Experts recommend fostering pro skills at a young age so they have a lasting impact on the respective careers. If you want your little champ wants to learn something new, like develop groundbreaking apps or create stunning websites, there couldn’t be a better time to get a headstart. Contrary to traditional belief, learning the basics of coding is a lot easier than you might think. The colorful UI, game-like exercises designed to build problem-solving and logical thinking skills help make learning how to code fascinating. So if you want your child to step into the world of coding while having some fun, check out our curated list of the best coding apps for kids (free and paid) on iOS and Android in 2021.
Coding apps for kids have gotten way smarter than they used to be. They have found numerous intriguing ways to teach the fundamentals of coding to young learners. The bite-sized exercises come with several surprises, including progress rewards that keep children motivated to give their best.
- codeSpark Academy
- Hopscotch-Programming for kids
- Mimo
- Google Grasshopper
- SoloLearn
- Programming Hub
- Codeacademy Go
- Coding for Kids
1. codeSpark Academy
codeSpark Academy makes learning how to code a fun-loving experience for kids. It features a “no words” interface and teaches the basics of computer programming through highly interactive learning activities such as games, puzzles, game design, step-by-step creative projects, and offline printables. This interactive learning concept makes codeSpark a popular home coding program for kids from 5 to 9 years of age.
Moreover, the app offers personalized daily activities based on a child’s progress that not only keeps the interest intact but motivates young learners to give their best. Parents can keep track of the child’s activities and also offer up help when needed. Notably, this award-winning coding app can support up to 3 individual child profiles, so more than one child can use the app to learn how to program.
Install: iOS and Android (Free, $3.99 for codeSpark academy enrollment)
Learning becomes a joyful experience when there is plenty of fun elements woven into lessons. Hopscotch offers a wide range of games designed to teach the basics of programming through engaging gameplay. Through kid-friendly programming, the app gives complete freedom to children to code whatever they want. From games and stories to arts, they have the liberty to stretch their imagination to create something truly interesting.
- A massive library of games
- Play-along video tutorials
- Kid-friendly programming
- A vast community of young learners
- Option to tweak and remix any project
- Pleasing user-interface
Install: iOS (Free, $9.99/month for the premium version)
Mimo has long been a popular coding app among mobile users. So, there is no question of missing out on this one. What makes this app stand out is a solid library of science-based, game-like exercises. Each exercise has been thoughtfully designed to enhance specific skills.
Along the way, children can monitor their progress and collect a lot of prestigious achievements and badges. Furthermore, there is a great community to interact and share thoughts with other coders. Like other coding apps in this roundup, Mimo also offers a limited free version and requires you to opt for a premium version to unlock all the features. Putting everything into the right perspective, Mimo deserves to be rated one of the best coding apps for iPhone and Android devices.
Install: iOS and Android (Free, $8.99/month for the premium version)
If you are hunting for a top-notch yet completely free coding app for kids on iOS and Android, look no further than Google Grasshopper. The app offers a smooth-sailing headstart to beginners who want to have a good grip over coding without getting into complexity.
Grasshopper has a decent collection of coding games designed to teach how to write JavaScript. The app provides a series of challenging levels as you move ahead to ensure learning remains fascinating. Personally, I have found the visual puzzles quite interesting. They not only enhance problem-solving skills but also aim at clearing coding concepts.
Install: iOS and Android (Free)
Claiming to have the world’s largest collection of free courses to teach how to code, SoloLearn is a one-stop platform for kids to get a good hang of coding. The courses aim to teach your kid the fundamentals of Python, C++, JavaScript, Java, jQuery, machine learning, data science, and more. It also offers a certificate for each course that you complete.
Install: iOS and Android (Free, $6.99/month for the pro version)
6. Programming Hub
Programming Hub has managed to catch my attention for multiple reasons. First and foremost, the app provides bite-sized lessons that kids would enjoy taking on at their own convenient speed. Each lesson focuses on teaching a core concept in a pretty simple way. and with a game-like structure, the courses don’t allow boredom to creep into the learning process.
- Over 5000 programs and more than 35 courses
- Concept-based instructions
- Fully interactive learning experience
- Feedback and support from coding experts
Install: iOS and Android (Free, $6.99/month for the pro version)
For kids who want a coding app to practice coding syntax extensively on their iPhone or Android device, Codeacademy Go is by far the best bet. The app focuses on teaching the core aspects of data science, web development, Python, JavaScript, and SQL. It offers daily flashcards that children can skim through in a breeze. Plus, there is also a better way to review everything that they have learned or are learning.
Key features:
Install: iOS and Android (Free)
Of all the coding apps for kids that I have tried, “Coding for Kids” has fascinated me the most. What has struck me the most about this app is the playful concept that teaches kids the fundamentals of programming with utmost ease. Packed with a great collection of over 200 exciting games like popping balloons, firefighting, playing a dentist, and more, it never fails to amaze.
Coding for Kids is available for free with restriction, and you will need to subscribe to ($4.99/month or $29.99/year) the premium version to have access to all the features. Limited freemium version aside, it remains a highly recommended coding app for children.
Install: iOS and Android (Free, $4.99/month or $29.99/year for the pro version)
