When I was a kid I thought we\u2019d all be living on the moon by 2016, so the fact that I still don\u2019t even have one<\/i> robot servant is pretty disappointing. However, every time I start thinking the 21st century doesn\u2019t feel enough like the future, I remind myself that my nine-year-old daughter takes LEGO Robotics programming classes at her elementary school, and suddenly it feels like maybe flying cars aren\u2019t all that far away.<\/p>\n
All over the world, kids as young as five and six are learning how to write their own software code, which is AMAZING. Some are self-taught and some are learning it in computer science courses at school, but regardless of how they\u2019re introduced to it, programming code has become something children are interested in, and that\u2019s very, very cool. And who can blame them? What kid wouldn\u2019t want to learn how to make their own video game, or design their own Minecraft mod? Coding has become THE cool new language that kids are dying to learn. (Take that, Latin!)<\/p>\n
So, if you think your game-loving youngster might also love learning how to make their own games or code their own programs, here are some wonderful books that introduce kids to the basics of coding, programming, and writing their own software. You can thank us later when they grow up to become technology billionaires.<\/p>\n
no no 9781623543181 How to Explain Coding to a Grown-Up <\/i> by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Teresa Mart\u00ednez <\/p>\n
From the bestselling author of the Baby Loves Science series comes an educational (and funny) picture book about coding. Readers of all ages will learn the basics of computer programming, from hardware to algorithms. <\/p>\n
9781465459732 My First Coding Book <\/i> by Kiki Prottsman <\/p>\n
Children will love this screen-free introduction to basic programming concepts. With interactive elements like puzzles and games, this sturdy interactive board book is an excellent way to familiarize children with coding principles.<\/p>\n
9781593278991 ScratchJr Coding Cards <\/i> by Marina Umaschi Bers and Amanda Sullivan <\/p>\n
With the help of this card deck, even young children can learn to code in ScratchJr, a free, simplified coding program. The 75 cards encourage children to get creative, think through problems, and have fun learning to code. Older kids (ages 7-10) using Scratch will enjoy the Official Scratch Coding Cards<\/i><\/a> by Natalie Rusk and THE SCRATCH TEAM.<\/p>\n 9781465462336 DK Findout! Coding <\/i> by DK <\/p>\n Fact-loving kids will enjoy this trivia-filled book about coding and how it shapes our world. From laptops to traffic lights, someone programmed everything to work. Young readers will learn about the people, inventions, and coding behind everyday items.<\/p>\n 9781465444820 DK Coding Workbooks by DK <\/p>\n Does your kid like getting their hands dirty rather than just following along in a book? If that\u2019s the case and they have an interest in coding, you might want to try one of DK\u2019s awesome interactive coding workbooks. Each one offers a collection of exercises and projects designed to get kids using the concepts they\u2019re learning, reinforcing key coding concepts in a very hands-on way. Check out Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook<\/i><\/a> and Coding in Scratch: Projects Workbook<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n 9780823446285 Lucy Lopez: Coding Star <\/i> by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Grace Zong <\/p>\n Reading fictional stories about STEM topics is an excellent way to get kids interested in them. In this book, Lucy discovers a talent for coding and joins an after-school club. The only problem is that her older sister also belongs to the club and is unhappy about Lucy joining. The sisters must learn to work around (and with) each other so they can both pursue their passion for coding.<\/p>\n 9781718503021 Python for Kids<\/i> by Jason R. Briggs <\/p>\n Scratch isn\u2019t the only programming language kids are experimenting with these days. Python is another popular one, but most higher-level Python guides are about as exciting as tax-code documentation. Fortunately, this book really bends over backwards to make its information digestible and visually appealing to nervous new Python users. Briggs keeps the tone irreverent throughout, finding intriguing ways to keep kids\u2019 interest while talking about software coding concepts. A very well-executed guide to something very complex!<\/p>\n 9781465477347 Coding Projects in Scratch <\/i> by John Woodcock <\/p>\n Coding Projects in Scratch<\/i> offers 18 creative projects with step-by-step instructions that help kids learn essential coding basics. What kinds of stuff can they make? They’ll learn to code characters, animations, and sound effects. Today they’re coding a dinosaur dance party; tomorrow… who knows? Other books in this series include Coding Games in Scratch<\/a><\/i> and Coding Games in Python<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n 9781536210309 Get Coding 2: Build Five Computer Games Using HTML and JavaScript<\/i> by David Whitney, illustrated by Duncan Beedie <\/p>\n HTML and JavaScript are two of the most common computer languages and can code things like games, websites, and programs. This book will guide tweens through coding classic games for the computer. Kids can use the skills learned as a launchpad for customization and original games.<\/p>\n 9781718500310 The Coding Workbook<\/i> by Sam Taylor <\/p>\n You don\u2019t need a computer to build a website with this interactive workbook. Using a pencil (and the occasional eraser), kids will learn about HTML and CSS and how to use those computer languages to build a website from the ground up \u2014 no screens required!<\/p>\n Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023.<\/i><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You can thank us later when your kids grow up to become technology billionaires.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":100076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[89,127,675,676,802,803,954],"coauthors":[12],"class_list":["post-5867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-science","tag-technology","tag-minecraft","tag-video-games","tag-computer-programming","tag-coding","tag-educators","ages_stages-pre-k","ages_stages-growing-reader","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\n