技术无处不在。对于孩子来说，学习编码(learning to code)可以帮助他们提高解决问题的能力(problem solving)和计算思维能力。它还可以拓宽他们未来的职业机会，并为他们提供以独特方式表达创造力和想法(creativity and ideas)的途径。
学习如何编码就像学习说一门外语。年幼的孩子比成年人学得更快，因为他们的大脑仍在发育并为学习而生。
除非父母知道如何编码，否则他们必须依靠其他资源来教孩子们编码。幸运的是，当今市场上(market today)有大量针对儿童网站的低成本和免费编码。
JR Code Avengers是 Code Avengers 的几门课程(Code Avengers Courses)之一。它是一个在线平台，用于教孩子们如何编码。
根据年龄和经验水平(age and level)，有以下三种选择：
- (Foundational )适用于没有经验的 5 到 11 岁儿童的基础课程。
- (Intermediate)为10 至 15(ten and fifteen)岁的儿童提供中级课程，仅具备基本的编码知识(coding knowledge)。
- 13 到 16 岁的高级课程(Advanced )，对编程有基本的了解。
JR Code Avengers需要订阅。从个人、家长或老师中选择。这些课程不是免费的，但提供 30 天的免费试用期。
三个定价层级分别为 29 美元/月、25 美元/月的六个月计划（每半年收费 150 美元）和 20 美元的全年计划(year plan)（每年收费 240 美元）。它们都提供以下相同的功能：
- 无限制访问超过 500 节课程。
- 超过 100 个指导项目和测验。
- 访问 Code Avengers 的云存储。
- 课程结业证书。
- 独家 Slack 频道。
代码战斗(Code Combat)
Code Combat是一款适合 5 到 17 岁儿童的编程游戏。核心级别是免费的。其他级别可用于每月订阅。
这个免费的儿童编码游戏使用基于文本的编程教授JavaScript 和 Python 编码。(JavaScript and Python coding)孩子们(Children)通过不同级别的角色扮演游戏进行游戏。
课程从语法、方法、循环和变量等概念开始。该游戏具有有趣的图形，可帮助孩子们学习编码。
它还为他们提供了与社区中的其他玩家联系并参与团队运动(team sport)的能力。
可汗学院(Khan Academy)是一个非营利组织，为任何地方的每个学生提供课程。它提供练习练习、个性化学习和教学视频，使学习者能够按照自己的节奏学习。
可汗学院的使命是为教育工作者、家长和学生提供世界一流的免费教育。
个性化学习使家长和教师能够帮助找出进度差距。Khan为孩子们提供了各种各样的编码课程，包括JavaScript、HTML和CSS。
可汗学院(Khan Academy)还有基本的编程教程，教孩子们如何构建图形、动画和交互式可视化，
Lightbot是一款基于编程的益智游戏。(puzzle game)它需要应用程序逻辑来解决关卡。
它可通过启用Flash的浏览器或作为Android、macOS、iOS 和Windows的(Windows)付费应用程序(paid app)使用。
它专为初次编程的人而设计，有助于所有年龄段的孩子学习如何编码。孩子们在学习编程逻辑（如重载、排序、递归循环、过程和条件）的同时玩游戏很开心。
Swift Playgrounds是一款适用于(Swift Playgrounds)Mac 和 iPad(Mac and iPad)的免费应用程序。它使学习变得有趣和互动，并且不需要编码知识。
Swift Playgrounds是孩子们学习编程技能的完美起点。游乐场的设计是为了帮助孩子们以一种有趣的方式学习编码。
Swift Playgrounds简单、引人入胜且充满乐趣，并附带一组 Apple 设计的课程。孩子们(Children)在指导学习编码课程中解决交互式难题，以帮助他们掌握编码基础知识。
孩子们在探索各种编码体验的同时尝试各种挑战。操场由等待命令的无人机和机器人组成。当孩子们学习编写代码时，他们控制着机器人和无人机的工作。随着孩子们掌握了基础知识，他们可以在进入下一个级别时继续接受额外的挑战。
Kodable是一款创意和编程应用程序，可帮助 4 至 11 岁的孩子学习核心编程(core programming)。
基础课程是免费的。Kodable还为家长提供固定费用，其中包括可在任何设备上访问的高级课程。孩子们(Kids use) 通过自学课程使用计算机科学基础知识。(computer science)他们创造并与可爱的角色一起玩耍。
儿童编码从幼儿园(Kindergarten level)开始。学生进步到阅读和编写(reading and writing) JavaScript。随着他们的进步，孩子们会建立自己的角色、创建关卡并与其他程序员一起工作。
Kodable 课程的组织方式类似于课堂课程(classroom curriculum)。每个单元由教师脚本、不插电活动、独立练习活动以及最后的测试或测验(test or quiz)组成。
Tynker 为孩子们提供了在线编程免费编码课程的样本。访问(Access)包含 40 多个基于文本的块式课程和 3,700 多个学习模块的完整库需要每月订阅。
孩子们(Children learn)在自定进度的在线环境(online environment)中学习。编程课程以太空为主题，以游戏为基础，使用火箭飞船和外星人。孩子们按照自己的节奏创建(Kids create)和构建自己的应用程序和游戏(apps and games)。Tynker适合所有年龄段和初学者到高级程序员。
Stencyl是一款免费编码的儿童游戏创作软件(game creation software)，用户可以在其中无需代码即可发布Android、iPhone、Mac、Windows、iPad、HTML5、Linux和Flash游戏。
六岁及以上的孩子可以构建自己的游戏、角色和世界。对于年幼的孩子，图形是儿童友好的。
更高级的学生可以选择在他们玩的游戏中查看和编辑基于文本的代码。他们需要下载和设置软件。论坛提供了宝贵的支持。
喜欢游戏开发和设计细节(game development and design detail)的孩子会喜欢使用Stencyl学习编码。
Blockly是一个免费资源，可以让 8 岁及以上的孩子玩有趣的编程游戏。它使用基于块的方法来教授编程原理和JavaScript。
学生通过一系列积木和谜题来学习。教育游戏向没有编码经验的孩子传授编程技能。
游戏的目标是让孩子们使用拖放功能来解决棘手而有趣的难题，从而创建一个解决问题的故事。拼图(Puzzle)出现在屏幕上。孩子们(Kids)通过完成拼图来完成组成节目的故事。
准备好开始您的孩子编码了吗？(Ready To Start Your Kids Coding?)
在当今的现代世界中，每个人都知道学习如何编码可以让孩子们为他们的未来做好准备。选择最适合您孩子的资源将取决于年龄、兴趣和知识水平。
上面列出的免费和付费资源应该可以帮助您了解从哪里开始让您的孩子接触编程。
Coding For Kids: Best Sites For Kids To Learn Programming
Technology is everywhere. For children, learning to code can help them improve problem solving and computational thinking skills. It can also broaden their career opportunities in the future and give them an avenue to express their creativity and ideas in unique ways.
Learning how to code is like learning to speak a foreign language. Younger children learn faster than adults because their brains are still developing and made for learning.
Unless parents know how to code, they must rely on other resources to teach coding for kids. Luckily, there are plenty of low-cost and free coding for kids websites available on the market today.
JR Code Avengers is one of several Code Avengers Courses. It is an online platform used to teach children how to code.
There are three options to choose from based on age and level of experience:
- Foundational for kids five to eleven with no experience.
- Intermediate for children between the ages of ten and fifteen with only basic coding knowledge.
- Advanced for ages thirteen to sixteen with more than a basic understanding of programming.
JR Code Avengers requires a subscription. Choose from individual, parent, or teacher. The courses are not free but do offer a 30-day free trial.
The three pricing tiers are $29/month, $25/month for a six-month plan (billed semi-annually for $150), and $20 for a full year plan (billed annually for $240). They all offer the same following features:
- Unlimited access to over 500 lessons.
- More than 100 guided projects and quizzes.
- Access to Code Avengers’ cloud storage.
- Certificates for course completion.
- Exclusive Slack channel.
Code Combat
Code Combat is a coding game for kids ages five through seventeen. The core levels are free. Additional levels are available for monthly subscriptions.
This free coding for kids game teaches JavaScript and Python coding using text-based programming. Children play through different levels of a role-playing game.
The lessons start with concepts such as syntax, methods, loops, and variables. The game features fun graphics to help kids learn to code.
It also offers the ability for them to connect with other players in the community and take part in a team sport.
Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization that offers classes for every student anywhere. It provides practice exercises, personalized learning, and instructional videos to empower learners to study at their own pace.
Khan Academy’s mission is to provide world-class and free education geared towards educators, parents, and students.
Personalized learning enables parents and teachers to help identify gaps in progress. Khan offers a wide variety of coding courses for kids, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
Khan Academy also has basic programming tutorials that teach kids how to build graphics, animations, and interactive visualizations,
Lightbot is a puzzle game based on programming. It requires applying programmatic logic to solve levels.
It is available via a browser with Flash enabled or as a paid app for Android, macOS, iOS, and Windows.
It’s designed for first-time coders and helpful for children of all ages to learn how to code. Kids have fun playing the games while learning programming logic, such as overloading, sequencing, recursive loops, procedures, and conditionals.
Swift Playgrounds is a free app for Mac and iPad. It makes learning fun and interactive and requires no coding knowledge.
Swift Playgrounds is a perfect starting point for kids to learn programming skills. The design of the playgrounds is to help children learn to code in a fun way.
Swift Playgrounds is simple, engaging, and fun and comes with a set of Apple-designed lessons. Children solve interactive puzzles in guided learning to code sessions to help them master coding basics.
Kids experiment with a wide range of challenges while they explore various coding experiences. The playgrounds consist of drones and robots that wait for commands. As kids learn to write code, they control what the robots and drones do. As children master the basics, they can move on to extra challenges as they advance to the next level.
Kodable is a creativity and programming app to help kids learn core programming for ages four to eleven.
The basic curriculum is free. Kodable also offers a flat fee for parents that includes an advanced curriculum accessible on any device. Kids use computer science basics through self-directed lessons. They create and play alongside cute characters.
Coding for kids starts at the Kindergarten level. Students progress to reading and writing JavaScript. As they progress, kids build their own characters, create levels, and work with other coders.
Kodable courses are organized like a classroom curriculum. Every unit consists of a teacher’s script, an unplugged activity, independent practice activities, and a test or quiz at the end.
Tynker offers a sample of online programming free coding courses for kids. Access to the complete library of more than 40 text-based, block courses, and over 3,700 learning modules requires a monthly subscription.
Children learn in a self-paced online environment. The programming courses are space-themed and game-based using rocket ships and space aliens. Kids create and build their own apps and games at their own pace. Tynker is suitable for all ages and beginners to advanced level coders.
Stencyl is a free coding for kids game creation software where users can publish Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows, iPad, HTML5, Linux, and Flash games without code.
Kids ages six and older build their own games, characters and worlds. For younger children, the graphics are child-friendly.
More advanced students get an option to see and edit the text-based code in the games they play. They are required to download and set up software. The forums provide invaluable support.
Kids who appreciate game development and design detail will enjoy learning to code with Stencyl.
Blockly is a free resource that gives access to fun coding games for kids best suited for eight years and older. It uses a block-based approach to teach programming principles and JavaScript.
Students learn through a series of blocks and puzzles. The educational games teach programming skills to kids who don’t have prior coding experience.
The goal of the games is for children to solve tricky and fun puzzles using a drag-and-drop function to create a story that solves a problem. Puzzle pieces show up on the screen. Kids complete the story that makes up the program by completing the puzzle.
Ready To Start Your Kids Coding?
In today’s modern world, everyone knows that learning how to code gives kids a leg up for their future. Choosing the resource most suited for your child will depend upon age, interest, and level of knowledge.
The free and paid resources outlined above should help you know where to start exposing your children to programming.
