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Parents' Guide to

Code.org

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Clear instruction can turn kids into coding superstars.

Website https://code.org
Code.org Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

  • Code.org Screenshot #1
  • Code.org Screenshot #2
  • Code.org Screenshot #3
  • Code.org Screenshot #4

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

krstewart1
krstewart1 Parent of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12-year-old
December 20, 2022
age 8+

Systematic way to learn coding

This is an excellent way for students to learn coding concepts. It is a way for kids to systematically learn.
Guest764098
Guest764098 Adult
November 10, 2020
age 7+

Highly Educational!

I recommend using code.org they are a non-profit and teach you the basics of coding, no need to pay for any benefits, non-donators already have full access.
See all 2 parent reviews

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What’s It About?

On CODE.ORG, kids can learn about a variety of computer science concepts, ranging from fundamental principles to algorithms, nested loops, conditionals, and functions. They'll be able to create art, stories, and games using the functionality and see how small coding steps add up to programming an action to occur. Seeing other kids' projects can help users understand coding applications. Kids use logic and strategic thinking and are asked to deduce the next step, and they can try again if they make a mistake. Overall, the site offers instructions that can help kids grasp the what's involved in creating apps and other items.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

This instructional site coaches kids through each coding lesson, giving them the skills to learn how to program in fun, clever ways. Code.org has a site with easy to grasp mechanics. Drop-down menus within shown lines of code makes it easy for users to change design elements such as background color. They can test out the result, and if something isn't right, they can alter the code and try again. If kids get completely stuck, they can view a brief explanation. The courses for students in sixth grade and above generally involve creating familiar items, such as an app or web page, which makes the lessons more applicable to real-world use. Kids can craft animations and games with characters that run, jump, and fly, design simple web pages using HTML and CSS, and use blocks or JavaScript to design an app.

Users are sometimes encouraged to try to do things first without utilizing additional instruction that's offered, which may help them become more confident about their coding skills. They can also track what lessons they've completed in an online chart. The educational offerings for older kids seem to be a bit more practical -- while the pre-reader instruction can take just a minute to watch, and kids can replay earlier steps if they missed something, there seems to be a fair amount of reading involved in some lessons. Younger users may need an adult's help to navigate them as a result, but they should enjoy being able drag and drop items to make characters move. If older kids don't want to invest the time to finish an entire course, the site's Hour of Code tutorials offer lessons and exercises they can complete in 60 minutes -- including fun activities like coding animals to dance to songs by Katy Perry, Coldplay, and other artists. If your kid is interested in programming in any way, Code.org could be a great resource to unlocking their coding potential.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about careers coding can be used in. Are there any jobs your child might be interested in that involve computer science?

  • Code.org teaches people how to code by breaking it down into small steps, but how can that approach help kids tackle other challenges?

  • How does taking classes online compare to learning subjects from someone in person? Which works better for your child, and why?

Website Details

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