We\u2019ve divided the list into age groups: preschool, elementary, middle school and teen. But these are only general guidelines. Have a look through all the different options, and see if anything catches your eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preschool<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRobot Turtles<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nRobot Turtles is a coding-themed board game, which just so happens to be the best-backed board game in Kickstarter history. It\u2019s aimed at preschoolers, but grownups can play it with them. It\u2019s the perfect way for a family to spend a rainy afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The game is built around instruction cards (turn left, turn right, move forward). Players use these cards to direct a turtle through a winding maze. The entire game uses pictures and symbols in place of written words, making it perfect for kids who haven\u2019t learned to read yet. While playing the game, they\u2019ll pick up plenty of important coding principles, including sequencing, algorithms and abstraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s also a secret Galapagos rule set which makes the game a whole lot harder. This version is just for grownups \u2014 fast, fun and competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hopster Coding Safari<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis wildlife-themed coding app<\/a> is all about getting different animals to the places they\u2019re meant to be. Help a fox find its way to the mouth of a den. Help a penguin slide towards a hole in the ice. Help a monkey reach a bulbous bunch of bananas. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAll of these puzzles are cute, fun, and very rewarding. They\u2019re educational too. Kids will learn about decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, sequencing and algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just like Robot Turtles, Hopster Coding Safari uses pictures and symbols instead of text-based instructions, making it perfect for children as young as two. Sit down together with a tablet or phone, load up the app, and see how many animals you can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coding with chalk<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis unplugged activity can be played by anyone. It\u2019s especially great during summer months, when you\u2019re looking for a project which gets you out in the sun. All you need is a piece of chalk and a stretch of ground. Simple, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use the chalk to draw an 8×8 grid, with each square large enough to stand in. Color a few of the squares, maybe five or six, at random. Next, it\u2019s time to become a robot. Put down the chalk, enter the grid, and let your kid start calling instructions: turn left, turn right, step forwards. It\u2019s really similar to Robot Turtles, but using a person instead of a turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember: as a robot, you can\u2019t ignore instructions. You have to do exactly as you\u2019re told. And if your kid manages to direct you to stand on a colored square? They get to blast you with a water pistol (that\u2019s why this one is best to play in the summer).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elementary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMinecraft: hour of code<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nEveryone\u2019s heard of Minecraft. It might just be the best-known game on the planet. But not everyone knows about Minecraft: Education Edition. It\u2019s an official spin-off from the main game, which can be used to teach all kinds of subjects, from biology to coding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The coding lessons are really excellent, and don\u2019t feel like lessons at all. They take the shape of adventures instead: escape a mysterious mansion, travel back in time, take a voyage to the bottom of the sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is hands-on, stealthy learning. We couldn\u2019t recommend it more. After watching your kid play through these adventures, you\u2019ll probably be itching to try the game yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google logo<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nJust like Minecraft, everyone has heard of Google. But also like Minecraft, not everyone has heard of their educational spin-off: CS First. This is an easy-to-use and free-of-charge computer science curriculum. It can be used in the classroom, at home, or anywhere else you have the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CS First has plenty of brilliant coding projects, but one of our favorites is this one: create your own Google logo. Using Scratch\u2019s block-based interface, children can program every letter in the Google logo, using colors and animations and other special effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Give it a go alongside them. Turn it into a competition. Which one of you can make the most beautiful version of the Google logo? Who knows: maybe your kid has the makings of a graphic designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deck of cards<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis is another unplugged project, just like the chalk game we mentioned earlier. It\u2019s always great to try an unplugged activity here and there, and to remind yourself that a coding project doesn\u2019t always require a screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lay the cards on the floor in a 7×7 grid. Place some obstacles on the cards to create a mini-maze: lego bricks do well, or anything else you have lying around. Put a toy at one side of the maze \u2014 maybe a car \u2014 then get your child to think of an algorithm that would send the car to a specific space on the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The algorithm should sound something like this: \u201cGo two cards forward. Turn left. Go one card forward. Turn right. Go three cards forward. Stop.\u201d Together, you can put the code into action, moving the toy step-by-step until it lands (hopefully) in the right position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0411\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nDash is a robot. A very cute one: three wheels and a big, round eye. Kids can link Dash to a phone or tablet, and write code that tells this little blue robot what to do. It\u2019s fun and rewarding \u2014 a chance to see your code come to life through a real machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This project isn\u2019t cheap. At more than $150, Dash is a bit of a luxury. For some people, it\u2019s worth the price, but for others, it\u2019s better to stick with the free alternatives we\u2019ve included elsewhere on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dash also has an older sibling: a robot named Cue. It\u2019s a similar principle, but this time for slightly older learners. With some clever coding, both Dash and Cue are capable of performing some really impressive tricks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"coding](\"https:\/\/d3sujgifhk94se.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/05164548\/coding_projects.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMiddle school<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMindstorms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nMindstorms is a set of robotic toys that look like something from a science fiction movie. They\u2019re a Lego products, but you wouldn\u2019t know it. The Mindstorms robots have a really distinctive look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The set comes with five unique robots that kids need to build from the electrical components provided. Once the robots are ready, it\u2019s time to link them to the Robot Inventor App. This app lets children code instructions for each of the robots, then watch the instructions play out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a great resource, but very expensive, just like Dash and Cue. That\u2019s the problem with home robotics. They\u2019re a lot of fun, but really don\u2019t come cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swift Playgrounds<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nA quick heads up: Swift Playgrounds is only available on Apple devices. If you have one, great. If not, you should probably skip this suggestion, and continue down the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swift is a really excellent app. It\u2019s jam-packed full of puzzles and lessons which teach all kinds of vital coding principles, including functions, loops, variables, conditionals, and parameters. These are next-level skills, as children move up from elementary coding to something more advanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your kid can really get creative here. They can even build their first app. Swift has sharing capabilities too, allowing your kid to share their project via message, email or AirDrop. Believe it or not, they can even upload their designs to the App Store, rubbing shoulders with the greats: Angry Birds, Candy Crush and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kodu Game Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nTo compensate for the Apple-only Swift Playgrounds, this one\u2019s only available on Windows. Does that even things out? Hopefully. Apologies if you\u2019re using Linux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Kodu, children create vibrant video games using a simple visual coding language. It\u2019s a really fantastic resource, with plenty of scope for creativity once you start to get the hang of it. You can program the terrain, change the behavior of characters, and do all other kinds of interesting stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe you and your kid could use Kodu to build a game together. Alternatively, you could leave them to work independently, then play the game when they\u2019re done. Just hope they don\u2019t make it too difficult. You don\u2019t want to end up stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Build a webpage<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAt younger ages, coding projects are usually based on experimentation and problem-solving. But middle school students are ready to get creative. Swift Playgrounds (app making) and Kodu Game Lab (game making) are great examples, and here\u2019s another one: designing a real-life webpage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Web design<\/a> is easier than you think, especially if you and your child are willing to work on the project together. Khan Academy has a good guide on the subject, and with a bit of work, the two of you could make a sparkling webpage about anything you wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou can share the webpage with family and friends. Or maybe you\u2019d prefer to keep it secret. A private project between you and your kid. The website you built as a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teens<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRaspberry pi<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nLast, but not least: a Raspberry Pi is a lightweight computer, about the size and shape of a credit card. Older kids, with coding know-how, can use them to achieve some really cool effects. They can literally use a Raspberry Pi to automate their bedroom. Play music with a voice command, play an alarm at sunrise, turn on the lights with a clap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe it\u2019s wrong to call a Raspberry Pi a coding project. Instead, it\u2019s a key that allows other projects to unfold. Hundreds of projects are possible here, maybe even thousands. You\u2019ll notice this is the only project we\u2019ve suggested for teenage coders. That\u2019s because a Raspberry Pi is so versatile \u2014 they won\u2019t be needing anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll be pleased to know that these mini-computers are affordable. Raspberry Pi is a charity foundation, and they\u2019re fully committed to providing products at a fair and reasonable price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Final words<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThat completes our list of coding projects for kids. Hopefully one of them caught your eye \u2014 or maybe even several of them. If you\u2019re looking to support your child\u2019s coding, we also recommend our post about the best online coding classes for kids<\/a>. Combine those classes with a few of these projects, and you really can\u2019t go wrong.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More and more children are learning to code at school, and more and more parents are trying to support them with coding projects at home. … <\/p>\n
Robot Turtles is a coding-themed board game, which just so happens to be the best-backed board game in Kickstarter history. It\u2019s aimed at preschoolers, but grownups can play it with them. It\u2019s the perfect way for a family to spend a rainy afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The game is built around instruction cards (turn left, turn right, move forward). Players use these cards to direct a turtle through a winding maze. The entire game uses pictures and symbols in place of written words, making it perfect for kids who haven\u2019t learned to read yet. While playing the game, they\u2019ll pick up plenty of important coding principles, including sequencing, algorithms and abstraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s also a secret Galapagos rule set which makes the game a whole lot harder. This version is just for grownups \u2014 fast, fun and competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hopster Coding Safari<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This wildlife-themed coding app<\/a> is all about getting different animals to the places they\u2019re meant to be. Help a fox find its way to the mouth of a den. Help a penguin slide towards a hole in the ice. Help a monkey reach a bulbous bunch of bananas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All of these puzzles are cute, fun, and very rewarding. They\u2019re educational too. Kids will learn about decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, sequencing and algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like Robot Turtles, Hopster Coding Safari uses pictures and symbols instead of text-based instructions, making it perfect for children as young as two. Sit down together with a tablet or phone, load up the app, and see how many animals you can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coding with chalk<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This unplugged activity can be played by anyone. It\u2019s especially great during summer months, when you\u2019re looking for a project which gets you out in the sun. All you need is a piece of chalk and a stretch of ground. Simple, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the chalk to draw an 8×8 grid, with each square large enough to stand in. Color a few of the squares, maybe five or six, at random. Next, it\u2019s time to become a robot. Put down the chalk, enter the grid, and let your kid start calling instructions: turn left, turn right, step forwards. It\u2019s really similar to Robot Turtles, but using a person instead of a turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember: as a robot, you can\u2019t ignore instructions. You have to do exactly as you\u2019re told. And if your kid manages to direct you to stand on a colored square? They get to blast you with a water pistol (that\u2019s why this one is best to play in the summer).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Minecraft: hour of code<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone\u2019s heard of Minecraft. It might just be the best-known game on the planet. But not everyone knows about Minecraft: Education Edition. It\u2019s an official spin-off from the main game, which can be used to teach all kinds of subjects, from biology to coding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The coding lessons are really excellent, and don\u2019t feel like lessons at all. They take the shape of adventures instead: escape a mysterious mansion, travel back in time, take a voyage to the bottom of the sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is hands-on, stealthy learning. We couldn\u2019t recommend it more. After watching your kid play through these adventures, you\u2019ll probably be itching to try the game yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google logo<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like Minecraft, everyone has heard of Google. But also like Minecraft, not everyone has heard of their educational spin-off: CS First. This is an easy-to-use and free-of-charge computer science curriculum. It can be used in the classroom, at home, or anywhere else you have the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CS First has plenty of brilliant coding projects, but one of our favorites is this one: create your own Google logo. Using Scratch\u2019s block-based interface, children can program every letter in the Google logo, using colors and animations and other special effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give it a go alongside them. Turn it into a competition. Which one of you can make the most beautiful version of the Google logo? Who knows: maybe your kid has the makings of a graphic designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deck of cards<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another unplugged project, just like the chalk game we mentioned earlier. It\u2019s always great to try an unplugged activity here and there, and to remind yourself that a coding project doesn\u2019t always require a screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lay the cards on the floor in a 7×7 grid. Place some obstacles on the cards to create a mini-maze: lego bricks do well, or anything else you have lying around. Put a toy at one side of the maze \u2014 maybe a car \u2014 then get your child to think of an algorithm that would send the car to a specific space on the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The algorithm should sound something like this: \u201cGo two cards forward. Turn left. Go one card forward. Turn right. Go three cards forward. Stop.\u201d Together, you can put the code into action, moving the toy step-by-step until it lands (hopefully) in the right position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0411\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dash is a robot. A very cute one: three wheels and a big, round eye. Kids can link Dash to a phone or tablet, and write code that tells this little blue robot what to do. It\u2019s fun and rewarding \u2014 a chance to see your code come to life through a real machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This project isn\u2019t cheap. At more than $150, Dash is a bit of a luxury. For some people, it\u2019s worth the price, but for others, it\u2019s better to stick with the free alternatives we\u2019ve included elsewhere on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dash also has an older sibling: a robot named Cue. It\u2019s a similar principle, but this time for slightly older learners. With some clever coding, both Dash and Cue are capable of performing some really impressive tricks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mindstorms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mindstorms is a set of robotic toys that look like something from a science fiction movie. They\u2019re a Lego products, but you wouldn\u2019t know it. The Mindstorms robots have a really distinctive look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The set comes with five unique robots that kids need to build from the electrical components provided. Once the robots are ready, it\u2019s time to link them to the Robot Inventor App. This app lets children code instructions for each of the robots, then watch the instructions play out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a great resource, but very expensive, just like Dash and Cue. That\u2019s the problem with home robotics. They\u2019re a lot of fun, but really don\u2019t come cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Swift Playgrounds<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A quick heads up: Swift Playgrounds is only available on Apple devices. If you have one, great. If not, you should probably skip this suggestion, and continue down the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Swift is a really excellent app. It\u2019s jam-packed full of puzzles and lessons which teach all kinds of vital coding principles, including functions, loops, variables, conditionals, and parameters. These are next-level skills, as children move up from elementary coding to something more advanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your kid can really get creative here. They can even build their first app. Swift has sharing capabilities too, allowing your kid to share their project via message, email or AirDrop. Believe it or not, they can even upload their designs to the App Store, rubbing shoulders with the greats: Angry Birds, Candy Crush and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kodu Game Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To compensate for the Apple-only Swift Playgrounds, this one\u2019s only available on Windows. Does that even things out? Hopefully. Apologies if you\u2019re using Linux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With Kodu, children create vibrant video games using a simple visual coding language. It\u2019s a really fantastic resource, with plenty of scope for creativity once you start to get the hang of it. You can program the terrain, change the behavior of characters, and do all other kinds of interesting stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe you and your kid could use Kodu to build a game together. Alternatively, you could leave them to work independently, then play the game when they\u2019re done. Just hope they don\u2019t make it too difficult. You don\u2019t want to end up stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Build a webpage<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n At younger ages, coding projects are usually based on experimentation and problem-solving. But middle school students are ready to get creative. Swift Playgrounds (app making) and Kodu Game Lab (game making) are great examples, and here\u2019s another one: designing a real-life webpage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Web design<\/a> is easier than you think, especially if you and your child are willing to work on the project together. Khan Academy has a good guide on the subject, and with a bit of work, the two of you could make a sparkling webpage about anything you wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can share the webpage with family and friends. Or maybe you\u2019d prefer to keep it secret. A private project between you and your kid. The website you built as a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raspberry pi<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Last, but not least: a Raspberry Pi is a lightweight computer, about the size and shape of a credit card. Older kids, with coding know-how, can use them to achieve some really cool effects. They can literally use a Raspberry Pi to automate their bedroom. Play music with a voice command, play an alarm at sunrise, turn on the lights with a clap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe it\u2019s wrong to call a Raspberry Pi a coding project. Instead, it\u2019s a key that allows other projects to unfold. Hundreds of projects are possible here, maybe even thousands. You\u2019ll notice this is the only project we\u2019ve suggested for teenage coders. That\u2019s because a Raspberry Pi is so versatile \u2014 they won\u2019t be needing anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll be pleased to know that these mini-computers are affordable. Raspberry Pi is a charity foundation, and they\u2019re fully committed to providing products at a fair and reasonable price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That completes our list of coding projects for kids. Hopefully one of them caught your eye \u2014 or maybe even several of them. If you\u2019re looking to support your child\u2019s coding, we also recommend our post about the best online coding classes for kids<\/a>. Combine those classes with a few of these projects, and you really can\u2019t go wrong.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More and more children are learning to code at school, and more and more parents are trying to support them with coding projects at home. … <\/p>\nElementary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMiddle school<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Teens<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final words<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n