Fun Coding Activities for Elementary Students

Changes in technology are happening faster than ever before. Parents and teachers are looking for new and engaging ways to teach kids future-ready skills. There are options for coding camps for kids, online classes, educational games, education apps, and more that will introduce your child to coding!

But when is the right time? There is no age limit for learning how to code. As children move into elementary school, around ages 8-10, they may explore block and text-based coding. Instead of playing online games, elementary students can build their own when they learn how to code.

Here are some fun coding activities for elementary students, ages 8-10, that will keep them engaged. Let’s get going!

Learning to code has a lot of benefits, like helping in college admissions and a myriad of job opportunities. However, that’s not as important for younger kids. Elementary school is when kids start building soft skills like problem solving, analytical thinking, and creativity.

Coding also teaches kids to become computer literate and practice their typing skills. Learning to code offers a distinct advantage because these skills are practiced methodically. Kids learn a structured way to handle problems, which builds confidence and perseverance.

In addition, coding will improve cognitive development during these key years. Learning programming improves a unique set of skills that support emotional health, learning abilities, social learning, and executive functioning.

• Start with block programming languages like Scratch and Blocky.
• Focus on creative thinking and problem solving.
• Use real life examples to explain coding concepts.
• Try different tools like classes, games, mobile apps, and websites.

Coding activities have multiple benefits for kids, so I have compiled a list of the best fun coding activities for elementary students.

Scratch is one of the best coding languages for kids ages 6-10. Block coding in Scratch is as simple as dragging and dropping blocks to create a program. Coding a game may seem hard, but with Scratch, any kid can code their own game.

Kids create a game by remixing an existing game (copying it and making their own additions) or creating a new project. Simple tutorials from Hour of Code and CodeWizardsHQ can also be followed step by step.

Every part of the design can be customized using Scratch’s backgrounds and images, or kids may even draw or upload their visuals. Like game development in the real world, kids may use Scratch to ideate their own game and make it come to life.

Robotics kits are a fun way for kids interested in engineering to learn about coding. According to Research from Tufts University’s Department of Child Development, the right age to start learning robotics is 7 to 8. Robotics is a great form of tactile learning; kids can see their code live in action instead of just on a screen.

Robotics combines code with mechanics and electronics. Even simple robots need to be programmed, so robotics is a great choice to study coding too. Learning how to program a robot helps exercise their critical thinking, problem solving, and computational thinking abilities.

If your kid loves playing games in Roblox, take their interest to the next level by coding their own Roblox game. Roblox users create their own games to share with other players, which can be easily developed right in Roblox using Roblox Studio.

Roblox Studio is a free set of tools, or an integrated development environment, that includes 3D-modeling software, Lua scripting interfaces, and tools for testing, debugging, and publishing experiences.

This makes creating a game so easy, kids can create a game like an obstacle course (or “obby”) in just 15 minutes. When kids want to add customized features, they must learn a scripting language called Lua.

Many kids enjoy drawing and art, but that may not seem like it would be part of coding. However, coding has many creative and artistic aspects, such as web design, game design, user interfaces, 3D modeling, and more!

Kids who want to express themselves artistically can try drawing using code. Kids can add images, shapes, and colors in HTML and CSS. It’s possible to program functions that draw shapes and create animations with JavaScript.

Code Guppy has an online coding platform based on JavaScript and p5.js (with extensions), allowing kids to start drawing with code quickly.

Screen-free coding activities are also ideal for this age group if you want to avoid the computer and focus on the principles. You can play coding games and complete coding worksheets for kids that may teach concepts without ever looking at a screen.

For example, as your child, write down the steps to making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A recipe is similar to an algorithm and requires computational thinking to decipher each step.

Kids can practice decomposition, pattern recognition, pattern abstraction, and algorithmic design without a screen. Kids at this age also do best with play and experiential learning, so sitting in front of a computer may be difficult for some younger students.

Elementary school is a perfect time to introduce your kids to coding. You can try one of these fun activities to spark their interest, but a structured coding curriculum is the best way to be successful. The kids’ coding camps and classes for elementary school students are enrolling now!