Coding for kids is more important than ever. Technology has become a part of our everyday lives. As a result, coding has become a crucial second language for children and adults alike.
However, parents may find it difficult to teach children if they don’t have any experience themselves. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help parents bridge that gap and provide a great learning experience for their kids.
There are many online programs that teach coding for kids and provide the structure needed for kids to learn while being flexible enough to meet the demands of the modern family. Not only are there ample options for classes, but there are also tons of other free games, websites, apps, and other resources that help kids learn coding skills.
Read on to learn more about how to teach your kids how to code and free resources that can help you along the way.
Coding for Kids Resources
- CodeKarts
- CodeSpark Academy
- Hopscotch
- Scratch Jr.
- Move the Turtle
- Swift Playgrounds
- Mimo
- Codea
- Coding Safari
- Algorithm City
- LEGO Boost
- Daisy the Dinosaur
- Cargo Bot
- Box Island
- Run Marco
- SoloLearn
- Grasshopper
- DCoder
- RoboCode
- Codemoji
- Code for Life
- Stencyl
- Gamestar Mechanic
- Create & Learn
- Roblox Studio
- CodeWizardsHQ Activities
- CodeMonster
- StackOverflow
- Code Maven
- BitDegree
- Game Maven
- CodinGame
- Coursera
- Free Code Camp
- EdX
- Udemy
- AGupieWare
- Github
- MIT Open Courseware
- Hack.pledge()
- CS Unplugged
- Goalkicker
- IDE
- CoderDojo
- University Summer Camps
- Hackathons
CodeWizardsHQ, Your Partner in Coding for Kids
Free Coding for Kids Resources
46 of the best free classes, websites, and apps to help kids learn coding.
Free Coding For Kids Apps

CodeKarts
Ages: 4+
Format: iOS/Android
A pre-coding game for preschoolers to play. Kids learn to develop observational skills, concentration, and logic by guiding a car through various tracks.

CodeSpark Academy
Ages: 4+
Format: iOS/Android/ Kindle Fire/Windows
With over 1,000 fun, free activities and a simple-to-use interface, CodeSpark Academy is the perfect app to introduce kids 5-9 years old to programming.

Hopscotch
Ages: 4-11
Format: iOS
Create games, art, stories, and more with kid-friendly programming. Kids, ages 4-11, can program and publish unique games and apps to Hopscotch’s fully moderated community, where others can play and learn from their creations.

Scratch Jr.
Ages: 5-7
Format: iOS/Android/Kindle Fire/ChromeBook
With the ScratchJr. app, children 5-7 years old can program interactive stories and games to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer. They can also play games created by kids just like them.

Move the Turtle
Ages: 6-12
Format: iOS
Using visually engaging graphics, kids as young as age 6 can implement various programming concepts to direct a virtual turtle and complete unique tasks. The app comes in both iPhone and iPad format.

Swift Playgrounds
Ages: 8-12
Format: iOS
Swift is a coding language for developing Apple iOS programs and apps. Especially useful for beginner programmers (even those with no Swift experience) Swift Playgrounds lets kids work at their own paces with visually appealing and educational challenges.

Mimo
Ages: 15+
Format: iOS
Mimo puts the power to learn in your child’s hands! With over 23 free courses to choose from and comprehensive lessons, Mimo enables kids of any age to begin coding and advance their skills.

Codea
Ages: 13+
Format: iOS
A fully customizable code editor, Codea allows users to introduce all the colors and visual aids they may desire to assist in their coding efforts. It’s a free app for kids that lets your child turn thoughts into interactive creations.

Coding Safari
Ages: 2+
Format: iOS
A free app with a focus on pre-coding skills like problem-solving, decomposition, and computational thinking. Coding Safari is engaging and educational for children as young as two years old!

Algorithm City
Ages: 8+
Format: Android
Algorithm City is a 3D style game where kids can learn the basic concepts of programming, such as command sequencing, functions and loops, and more. Play and code to make a character progress by collecting gold and solving levels.

LEGO Boost
Ages: 7-12
Format: iOS/Android
Lego Boost is an app that allows kids to build different Lego models and program them with code. Children can program their models to make sounds and move using drag and drop code.

Daisy the Dinosaur
Ages: 5-7
Format: iOS
This app teaches basic code concepts like sequencing and conditionals in the form of fun little challenges. Make Daisy the dinosaur move, jump, and dance with drag and drop commands as kids experiment and learn.


Ages: 6+
Format: iOS
Box island introduces kids to fundamental coding and the basics of algorithms, pattern recognition, sequences, loops, and conditionals. The friendly characters, colorful and bright 3D game world and entertaining story parts make the experience fun for any child. Kids progress through the super fun and challenging gameplay as they build their coding skills.

Run Marco
Ages: 6-12
Format: iOS
This game uses simple commands like “move one step forward” and “repeat” to help students learn how to sequence a set of actions. Children will play and learn to modify their code to complete the task at hand, as well as design their own levels.

SoloLearn: Learn to Code
Ages: Varies
Format: iOS/Android
Aimed at older students, SoloLearn offers a list of programming languages like C, C++, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and Python. The course starts off with the basic foundations of each language and builds as you proceed through levels. Kids and teens can even compare their skills in head-to-head challenges with others.

Grasshopper
Ages: Varies
Format: iOS/Android
This app, created by Google, teaches JavaScript for kids through mini-games they can play. It offers two courses: one for brand new coders and another for more advanced coders. For beginners, the app will take you through a set of slides explaining the basics of how to code followed by a short quiz to review and improve their understanding.

decoder
Ages: Varies
Format: iOS/Android
DCoder is a mobile code compiler. This app is meant for more experienced individuals who are looking for fast and easy ways to compile and run their programs on the go!
Free Coding For Kids Websites

RoboCode
Ages: 5+
Cost: Free
Ever heard of robot fighting? Well here is a cool alternative! RoboCode lets kids build a robot in Java or .NET in order to play and compete against other robots.

Codemoji (Ages 5-8)
Ages: 5-8
Cost: Free
Targeted at kids 5-8 years old, Codemoji.com is a unique programming website for kids where they can learn the foundations of web development in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Using drag-and-drop emojis, kids will be able to work through beginner, intermediate, and advanced level beginner courses to further their understanding of important concepts and how to use them.

Code for Life
Ages: 6+
Cost: Free
Code For Life is a non-profit easy-to-use resource that provides teaching and lesson plans, user guides, and engagement through our two fun coding games: Rapid Router and Kurono. Rapid Router uses Blockly to introduce kids to Python. They then advance to Kurono where they will write Python code. Play over 100 levels while you learn.

Stencyl
Ages: 6+
Cost: Free
Quickly and easily create games that you can publish to iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux & HTML5. All of that and you don’t need to write any code. The platform is drag-and-drop and extends Scratch’s simple block-snapping interface with new functionality and hundreds of ready-to-use blocks. It’s free to use for Flash publishing and you can upgrade for more features.

Gamestar Mechanic
Ages: 7-14
Cost: Free
Learn game design and make your own video games by playing fun, game-based quests. Go on quests to power up or code your own games that you can then share with friends. It’s an easy-to-use design tool and has a library of hundreds of sprites plus a community of game developers.

Create & Learn
Ages: 7-10
Cost: Free
Create & Learn lets kids play and explore multiple interests like Scratch, robotics, and digital design. They offer a free Scratch class for getting started and host online events with top experts.

Roblox Studio
Ages: 8+
Cost: Free
Create your own games on the popular Roblox platform with Roblox Studio. Use this immersive creation engine to make any game you can imagine then share it with millions of players. There are game templates that make getting started very simple. In our Roblox camp, we use these templates to build an obby game that is personalized by the student.

CodeWizardsHQ Activities
Ages: 8+
Cost: Free
Free activities and tutorials, right here at CodeWizardsHQ. Try our Scratch, HTML, and CSS activities that are perfect for beginners and kids 8 years and older. It’s also a fun way to practice your coding skills and personalize your own games and projects. If you have questions, we’re ready to help in our STEM, Coding, and Robotics Facebook group.

Code Monster
Ages: 9-12
Cost: Free
Code Monster is an interactive tutorial where kids are guided through lessons that focus on action and results. Great for beginners as it’s a simple and gentle introduction to programming that advances from simple shapes to animation and fractals. Made for preteens, but may work for younger kids with help.

StackOverflow
Ages: 13+
Cost: Free
This is a resource for kids and teens who want to learn a programming language by themselves, but still want the support of an experienced community of people! StackOverflow is a question and answer site meant to answer a diverse range of computer science questions.

Ages: 13+
Cost: Free
CodeMaven is an interactive tutorial where teens and adults can learn important programming concepts like variables, loops, conditionals, expressions, and functions are introduced by example. It’s easy to follow and has over 50+ lessons that students can finish at their own pace.

BitDegree
Ages: 16+
Cost: Free
As one of the most popular eLearning platforms out there, BitDegree offers a multitude of fun computer science courses!

Ages: 16+
Cost: Free
Game Maven is part of the Crunchzilla family of games and learning tools. It’s an interactive tutorial to learn JavaScript. Follow the simple directions to code animations and games immediately. They do not offer a lot of explanation around the code though, so it’s helpful to supplement with tutorials or textbooks.

Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Learn new concepts by solving fun challenges in 25+ languages addressing all the hot programming topics. In CodinGame, compete with other developers in games and contests to top the leaderboards. Kids and adults can discover new languages and algorithms or tricks.

Coursera
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Offering more than 1,000 courses from 119 institutions, there are a number of free introductory programming courses in various specializations from universities. This platform lends itself as a very versatile and valuable tool in learning code.

Free Code Camp
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Databases, React.js, Node.js, and others can be learned by joining this nonprofit’s community of students and professionals. Work together on advancing skills and work to build apps for free and help this non-profit organization.

edX
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Another leading online-learning platform that is open source, edX was founded by Harvard University and MIT, so you can trust you’ll learn cutting-edge skills and theories from the 50+ schools included in their material.

Udemy
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Udemy is an online learning platform used to improve or learn new skills. With plenty of free coding courses taught via video lessons, such as Python Frameworks, APIs, HTML, CSS, + Payments, this site is a convenient option for advancing your abilities.

AGupieWare
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
An independent app developer that created a curriculum based on the free courses offered by Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley and Columbia, this program is broken into 15 courses ranging in complexity and focus. Perfect for anyone looking to expand their qualifications.

GitHub
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
While this may not be the first site you think of when wanting to learn how to code, it is definitely worth mentioning! GitHub allows students to collaborate on cool projects and look at the projects of other individuals for reference.

MIT Open Courseware
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has publicly available courses for a multitude of subjects, including programming. Kids and teens get the chance to sit in on classes from a very prestigious university!

Hack.pledge()
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Hack Pledge connects mentors and mentees with each other so that young programmers can learn and grow from experienced individuals.

Unplugged Activities
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Coding for kids can be screen-free too. If you prefer more hands-on activities, go ahead and try some unplugged activities. This is a compilation of different computerless games to play and paper activities to print. Plenty of free coding for kids resources here.

GoalKicker
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
Do you like learning through reading? Then check out GoalKicker! GoalKicker collects a ton of free programming books so that anyone can read about different languages and ideologies.

IDE
Ages: Varies
Cost: Free
An integrated development environment is a must-have for people learning how to code. Whether the IDE be BlueJ, Eclipse, or Microsoft Visual Studio, kids will have an easy way to debug, compile, and run their code.
Free Coding Events for Kids

University Summer Camps
Ages: 4+
This one is highly dependent on your location, but many universities offer free summer camps for people that are curious about computer science! Two great free examples include University of Texas at Austin CS Summer Camps and MIT’s CS summer camps.

CoderDojo
Ages: 7-17
As a volunteer-led community of free code workshops for kids, CoderDojo teaches coding to young, interested, individuals in multiple locations around the United States.

Hackathons
Ages: Varies
There are plenty of hackathons all over the world that are not only free, but give you the chance to learn programming skills from experienced mentors, support you through your journey of bringing your cool ideas into fruition, give you swag, and give you free food!
CodeWizardsHQ, Your Partner in Coding for Kids
If you want more support and a structured curriculum while learning to code, see the online coding classes for kids that we offer here at CodeWizardsHQ. We’ve adopted a blended method to teach kids and teens programming principles and practices using a combination of small, online teacher-led classes delivered and build-as-you-learn projects.
By completing our structured curriculum, students are introduced to Scratch, HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Responsive Design, App Development, Python, MySQL, and Git.
Each programming class is 12-weeks and no prior experience is necessary. You can also take a 3-week accelerated summer coding class to get started faster.
Kids can start in elementary school with block-based coding and advance to front and back end languages in high school. Every student has direct access to a teacher who is an experienced programmer. The instruction and projects are all web-based, so students can attend CodeWizardsHQ from any place where there is a reliable internet connection.
Ready to level up your child’s learning experience? Learn more about our coding programs or enroll now.