fbpx
TechDev Academy

A Silicon Valley-based Startup Company founded by young entrepreneurs and professionals from different backgrounds including education, IT, science, business administration, and marketing in 2019.

The Best Coding Languages for Kids

The Best Coding Languages for Kids

Best Coding Languages for Kids

 

With technology reshaping our lives constantly, obtaining a robust fundamental computer programming knowledge is no longer a pastime for kids. Instead, it has become somewhat a necessity for them not only to help develop a better career but also to strengthen abilities like critical thinking, problem-solving, creative thinking, etc. as well.

 

Fortunately, unlike the earlier times, fundamental coding has become quite simple to learn these days, and there’re lots of resources that you can use to introduce your kid to programming. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at some simple yet extremely popular coding languages for kids. But before delving deeper, we think it’d be a good idea to have an overview of coding languages.

 

What Are Coding Languages?

We’ve already discussed in our earlier post that coding is all about instructing computers to perform tasks. Now, the question is how would you convey your instructions to a computer? And remember that computers don’t understand our language. Instead, what they understand is called the binary code. Therefore, now the question becomes how to bridge the gap in communication between humans, who understand natural languages and the machines that understand binary code? The answer is by using programming languages that resemble our languages but are more structured in nature. Similar to a large number of human-based languages in use, hundreds of coding languages are being used to communicate with computers. Coding languages are categorized by different factors like popularity, technicality, pedagogy, community, business use, etc. Some languages are mostly used for pedagogical purposes while some others are targeted at business use, and there’re languages written for teaching kids how to code.

 

Real Benefits of Coding for Kids

Even if you belong to the league of parents who’re well aware of the considerable career benefits of understanding how to code, we recommend reading this section that focuses on often overlooked yet crucial benefits.

  • Starting a kid’s coding education earlier helps him/her to develop analytical and creative thinking, which, in turn, help him/her to master problem-solving skills.
  • As logical thinking is a must for coding, learning how to code helps kids to learn how to use logic.
  • Coding helps kids to learn algorithmic thinking. Computational concepts such as sequencing, conditional logic, repetition, etc. help them to learn how to break a problem in smaller parts and solve them step by step.
  • Kids learn to anticipate and avoid problems. This is because, during coding, they learn to anticipate which errors might occur and how to avoid them to save the entire program from crashing.

In addition to the above, coding is a STEM discipline and STEM professionals tend to enjoy a pay advantage than non-STEM professionals having similar levels of education. It’s also projected that the number of STEM jobs’ will grow 13% compared to 9% for non-STEM jobs, between 2017 and 2027.

 

Top 5 Coding Languages for Kids

All the above benefits of coding for kids point to a serious question – should you wait for schools to offer coding education for kids? You always can, but if you belong to the league of concerned parents, your best bet would be to start teaching your kids coding right away. Here, we’ve handpicked five easy-to-learn yet most effective coding languages that you can start teaching your kids. We’ve also mentioned the appropriate ages of kids to learn them.

 

1. Scratch

Developed by MIT, Scratch comes with a building-block visual experience that creates a scaffolded experience for both kids and parents. This free language is packed with features like curriculum instructions for parents, getting-started tutorials, etc. together with a robust community.

Ideal age: 8-16

 

2. Blockly

This visual block programming language is made out of many pre-existing programming languages. It can output code in many different languages including JavaScript, PHP, Python, Dart, etc. which makes it a visual editor instead of only a programming language for kids. It may not be as popular as Scratch, but it offers a solid programming environment that makes it possible for everybody to learn how to code.

Ideal age: 10+

 

3. Swift Playgrounds

Designed to help kids learn how to program in the Swift language, this free language would be ideal if you want the kids to get introduced to the iOS app development. Though it does not come with the interlocking block interface, the presence of a guided tour and easy tutorials would make the learning process simple and fun.

Ideal age: 10+

 

4. Python

As one of the easiest programming languages to learn, Python would be ideal for kids who’ve got some experience in using Scratch. It’s also closest to the English language and therefore not intimidating at all. Python comes with several common functionalities, which are needed by programmers, already built-in and hence, it becomes much easier to work with.

Ideal age: 8+

 

5. JavaScript

As almost everything these days runs on JavaScript, it would be a great choice for kids to learn how to code. If your kid already has some experience in coding with Scratch or Python and is ready for text-based coding, we suggest exposing him/her to this programming language.

Ideal age: 10+

 

Wrapping Up

While these programming languages would help you start teaching your kids how to code, it’s important to remember that our ultimate goal is to let the learners explore basic programming concepts. The language might become obsolete after a few years or the kids might never choose to use it. But such training should help the kids learn how computers solve problems, obtain critical thinking skills, and to make the maximum fun out of coding.

 

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/09/7-facts-about-the-stem-workforce/

[1] https://vitalsigns.ecs.org/state/United-States/demand

Select your currency
USD United States (US) dollar
EUR Euro

 

JOHN H. FALK

Director of the Institute for Learning Innovation and Sea Grant Professor Emeritus of Free-Choice Learning at Oregon State University

 

Dr. John H. Falk is Director of the Institute for Learning Innovation and Sea Grant Professor Emeritus of Free-Choice Learning at Oregon State University. He is a leading expert on free-choice learning; the learning that occurs when people have significant choice and control over what, where, and when they learn.

Get your syllabus

Get your syllabus

 

CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM

Professor of Practice of Education and Engineering at Penn State University

 

Dr. Christine Cunningham is a Professor of Practice of Education and Engineering at Penn State University. Her work focuses on making engineering more relevant, accessible, and inclusive, especially for underserved and underrepresented populations. She does this by creating researched-based engineering curricula for PreK-8 children and their educators. Her book, Engineering in Elementary STEM Education, describes her groundbreaking work. Previously, Cunningham was the Founding Director of Engineering is Elementary. Cunningham has received a number of awards; in 2017 her work was recognized with the prestigious Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education.

 

CHRIS ROGERS

Chris Rogers Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University

 

His research interests are:

Engineering Education, Robotics, and Musical Instrument Design

 

Education

Ph., D Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University

 

Biography

Chris Rogers earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Stanford University, where he worked with Professor John Eaton on his thesis on particle motion in a boundary layer flow. Rogers joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts School of Engineering in 1989. He is involved in a number of research areas, including particle-laden flows (a continuation of his thesis), telerobotics and controls, the slurry flows in chemical-mechanical planarization, the engineering of musical instruments, measuring flame shapes of couch fires, measuring fruit-fly locomotion, and engineering education (kindergarten to college). At Tufts, Rogers has exercised his strong commitment to teaching by exploring a number of new directions, including teaching robotics with LEGO bricks and teaching manufacturing by building musical instruments. His teaching work extends to the elementary school level, where he talks with over 1,000 teachers around the world every year on methods of introducing young children to engineering.

 

RumeysaDogan

RUMEYSA DOGAN

Co-founder and COO at TechDev Academy

  • Graduated from top-ranked business school with high honor
  • Worked in top global companies as Vodafone, Benetton Group, etc
  • Experienced in Product Management and Digital Marketing Analytics
  • Managed Entrepreneurship Club and mentored several entrepreneurs

 

 

ismail-marulcu

ISMAIL MARULCU

Co-founder & Chief Education Officer at TechDev Academy

  • Educator and Researcher since 2001
  • M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College
  • Ph.D. in STEM Education from Boston College
  • Mentored more than 100 pre-service teachers, college students, and high school students

 

 

PaolaGomez

PAOLA G. GONZALES

Mentor & Educator

  • over 2,000 hours mentoring students and 4 years of teaching experience
  • spearheaded a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship to underrepresented students at the UC, Davis
  • an active member of the Surfrider Foundation

 

 

AyushKanodia

AYUSH KANODIA

Ph.D. Student in Computer Science at Stanford

  • Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science at Stanford Uni.
  • Worked as a software engineer for Google
  • Expert in the intersection of Computer Science and Economics.

 

 

KairatSabyrov

KAIRAT SABYROV

Ph.D., Data Scientist

  • B.S. in chemistry and physics
  • Ph.D. In physical chemistry
  • Data science instructor at Lambda School
  • Worked at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab at the UC, Berkeley

 

 

BAHRUDIN TRBALIC

Ph.D., Candidate at Stanford University

  • Studied Physics & Electrical Engineering at MIT.
  • Worked at MIT as a Medical Data Analyst and Product Developer.
  • The founder and lead developer of Expert Experiments.
  • Received the 2023 Robert H. Siemann Graduate Fellowship and 2022 NASA Astrophysics Research and Analysis Award.
  • Spearheaded STEM camps across Europe and Asia.
  • He has been mentoring students for years.

 

 

SHASHA ANRONIKOV

Researcher at Stanford University

  • Recent honors graduate from Cornell University with a major in biological sciences and a minor in business at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
  • Currently working at Stanford University in the Nolan Lab to conduct immunopathology research.

 

 

LISA WANG

BSc Harvard University Graduate

  • Studied Environmental Science and Engineering.
  • Cross-registered to Harvard Univ. and MIT.
  • An advisor to the Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group.
  • Co-founder of Coolant, a company that builds software to unlock nature-based carbon markets.

 

 

SEMI HASAJ

MBA Data Scientist at C3 AI

  • Studied Data Science while obtaining his Master's of Business Analytics at MIT.
  • Studied Space Engineering in Toronto, Canada where he grew up.
  • He has spent years tutoring others because he loves to help people learn and grow.

 

 

SAMY AWWAD

Junior at Stanford University

  • Studying Symbolic Systems with a focus on Neurosciences and plans to be a medical doctor.
  • Founded ImmuniGlobal, a national nonprofit in vaccine education, and he was featured in Healthline magazine.
  • A published researcher in PubMed.
  • Honored by the CDC as a Flu Fighter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Enthusiastic about empowering young changemakers.

 

 

HASAN TUNCER

Ph.D., Product Manager at Cruise

  • BSc. in Computer Science at Koc University, Istanbul.
  • Ph.D. in Computing and Information Scienves at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
  • Worked as a software engineering at Wall Street.
  • Product Manager for Cloud Services (at IBM Silicon Valley Lab), autonomous vehicles (at NIO, aka Chinese Tesla, Uber ATG, Aurora and Cruise)

 

 

RayYucel

RAY YUCEL

Ph.D., Data Scientist in Magnimind Inc.

  • B.S in Materials Engineering
  • M.Sc in Management
  • Ph.D. Candidate in Economics
  • Data scientist at Magnimind Inc.
  • Employs deep learning in finance and health care data

 

 

SofoklisGoulas

SOFOKLIS GOULAS

Ph.D., Senior Research Associate at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University

  • Senior research associate, Stanford Uni.
  • The use of data science and machine learning in economics
  • M.Sc. in finance and economics, Warwick business school
  • MS and a Ph.D. in economics, the Uni. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Worked at the Uni. of North Carolina and at the Bank of Greece

 

 

EnricoSantus

ENRICO SANTUS

Senior Data Scientist at Bayer

  • Senior data scientist at Bayer
  • Postdoc at MIT, in the group of Regina Barzilay
  • Experience in NLP in Oncology, Cardiology and Palliative Care
  • Experience in Fake News Detection, Sentiment Analysis, and Lexical Semantics.
  • Invited to talk at the White House

 

 

EMILY HALFORD

Data Analyst

  • Data analyst working in psychiatric epidemiology
  • Data Science&Mental Health Expert with the BBN Times
  • Master of Public Health, Columbia Uni.

 

 

RyanSpitler

RYAN SPITLER

Ph.D., Co-Founder and Deputy Director of the Precision Health and Integrated Diagnostics Center (PHIND) at Stanford University

  • Faculty Member, Standford Uni.
  • Founding Partner at Boutique Venture Partners
  • B.S. in Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, UC, Santa Cruz
  • Ph.D. In Cellular and Developmental Biology, UC, Irvine

 

 

muratbaday

MURAT BADAY

Scientist at Stanford Uni, Founder & CEO at TechDev Academy

  • Co-founder of Smartlens, Magnimind, Wowso, Nanosight
  • M.S. in Physics from the University of Pittsburgh
  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology and Biophysics from the Uni. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Mentored and tutored over 100 high school students
  • Developed novel ideas and has over 8 patents

 

 

GyunelRashidova

GYUNEL RASHIDOVA

B.S. in Biological Sciences,
Research assistant at the Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioinstrumentation

  • iGEM alumni, received Gold Medal among 250 teams
  • Fellowship holder from Women in Tech international organization
  • Founder of social projects:
    “OncoSense” - fabrication of device for the detection of cancer biomarkers;
    “RemiSee” - promotion of a colorblind-friendly educational platform
  • AIESEC alumni, organized case competitions with over 300 participants
  • Organized iGEM Biohackathon and Summer Camp for high-school and university students to apply coding for solving real case studies

 

 

SoudehYaghouti

SOUDEH YAGHOUTI

Ph.D., Data Scientist at Megalab, Silicon Valley

  • Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
  • More than 4 years of experience in data-driven research on electrical network systems.
  • Collaborating with TechDev Academy for several years and taught students data analysis projects.
  • Collaborated with Stanford scientists on projects that aimed to automate medical diagnosis of diseases with the help of image processing techniques and AI.

 

 

AIZHAN IBRAYEVA

MSc Researcher at Stanford University

  • MS. Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University.
  • Did research at Stanford University, Aerospace Science Lab (Purdue), Rarefied Gas Dynamics Lab (Purdue)
  • Worked on projects supported by NASA.
  • Worked as Engineer at Silicon Valley Startup companies.
  • Mentored Students from top US school

 

The class has 5 available spots.
You can add the class during course registration!

 

June 1-5

Mon-Fri 2 hours of daily instruction and 2 hours of self-paced project development.

June 8-12

Mon-Fri 2 hours of daily instruction and 2 hours of self-paced project development.

June 15-19

Mon-Fri 2 hours of daily instruction and 2 hours of self-paced project development.

The class capacity is full.
Please try other classes!