Letting your child learn how to use programming languages early can be incredibly beneficial to his cognitive and social development.
Coding presents a unique learning opportunity for children that enhances their problem-solving skills and increases their creativity and imagination.
Finding the best coding classes for your little one online can be overwhelming. This is especially true if you have yet to gain programming experience beforehand.
Play and games play an essential role in children’s learning and development. This is why the best way to teach your programming skills at an early age is to introduce him to coding games.
In this article, we talk about five coding games kids can learn in 2022, plus tips on choosing the best programming language for your child.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Best coding games for kids:
These games aren’t ranked in any particular order or category. They’re all great in their own right.
However, to ensure that you choose the right platform for your child, ensure they appeal to each forum’s teaching/learning styles.
Here are our top 5 picks for the best coding games for kids in 2022:
Juni Learning:
We all have things we wish we had learned when we were younger. Juni Learning offers accessible online coding lessons that are both fun and interactive. On Juni Learning, children can learn beginner-level coding through scratch coding.
Developed in 2007 by MIT, the game-based learning program provides students with a drag-and-drop interface for children to quickly learn programming.
The mechanics of the program are simple: For each colored block you see, there will be a corresponding code that you need to complete. Drag that to the right area to complete the code.
Projects typically include building websites or creating games.
Code Camp World:
Another fantastic platform for online games and classes for programming/coding is Code Camp World. They’ve taught over 100,000 children how to code through their state-of-the-art platform. Plus, once you sign up, you get lifetime access to all your previous lessons and games.
Code Camp World has a nifty mobile application, so you can install it on your phone or tablet for your child to use whenever they want.
Besides basic lessons and games, Code Camp World provides its users with valuable online coding resources. These typically come in free videos, e-books, article posts, and others.
Create and Learn
Want your kids to learn how to use Python?
Create and Learn has a great Python for AI program that teaches children how to use Python through fun games and online lessons.
Their program was designed by top-performing professionals in the programming industry, so you can rest assured that your child will learn something from the lessons.
The only downside of this program is that it’s not as beginner-friendly as other languages. We recommend this program for children in Grades 5 and up, so there will be a manageable learning curve.
Osmo:
If you’re looking for a coding program that provides a more hands-on approach to learning code, then Osmo is a great place to start. It’s perfect for children aged five and up and can be bought at an affordable price.
On Osmo, children create an iPad application by connecting colorful blocks of code to form a sequence. The interface looks similar to Juni Learning, but they have other elements (i.e., a fun interactive story featuring the character Awbie) that sets it apart from its competition.
CodeWizardsHQ:
If your child is eight or older, they may learn better with a program like CodeWizardsHQ. This online learning platform offers advanced coding classes and games for beginners that make learning more enjoyable and worthwhile.
Programs at CodeWizardsHQ typically last around 6 to 12 weeks, so it’s not the best option for younger learners.
It also comes with a significantly higher price tag than the other platforms mentioned above.
What is the best programming language for your child?
Scratch coding is the best place to start if you teach children how to code. This is because Scratch is designed to make the theories and ideas of coding much more accessible for children to decipher and understand.
However, if your child wants to learn something more challenging, getting them started on HTML 5 or Python is lovely.
These programming languages can quickly be learned through online learning programs; however, they may come at a much higher cost — not to mention a much steeper learning curve.
The bottom line
Games are the best way to help children learn how to code. It keeps them interested and curious — plus, it doesn’t put much pressure on them, unlike traditional learning models.
The five coding games we mentioned above should help your little one get started on the right path.