Top 5 Coding Languages for Kids
Wanting to get your child started with coding, but not too sure where to start? There are various coding languages to choose from, and sometimes you might get caught up in all the technical jargon and find it difficult to decide which one is best for your kids. At The C.O.D.E. Initiative, we have taught hundreds of students a variety of programming languages through interactive, fun workshops. This guide will go through our top 5 coding languages of 2020 that are our best choice for kids with an interest in learning how to code.
1. Scratch
Scratch is an excellent choice for your young coder - especially for kids just getting started with learning how to code. It’s a block-based visual language (that means no typing needed!), and is great for beginners around the ages of 7-12. Scratch allows children to code and design fun games and animations from the ground up. At The C.O.D.E. Initiative, we offer both Beginner and Advanced Scratch workshops, helping children explore their creativity and develop a variety of fun games.
2. Python
Python is a text-based language (typing involved) that prioritizes readability - so it is a great one to learn for kids looking to strengthen their coding skills. Python is often used by video game developers, as well as for scientific and numeric computing projects. It looks a lot like regular English, and is great for kids looking to get started in creating projects without taking too much time. Our Python course is recommended for children ages 9+, and will revisit concepts in our Scratch workshops but in text-form.
3. Java
Java - the coding language behind some kids games such as Mincecraft, is arguably a more difficult one to learn of these five. Children that learn Java as their first-time language, however, may find other coding languages a bit easier to grasp afterwards. Students going through our Java course will explore various concepts and learn how to create interactive games such as Snake.
4. Javascript
Javascript (not to be confused with Java) is another programming language that is great for kids to learn. Students interested in web development or design are recommended to explore Javascript in our Web Development course, where they’ll go over two other programming languages as well (HTML, CSS) in order to design their own fully-functioning website! Javascript is used widely around the world to make web applications and sites.
5. Ruby
Ruby is yet another easily readable coding language with clearer syntax than others. Ruby was initially used to create the popular social media platform - Twitter, and is generally used to build a variety of web applications. Although we don’t offer a Ruby course just yet, it is a clean, easy to learn language similar to the likes of Python.
Ready to get your child started with coding?
Register for a workshop today while spots are still available.
