I am interested in finding a Coding program for my 8 year old to start learning some basics. I know nothing.
Has anyone used programs they would recommend?
Thank you,
Kathryn
Hi there! My son is 9 and has been working on coding for a couple of years. There’s a lot out there! Some have not worked out, others have been a perfect fit. Just like anything else there is a teaching style to match with your son’s learning style. Most sites allow free trials. He started off with Scratch.mit.edu through our local library. It frustrated him immediately. His biggest success was with code.org (and that is free!). He would watch the video lessons, do the drag and click commands which is perfect for littles. Java script is pretty confusing with tons of typing. The drag and drop Java conversion is a great first step in learning to “make things happen” and why. There are lessons, different classes, creative work spaces and certificates of completion (i.e. Lots of motivation and reward). There are some other popular, quality sites as well: khan academy ( our neighbor boy loves), team treehouse.com (came recommended to me but have only tagged it, not reviewed), Youth Digital (a company where you enroll in level appropriate classes). Hope this helps with getting started! Computer science pays off in so many unexpected ways… developing learning skills that translate to other subjects. Have fun!
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My son is 10 and has been working through “Python for Kids” a book we got thru Amazon. My husband is a programmer and thought Python would be a good language to start with. I also recommend working on typing skills since that will help coding go so much more smoothly- for that we have used typing.com, which is free! Good luck!