Known to all, programming skills lead to dozens of lucrative careers in technology. And, with the advent of technology, code learning is now accessible and more effortless.
As a result, the number of people who want to build a career that requires coding skills is growing fast. Alike learning any second language, encoding requires regular practice to master. However, it is not easy for today's students to get the time or access to computers to practice, so that is why mobile devices have come in handy. Students can simply download coding applications onto their mobile devices and start learning the art of coding right away.
This article talks about the best coding applications for students who want to learn to code across different age groups.
Coding Apps for Preschoolers
Tinkerblocks
Tinkerblocks is a coding app designed for kids aged six and up is a language free digital toy! Create your individual "Magic Eight Project" and invent your "Fun Alarm System" to bring your ideas to life!
Tinkerblocks allow children to learn the concept of coding in the easiest possible way. The app has designed a tangible and easy to follow approach to coding that lets anyone create great projects powered by their devices' sensors and advanced possibilities, and their imagination. Tinkerblocks is perfect for students to start without requiring any prior coding knowledge quickly.
Tinkerblocks teaches Commands, Parameters, Functions, Loops, Conditions, Types, fix Bugs and FUN! Additionally, the application fosters student learning in critical areas like Social-Emotional, Creative Thinking, STEM, and computational thinking skills through play. Available at a charge of $1.99 of iOS devices, this Urban Pockets's app reckons, help children get to grips with commands, functions, parameters, loops, conditions, types and bug-busting.
Code Spark Academy
Designed especially for the kids of the age group 4-10, CodeSpark Academy with The Foos is the number one app learn to code program. This award-winning app claims to have introduced over 20 million kids in 201 countries to the basics of computer science.
The application uses a patent-pending "no words" interface to teach the basics of computer programming through various interactive learning activities, puzzles, games, step-by-step creative projects, game design and offline printables – all of which can be monitored by parents.
With CodeSpark, kids learn fundamental programming concepts and use them to code their projects in Foo] Studio. They also get personalized daily activities based on their progress; Curriculum develops based on collaboration with and research from MIT, Princeton and Carnegie Mellon. It is perfect for pre-readers, ELL students and kids with reading and focus-related challenges. The application provides its users with a 7-day trial version and charges $9.99/month, under which it supports three individual child profiles at a time and displays no ads.
GoldieBlox: Adventures to coding
Available at zero cost, the "GoldieBlox: Adventures in Coding" teaches the fundamental concepts of coding in a story-based adventure where kids code a solution to deliver cupcakes all over town. Designed for kids' 4years and up, the app has various puzzles that increase in complexity as users' level up. It is packed with mini-games, stickers and allows kids to code their puzzles.
Goldieblox is based on a group of friends who marked a "birthday" on the calendar but did not know who that is. They resolve the issue in GOLDIEBLOX: ADVENTURES IN CODING - THE ROCKET CUPCAKE CO. making cupcakes for everyone and delivering them to town using rocket-propelled skateboarding until they find the party. Additionally, children play mini-games to collect ingredients and make cupcakes and program paths using visual code blocks. Each level adds to the adventure, and children can watch videos or customize coding puzzles.
Participating in a diverse and curious group of friends shows how excellent coding and engineering can be in an adventure based on history that is likely to attract more girls. This code-learning app is pretty run-of-the-mill as far as visual coding games go. Here learners can replay to fix mistakes or get help from Ruby Rail's notes (a character who is a nice nod to MIT's Ruby on Rails programming language), but more specific hints about various obstacles would help kids through sticky frustration. The mini-games develop spatial reasoning and connect with the theme of history. However, the sandbox and Goldie TV stand out, inspiring creativity and thoughtful design without restrictive stereotypes.
Compatible with:iOS.
Kodable
Developed for kids ages 4-10, Kodable is an award-winning coding curriculum trusted by over 50% of US Elementary Schools; it teaches your kids everything they need to know about computer science, from zero to JavaScript - no experience required! Kodable offers age-appropriate games and activities that let kids learn to think like programmers and write real code using our custom coding interface for kids! At kodable, children learn the concepts of Sequence/ Order of operations, Algorithmic functioning, Conditional logical instructions, Syntax, Variables including strings, integers and arrays, Object-oriented programming, Classes and subclasses, Qualities, Methods.
The application has over 80 scripted, grab & go lesson plans, Complete Scope and Sequence for each grade, Hundreds of on-screen activities for students, Roster Upload, Google Classroom, and Clever Login Integration, i.e. the complete k-5 curriculum that takes students from learning to thinking like a programmer in Kindergarten to writing REAL JavaScrpit by 5th grade.
Kodable comes with a trial version and a monthly fee of $6.99 or $59.99 per year for the high-end version.
Compatible with:iOS.
Code Karts
Designed for kids age 4 and above, the Code Karts introduces these young learners to pre-coding through a series of logic puzzles presented in the form of a race track; in real-time, it teaches kids the fundamentals of code. With over 70 levels, various puzzling obstacles, and two different game modes, there is no shortage of educational content for kids to enjoy.
The application's objective is to use direction bricks to get the racecar to the finish line. With the careful observation of the track ahead and some logical thinking, kids can quickly pick up solutions to more complex puzzles and begin to absorb key elements of code-based thinking.
Code karts come with Classic and Competition mode (race against the device) and are free up to 10 levels and 95 levels in the Full Game version + 9 bonus races. The application has a very intuitive User Interface for children from age 4 and helps learn and develop sequencing, problem-solving and logic. Also, it is available in 21 languages. The trial version of the app is available for a week and then charges $4.66/month and $40.68/year.
Compatible with: iOS, Android and Web.
Hopster
Hopster is an animal-themed pre-coding logic game that helps kids learn the fundamentals of coding. Here, children are presented with a series of logical problems to solve, getting different animals to where they need to be. It is an educational puzzle game in which kids guide the animals to their homes or their parents. This app teaches basic concepts, using step-by-step instructions (an algorithm) and grouping repetitive instructions into a function. It simply begins with a bear, a void space and a cave. Children have two paths: horizontally and vertically. They have to choose and place the correct route to lead the bear into the cave. Eventually, the pathway puzzle pieces become arrows. However, when it comes to the most advanced stages, the kids no longer set the arrows directly on the animal's path but instead put the "commands" in a series of blocks at the bottom of the screen. Puzzles are divided into two levels: Each level has seven animals, and each animal has five jigsaw puzzles. When children complete a puzzle, they get a sticker for this animal's page in a free play area sticker book. The app is available free of charge but charges $1.99 for in-app purchases to unlock challenges.
Compatible with: iOS.
