Kids learn best when they are engaged in hands-on activities that challenge their imagination and unleash their creative thinking. The coding apps we selected for you today can do just that. They spark kids interest through immersive games and interactive learning activities designed to teach children basics of computer programming and coding skills. Using intuitive graphics and coding blocks, kids will get to build their own games, solve puzzles, and explore new stories while learning coding skills. We have included these coding apps (curated from iTunes App Store) into the visual below. You can download and print a copy to use in your class from this link.
1- Tynker
‘Tynker is the easiest way for kids to learn programming. Play fun puzzles to learn the basics and then create your own amazing games using over 100 step-by-step coding tutorials. Great for Hour of Code! Additional puzzle sets available as in-app purchases.’
2- codeSpark Academy with The Foos - coding for kids
‘codeSpark Academy teaches the basics of computer programming through a variety of interactive learning activities including puzzles, games, step-by-step creative projects, game design and offline printables – all of which can be monitored by parents.’
3- Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues
‘Nancy Drew: Codes & Clues sparks this interest through a fun and engaging story. The mystery adventure story also builds critical thinking and reading skills as kids read along with story dialogue. Nancy Drew is not a complicated app. Parents or kids DO NOT need to have any prior knowledge of programming. It’s just full of fun education, music and coding!’
4- Coda Game - Make your Own Games
‘In Coda Game you can be the boss of your own awesome games. Drag and drop the visual coding blocks to create games such as Air Hockey, Flappy Bird and Platform games and share them with the world! Your imagination is the only limit!’
5- Robot School. Programming For Kids
‘R-obbie the Robot crashed his spaceship in a far away galaxy. R-obbie needs a lot of energy to get back to his planet. Drag and drop programming instructions to help him reach the fuel he needs to return home safely. Robot School offers a child-friendly way to learn procedures, loops and conditional instructions, while making programming fun and accessible, regardless of prior experience.’
6- Kids’n’Code
‘Solve puzzles, control robots and learn basic concepts and principles of programming. With Kids'n'Code it's easier than ever.’
7- Move The Turtle. Programming For Kids
‘Move The Turtle is an educational application for iPhone and iPad that teaches children the basics of creating computer programs, using intuitive graphic commands.’
8- Hopscotch: Learn to Code Creatively and Make Games
‘Learn to code by making things you enjoy playing. Our award-winning block-based language was built from the ground up to be used on your touchscreen iOS device. With Hopscotch, you get a blank canvas for your imagination, a community filled with inspiration, and an audience to begin using your products the moment you publish them.’
9- Lightbot : Code Hour
‘Lightbot : Code Hour is a programming puzzle game- a game whose game mechanics require using programming logic to solve levels. This short teaser is meant to introduce players to programming who may have little to no experience. Anyone, anywhere, from grades K-12 can play, have fun and learn real programming logic! ’
10- Bloxels: Build, Play & Share Your Own Video Games
‘Build your own video games with Bloxels! The innovative video game creation platform makes concepting and execution easy. Watch your game world come to life as you create and animate play spaces, characters and objects because you are the artist, game designer, storyteller, programmer, publisher AND player!’
