Top 5 Kids' Coding Languages

Coding is fast becoming a very important skill in the digital economy and more jobs, careers and entrepreneurship opportunities are opening up for those who can code and build software systems, apps and games. It is also becoming increasingly important for those in several other professions to understand the digital aspects of their workspace. Therefore it is clear that coding skills are vital to succeed in the digital workplace.

The future of work and jobs is trending more toward digital, AI and automation. Experts are predicting that the kids of today will likely be employed in jobs that do not exist today. The demand for adopting AI and automation has opened up several opportunities for entrepreneurship and the advent of advanced software systems has made coding more user friendly and accessible.

1. Scratch

Scratch is a block-based visual programming language developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab. It is one of the first languages developed exclusively for kids. Coding was once considered a geeky activity and Scratch was developed with the vision of creating non-geek coders. Scratch programs are specifically referred to as projects since they foster creativity and artistic skills in addition to logical and analytical thinking. Kids can add sounds, music, art and more to their Scratch projects. Projects can be translated into 70+ languages, and Scratch is used in most parts of the world. Scratch Jr is an app available for kids 4-7.

Kodeclik offers 1:1 and small group classes and summer camps for beginning as well as advanced Scratch learners.

2. Minecraft Education Edition

Minecraft Education Edition is a free programming environment that can be used to create mods for Minecraft. It offers a block based as well as a text based option to write code and develop mods. The text based option supports programming in Python and JavaScript. It comes with an integrated simulator that allows the users to test their mods within a Minecraft environment.

Kodeclik offers 1:1 and small group classes and summer camps in modding using both block as well as Python and JavaScript coding.

3. Python

Python is a high level programming language that is widely used commercially in the industry as well as in academia for research projects. Python supports procedural, object oriented as well as functional programming. Python has a large standard library which contains pre-built comprehensive functions that can be used to build cool projects.

Kodeclik offers 1:1 and small group classes and summer camps in Python.

4. Javascript

Javascript is a scripting language that is used to build websites. It is an important tool to introduce to kids who are starting to program websites. It can be used to build cool forms, fun games and other exciting projects.

Javascript can be used to create both procedural as well as object oriented programs.It is a scripting language and programs written in Javascript will be executed on the client side computer thereby reducing the load on the server and increasing the speed of execution. Core Javascript functions can be extended by using popular libraries like jQuery, DoJo etc.

Kodeclik offers 1:1 and small group classes and summer camps in Web development using JavaScript.

5. Java

Java is a universal programming language – programs written in Java can be run on any computer or device. It is used to build a variety of desktop, web, mobile, enterprise, embedded and scientific applications. Several popular games like Minecraft have been developed using Java.

Kodeclik offers 1:1 and small group classes and summer camps in Java programming.