be easy for children as young as four to learn. It lets users learn multiple programming languages at their own pace. It’s also accessible to students since it’s available on both iOS and Android.

9. Codea (13 Years Old and Above)

Codea empowers students to create stunning graphics and interactive games through the programming language Lua. The app lets students write code with simple commands. They can also put images and sounds in their projects and let kids unleash their creativity in coding. Some of the games made through Codea are Starsceptre and Banjax. Use this app on iOS and create your own game today!

10. Programming Hub (13 Years Old and Above)

If your child is keen on learning more than one programming language, then by all means, use Programming Hub on your Android and iOS devices now. Your kid can choose over 20 programming languages and solve challenges to gain hands-on learning experience in coding.

What makes Programming Hub stand out is its bite-sized content that helps a student learn better and faster. The complex concepts are broken down into bits. It’s also suitable for beginners and advanced learners. Programming Hub is free and comes with in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $74.99.

How Parents Can Help Kids Learn to Code

As a parent, you should play a supportive role in your child’s journey with coding. They may be unwilling to learn coding or doubtful if they can pull it off. These tips help you guide your kids to a positive learning environment:

1. Start with the Basics

If your child has zero coding knowledge, you can introduce them to age-appropriate coding apps. These apps are easy to use and navigate, which allows your child to learn at their own pace.

2. Get Their Excitement

It may be a little challenging for you to get your child’s attention with coding. Play interactive videos and use engaging apps to hook their attention and spark their interest in coding.

3. Give Them Challenges

Your child will eventually develop their coding skills as they learn complex concepts. Increase the complexity of the lessons to challenge your kid to do better.

4. Get a Mix of Resources

Online classes may not be enough. Give your child more resources for learning coding, like hands-on projects, courses, and tutorials. This will help them learn more with a detailed approach from these resources.

5. Let Them Collaborate

Don’t underestimate the power of collaboration in fostering your child’s social skills. Consider signing up your child for pair programming so they can learn how to work with others and develop a sense of teamwork. They can share their ideas and learn to meet halfway with other kids when working together.

6. Celebrate Their Milestones

Coding is hard work, and your child deserves nothing less than being celebrated when they achieve small or big things. Congratulate your child for any achievements they make. It will boost their self-esteem, work on more projects, and motivate them to pursue coding.

Conclusion

Coding apps introduce children to the colorful, challenging, and amazing world of coding. There’s always an app for elementary, middle, and high school students to tinker and explore. Introducing them to coding at a young age equips them with the necessary skills that lead them to a brighter future.

These coding apps can help nurture your child’s interest in coding and make them more creative than they already are. Whether they create games or explore puzzles, these apps can provide your kids with an educational experience and make coding fun.

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