what programming language to learn at 11 yo
At the rate our society has become so dependent on technology, information technology's safe to say that basic computer programming is no longer a literacy that only those interested should acquire (and eventually primary). Reckoner coding for kids shouldn't be some sort of extracurricular activity that simply forward-thinking parents enroll their kids into. It should become a mandatory grade for students of all levels.
Based on current patterns, trends, and technological advancements, the future is coding. Just as computer literacy has become a requirement for many dissimilar careers (even those outside the informatics sector), and then too will computer programming.
Thankfully, it seems that kids of today agree. According to Code.org, upward of x million schoolhouse kids have dabbled in the annual Hour of Lawmaking event. Programming has become an increasingly popular topic.
And with the electric current global pandemic confining many of us to our homes, many at present accept the time and means to pursue information technology.
Our society runs on software. Teaching kids how to employ, interact, and potentially modify it correctly can prove to be an extremely useful skill in other endeavors. But non all programming languages are the same. Some of the more complicated ones can certainly turn kids off from ever learning how to lawmaking.
This is why coding languages for kids are so important. They strip away the technicalities and frustrations of regular programming in order to help kids (and beginners) familiarize themselves with foundational concepts.
In this article, we'll be covering what we believe are the 12 best coding languages for kids.
I. SCRATCH
Primarily adult for kids between the ages of 8 and 16, Scratch is a gratuitous-to-use educational programming language developed by Mitch Resnick and patented by the Lifelong Kindergarten Grouping at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is arguably ane of the most well-known, block-based programming languages aimed at kids and new coders thanks to its intuitive and highly visual interface.
The Scratch platform provides kids with everything they demand to develop art, animations, games, interactive stories, and the like. And they do it in a make clean, straightforward style—finer keeping frustrations low and date high. Bright colors, articulate labels, and interesting characters all brand this platform an first-class starting point for didactics coding for kids.
Perhaps the principal reason Scratch is i of our elevation picks is due to the freedom of expression it affords children. The whole concept backside creating visual-based coding languages for kids is to simplify the programming process.
If you lot've e'er seen or tried text-based coding, you know that the hazard of technical and/or syntax errors is pretty high. A single semicolon or closed bracket out of place can return 40 lines of code useless, and having to browse each line for that 1 fault is just as frustrating as (if non more than) information technology sounds.
The mere idea of putting a kid through all that is pretty improbable.
Visual, block-based programming languages like Scratch remove textual technicalities so that kids can focus on learning (and mastering) the central concepts of coding. With Scratch, literally anyone – with any level of experience –tin can develop animations, games, and interactive stories from the footing up.
What'southward more, Scratch's online community is huge. There are currently over 70 million registered users (and counting) who have created and shared more than 82 1000000 projects using the Scratch platform. Anyone can join this customs then long as they're friendly, respectful, and follow the MIT Scratch Team'south community guidelines.
Interacting with like-minded people and seeing the kind of programs that tin can be done with Scratch can exist an incredible source of inspiration and motivation for your child. In fact, Scratch users (fondly called Scratchers ) are required to store their projects (including the code!) to the Scratch server.
This allows fellow Scratchers to access the code and study it and so they can see how more than advanced programmers develop complex games—using the same language they're learning!
If your child is interested in learning how to code with Scratch, you lot can check out CodaKid'south Scratch Coding Form . It's certain to be an in-depth, extensive, educational, and engaging experience.
Related Reading:
- Scratch vs. CodaKid: Which Kids Coding Website is Best for Your Kid?
Two. BLOCKLY
Blockly is another visual block programming language for kids that comes highly recommended. In fact, it's frequently viewed every bit Google'south response to MIT's Scratch.
At kickoff glance, the 2 platforms are pretty similar. Blockly also uses lines of code chunked into blocks and a drag-and-driblet system to help kids acquire coding concepts. Like Scratch, this eliminates the take a chance of technical errors and allows kids to focus on the fundamentals. Blockly also makes use of a vivid, intuitive, and user-friendly interface to keep kids interested and engaged.
The biggest deviation betwixt the ii lies is that Blockly – as a visual, cake-based programming language for kids – is actually made out of several pre-existing coding languages.
Developed under the Apache two.0 license, Blockly is often described as a " customer-side JavaScript library for creating visual programming block editors. " This simply means that kids aged 8 and up can create games, animations, and programs using Blockly from the safety of their ain browsers.
They'll also be programming using a mix of popular coding languages – like JavaScript, Python, PHP, and the like – written in the grade of visual blocks. This is thanks to Blockly's JavaScript library, which basically serves every bit a centralized location where the pre-written languages can be accessed. Users tin likewise switch programming languages (ex. From Python to PHP) should the need arise.
Blockly'due south UI is especially colorful, and the coding blocks they use all have different shapes. This helps kids find, select, and identify the right blocks easily. The main scriptwriting platform is separated into two parts: a toolbox that holds the blocks you need and a bare space to drag and drop the blocks on (i.e., write code). Kids simply choose the block they want, drag them out of the toolbox, and drib them onto the blank space (ane at a time). In one case the blocks are in the space, they can then rearrange them to create sequences, loops, conditionals, and so on.
Blockly runs the finished programme through a check-up (similar to running textual code through a debugging procedure). If the solution isn't correct or the program doesn't run the mode it should, Blockly analyzes the code again until information technology finds the mistake, and then highlights the error for the user to find and correct.
This highly visual, make clean-cut way of coding makes it possible for anyone to develop an actual working Android app. That'southward right; yous tin make actual apps with Blockly. And then even though Blockly was primarily intended as a coding language for kids, the capabilities of the language itself make it and then much more than just a simple pedagogy tool for children.
Related Reading:
- Cake Coding: Everything You Need to Know
3. ALICE
Alice is another free-to-utilize, block-based visual programming language for kids adult past Carnegie Mellon University. It's an innovative coding environment that makes information technology fairly simple to program animations, interactive narratives, and easy games in 3D.
Alice is designed to teach the concepts of object-oriented programming linguistic communication (like C++) through creative exploration—with a side focus on logical and computational thinking skills, central programming principles, and a foundational understanding of coding overall.
Alice utilizes the same elevate-and-drop-building blocks organisation that Scratch, Blockly, and well-nigh other visual coding programs use. And, just like those platforms, this eliminates the clutter that comes with text-based coding and allows the users to focus on simply developing scripts and writing upwards solutions.
What differentiates Alice from Scratch and Blockly the most is that it also allows users to work with dynamic camera angles and 3D models.
Programs created using Alice's platform tin can be converted into an Integrated Development Environment for programming in Java—also known as a Java IDE. This basically translates scripts written in Alice'due south coding blocks to actual text-based programming languages similar JavaScript or Python. This means kids can transition from using visual programming to standard programming while working on the same script or projection.
The only thing to take note of this feature is that it may push younger audiences into trying real, text-based programming as well fast or too soon (even with the 10+ recommendation). But for kids with a real passion for coding – and don't mind the challenges that go with it – this shouldn't be too big a problem.
IV. LUA (Roblox)
For kids who want to offset with (or venture into) textual coding languages for kids, Lua is a smashing option. It'southward a free, portable, and beginner-friendly scripting language that introduces elementary concepts while optimizing readability and efficiency.
This does not, in any way, compromise its functionality as a program or platform, either. Despite its unproblematic interface and minimal technicalities, Lua remains 1 of the most powerful free languages available.
This programming linguistic communication has often been likened to Python in that they are both simplified text-based scripts meant to eliminate potential syntax issues that could make coding for kids frustrating. For instance, there is no need to write semicolons at the end of each line of lawmaking.
Due to its efficiency and incredible portability, Lua is great for programming embedded devices and mobile apps. In fact, did you know that the one time-popular (and highly addictive) game Angry Birds was based on Lua? That's not all. Roblox – one of our all-time favorite coding platforms for kids – uses Lua.
CodaKid'southward Game Development with Roblox track as well happens to be i of our most popular online courses, considering our students get to create an exciting array of games using Lua code.
Lua besides has a huge, agile community only (just like Scratch). It's full of fellow coders, learners, and experienced developers who are more than than happy to provide guidance, tips, and feedback to the younger and newer members.
V. JAVA (Minecraft)
We do accept to admit that nosotros're not every bit fond of Java as we are of Lua. Java as a programming language is sufficient, constructive, and functional enough to exist a fairly popular choice in the programming community. However, equally a programming language for kids, information technology's not our favorite. There are a few reasons nosotros're including information technology on this list, though, and the biggest is that Java is the language of Minecraft—an online sandbox gaming platform that about everyone knows and/or has heard of.
Always since its initial launch in 2011, Minecraft has slowly risen in popularity amongst children, teens, and even adults! The very nature of the game encourages creative thinking and lateral trouble-solving skills.
Despite its simplistic – virtually cartoonish – design, Minecraft actually offers a complex, multifaceted gaming feel. The game doesn't force the player's hand in any way. In fact, Minecraft players don't even have to play the actual "main quest" of the game. They are costless to explore, mine, craft, and build equally they delight.
In the context of teaching coding for kids, Minecraft can be a powerful tool for teaching kids logic, problem-solving, visual-spatial skills, and hand-heart coordination—merely to name a few.
Related Reading:
- Hey, Parents! Did you know that Minecraft can teach your kids Java coding?
Furthermore, Minecraft players can create modifications (more commonly known equally "mods") for the game using Java. Mods are basically add-ons that can alter the game.
From minor additions (similar adding new weapons and materials) to major revisions (similar completely changing how the graphics wait), mods is i of the reasons the Minecraft community continues to abound and remain active. Players are constantly uploading new mods and updating erstwhile ones to keep the game more interesting.
To create mods, players must access Minecraft'southward Java source code (which is available due to Minecraft's open architecture) and write code accordingly. If y'all'd like a deeper look into what mods can practice, here's a list of the Best Minecraft Mods.
Therefore, despite existence a (pretty) convoluted language, we still take to admit that learning Java can be pretty rewarding. For kids who truly want to learn text-based coding and/or savour playing Minecraft, Java is besides a expert option.
6. PYTHON
Unlike Java, Python isn't a convoluted programming language for kids. In fact, information technology's clean, straight-to-the-point, and an absolute delight to work with (compared to nigh other text-based coding languages). It may not be block-based, but information technology certainly uses the same principles: go along things simple and focus on the fundamentals. It's and so convenient, in fact, that children equally young as 8 years sometime can learn it.
Python, amongst other things, insists on using good lawmaking layouts to optimize efficiency. It likewise allows for online back up and extensive accessible Python libraries. Equally kids play around with Python, they'll learn some of the more complicated – but all the same crucial – basics of coding: variables, loops, functions, statements, fundamental information structures (similar lists, maps, etc.), so on.
Mastering these concepts will give your kid a great foundation for tackling more advanced programming projects later on on.
Python's use of text combined with its streamlined, restructured approach to coding makes it both a potent starting point for mastering other languages and a potent tool for serious game/web/app development. We at CodaKid truly believe Python is one of the best and most constructive coding languages for kids.
In fact, we have a Game Development with Python runway that is just as successful as our Minecraft and Roblox courses. Kids can create all sorts of 2D games (fighting, multiplayer, etc.) while strengthening their mastery of Python—and text-based programming overall.
If you'd like more than info on Python, here's our article outlining v Reasons Python Programming is Best for Kids !
Seven. Get (Golang)
Despite being 1 of the lesser-known – and newer! – coding languages, Go (pronounced "Gow") is shaping up to be one of the better additions to the fairly large gamut of options.
Developed and released in 2009, this open-source programming language is described as "statically typed" and "compiled," putting it in the same boat equally older, more than common scripts like C++ and Haskell. But despite its young age, Get has started to brand waves in the community. In fact, Become has already spread to a multifariousness of different industries.
At that place's now a growing list of Fortune 500 companies and corporations that utilise Go for their programs. Some examples? Uber. Netflix. Even American Express uses Get.
Structurally speaking, Go is pretty like to C. C is also a compiled linguistic communication that utilizes much of the aforementioned techniques, layouts, and syntax systems every bit Go. The biggest differences prevarication in structural typing, CSP manner concurrency, memory security, and garbage collection. This basically means that someone used to coding in C volition still accept to learn Go from the meridian, but the transition between languages will undoubtedly be seamless.
Get is also oft compared to Python in terms of syntax simplicity. In our humble opinion, Python is a lot simpler than Go. But there's no impairment in learning both, since GO may very well have some benefits to it that could accommodate a programming problem improve than Python.
To this day, Go'southward popularity continues to rising. It seems like more and more developers accept latched on to the latent possibilities with this language, and it doesn't look like they're letting up whatever time soon.
Accessibility and abilities aside, Get is just every bit skillful every bit a coding linguistic communication for kids as Python is thanks to its simplified and streamlined qualities.
Eight. TWINE
Twine is divers as a free "open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories." It focuses heavily on the cosmos aspect of coding, doing away with coding concepts and technical terms.
In fact, Twine chooses to teach users how to code past didactics them how to structure and present interactive games and stories instead. This makes Twine perfect for kids who honey to create merely feel overwhelmed or frustrated with the more mechanical and methodological aspects of coding.
Twine was originally created and released in 2009, and it has since and so been used by people and programmers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels (including a big number of educators).
Kids don't need to know code – or how to write code – when using Twine. However, they do have the choice to extend their stories with variables, conditional logic, CSS, JavaScript, and the like if they have the know-how. Stories fabricated using Twine consist of pages of text and images (similar websites) continued via a blueprint interface. Each page can be modified with texts, links, and images.
Twine publishes directly to HTML likewise, meaning kids can post their work practically anywhere and make it available to practically anyone.
While Twine isn't exactly an app that teaches coding for kids, information technology tin can be seen as a programming language that helps kids develop the planning and designing skills they'll demand in programming. It's likewise worth mentioning that Twine has become a vital app for a good number of game designers and storytellers at present. The app has a back up wiki, online tutorials, and an incredibly active user customs.
9. JAVASCRIPT
Dissimilar Java, JavaScript is a great coding language for kids. It's clean, uncluttered, and has fewer syntax (and other latent technical) requirements than Coffee. It too helps that practically every spider web browser – i.east., Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Cyberspace Explorer – uses it.
If your kid can master this language, they'll take full access to practically everything. They can transform simple web documents into total-calibration games or incredible interactive apps. Every project they create can exist shared and consumed past a wide audience. JavaScript is essentially the linguistic communication of the web.
Of course, this much ability and versatility take a trade-off. JavaScript has quite a lot of elements to take note of. It may not exist cluttered, simply it'south undeniably extensive. Kids volition accept to fully master variables, arrays, objects, methods, loop tables, functions, and parameters before they can dive into JavaScript.
We know; it'due south a lot. Simply nosotros fully believe it's worth it.
At CodaKid, we consider JavaScript a sort of level-up skill for kids who already take a decent corporeality of coding experience with Scratch or Python. Our recommended age is 10, but we've honestly seen some kids as young as 8 years erstwhile have – and fully savor – our Game Development with JavaScript courses.
X. C# (Unity)
C# isn't and then much a programming language as it is a popular game engine (called Unity) with its ain language. Still, equally a whole platform, it'southward an excellent tool for education kids how to code while they create professional-looking, loftier-quality games. As a airtight-source, cantankerous-platform, game development awarding, C# allows users to play around with objects in 3D. They also take the option to add various elements to these objects.
If your child is familiar with Java, they may notice C# to be like – and therefore piece of cake to master.
Despite its gaming platform condition, however, C# is really known primarily every bit the main linguistic communication for Windows app evolution. A decently powerful language compared to most, C# can be used for many projects other than Windows applications. Still, its intuitive features and full .Internet support has made it practically every developer's starting time pick when creating desktop software for the Windows OS.
C# isn't particularly uncomplicated or kid-friendly, but Unity makes information technology possible for kids to option up the language as they create games using the engine. What's more than, learning the intrinsic requirements of C# can equip your kid with both programming skills and soft skills that they can hands use in future coding endeavors. This makes Unity and C# a great starting signal for curious new coders.
Unity has a free version bachelor for download aslope tons of free tutorials and lessons on the official Unity website. With enough guidance, kids should take little to no problems navigating both the engine and the website to learn C#.
XI. SWIFT (Swift Playgrounds)
Although we don't really like how Swift Playgrounds excludes Android users from experiencing its undeniably rich and fully engaging environment, we tin can't fault information technology for being an iOS exclusive. Originally introduced in 2016, Swift Playgrounds was marketed as a tool to teach kids how to code. To this solar day, it remains i of the best coding tools and programming languages for kids.
The Swift Playgrounds app features a number of basic coding lessons and gamified coding challenges for kids to complete. The interface is tight, clean, and visually pleasing. Definitely, a good effort, if non just for the experience alone.
All the same, it is worth noting that Swift Playgrounds doesn't allow for much freedom and artistic thinking with its lessons—to the point that nosotros'd actually accept to call the lessons restrictive. Unlike so many coding resource and coding for kids teaching tools, users cannot deviate from the predefined pathways in each lesson and challenge. It'due south a very rigid experience that some kids may prefer (specially if they like guild and guidance), just this means that other kids may find it too suffocating or not engaging enough.
XII. RUBY
And last, but certainly not the to the lowest degree, is Crimson—a dynamically-typed, object-oriented programming linguistic communication for kids. It uses clear syntax, garbage collection, and just-in-fourth dimension compilation to optimize the coding feel. For serious coders, Ruby tin back up multiple programming paradigms (including procedural and functional coding).
For new coders and young kids, Ruby can introduce seemingly complicated concepts in a casual, straightforward style. It'south a linguistic communication specifically designed to brand coding as simple and elementary every bit possible. Co-ordinate to the creator, it follows the Principle of Least Astonishment (POLA) philosophy and is based on as every bit straightforward scripting languages similar Smalltalk, Basic, and Lisp.
Summit Kids Coding Languages: Recap
It'southward important to remember that every child is unlike. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to education coding for kids.
The 12 languages we studied, evaluated, and recommended here are all splendid choices. Hither's a quick recap of the list:
- Scratch
- Blockly
- Alice
- Lua
- Java
- Python
- Go
- Twine
- JavaScript
- C#
- Swift Playgrounds
- Cherry
Related Reading:
- Coding for Kids: 5 Reasons Information technology's More Important Than Yous Think
- 10 Reasons Why Your Kids Should Learn to Code This Year
From ease-of-utilise to features to latent abilities, each i is simply as beneficial as the other—if not in just a different way. You also need to take into account growth and development. A child who grows up with Scratch may soon crave a more exhilarating claiming with text-based coding.
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Source: https://codakid.com/top-7-kids-coding-languages-of-2018/
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