Studies show that 80+% of parents consider learning coding to be at least as or more important than learning math and English. Want to find the perfect coding lesson for kids? Look no further.

Today we've pulled together a handy guide for how to introduce kids to coding including some free coding lessons. The best part about these clever lessons is that they're designed in a way that kids can quickly begin making their own games within their first session. Here are some of the best ways to get to the good stuff fast! Get started with award-winning live online free coding classes designed by experts from Google, Stanford, and MIT to discover the magic in technology.

Join a free coding lesson for kids today

With our curriculum here at Create & Learn, students from grades K through 12 will find exactly the right path for their education. Our curriculum is designed by experts from MIT, Stanford, and Google, to delight your child's imagination, no matter their interests. Choose from subjects as diverse as beginner-friendly Scratch coding and fun Minecraft game development, through advanced cloud computing and JavaScript.

1. Scratch Ninja - Grades 2-5

Most children begin coding with Scratch, because it's a way to quickly conquer coding and create cool projects. This set of online coding lessons cover everything from Scratch fundamentals to complex Scratch tasks. Kids learn core programming concepts that extend far outside of Scratch. Our classes are project-based, meaning that in every class, students get to work on an animation, game, or other task they can customize and feel proud about. Younger students will enjoy our ScratchJr lessons and older students can begin with Accelerated Scratch.

Parent review: "We are super happy with every aspect of Create & Learn. My daughter was able to take 2 intro classes to see if she likes the topics and content (she loved both and the teachers!) She is taking Scratch Ninja and we are looking at more classes. The instructor is a wonderful teacher. More than that, the personal feedback and attention for the students and parents, the immediate response to questions and advice is amazing. Truly recommending Create & Learn." - Natalie F.

Begin today with our free Scratch coding lesson:

2. Minecraft Redstone Engineering - Grades 2-5

Does your child love playing Minecraft? Join this free, live virtual intro class to start creating with one of the most powerful elements in Minecraft - Redstone. Through a series of fun activities and puzzle-solving, students will learn how different power sources such as Redstone blocks, torches, and switches can be used to power blocks around them in different ways. Students will be taught the skills they need to start creating more advanced structures that can be powered up or automated.

Parent review: "My son recently started his class with Create & Learn and he loves it. Instructors are patient and teach in a way that's makes my son want to learn more and he really enjoys his classes and looks forward to it every week." - Babu P.

Begin today with our free Minecraft engineering lesson:

3. Beginner Roblox Game Coding Class - Grades 3-8

In this fun live virtual class students will learn the foundational coding skills to create their own games in Roblox, the popular gaming platform with over 40 million games! This class is designed for students to become equipped with foundational Roblox coding skills without having to use the standard and very complicated game development tool most commonly used for Roblox, Lua. Instead they'll use a fun and intuitive block coding interface. They'll learn important coding concepts such as if/then, loop, and variable in the context of Roblox coding, as well as how to have game elements respond to interactions from players such as clicks, movements, and more! They'll even build a cool dodgeball game, multiplayer games, and a game modeled after the highly popular infinity run game where players must turn, dodge, and jump to avoid obstacles and gain points!

Parent review: "My son really enjoyed his lessons. It is hard to get him engaged in much, but when he said he really liked the free lesson I immediately signed him up for more classes. They have great instructors and communicate effectively." Kelly J.

Get your child started today with our free Roblox class:

4. Python for AI - Grades 5-9

Python is a high-level coding language used by companies such as Netflix and Google, and it is also used for web development, game development, building apps, machine learning, and so much more. Learn core concepts of Python syntax, loop, data types, variables, and a lot more. Then, explore more advanced programing elements of Python such as dictionaries and files, and learn how to employ Python’s powerful modules to build games, stories and real-world data projects!

Parent review: "Highly recommend - one of the best coding classes so far! My kid loves it. The Create & Learn team is very helpful in working out options & schedules....& go out of their way to work things out. I give it 5 stars any day!" - Shruthi T.

Help your teen get started coding today with our free Python coding lesson:

What to expect from a coding lesson for kids

Here's what else makes each of our coding lessons for kids great:

  • In our lessons, kids learn the real stuff pros use. We teach the best platforms in the industry. So kids build cutting-edge, real-world skills.
  • Our program has been recognized by and won awards from Minecraft Education, Meta's Engineer for the Week, Roblox Education, ActivityHero, and Hulafrog.
  • Our live virtual classes provide access to the best instructors in the world. And the ability to show off your work, ask questions, and get helpful answers right away.
  • Plus, there's no risk in trying because we offer free introduction classes in a number of subjects, and a complete satisfaction guarantee.

Now you know a few coding lessons for kids you might enjoy! Up next, here are a few ideas about how to pick the best coding lesson for your child.

Find the right coding lesson for kids

Keeping kids engaged when learning new subjects can be a challenge. But, with the right coding lessons, your child will fall in love with computer science while also having fun! Here are a few key considerations to help you make the best choice.

1. Coding lesson class size

Your intuition probably tells you smaller class size is better already. But do you realize it pretty much sets the ceiling for how good your child's results can be?

Even the best teacher in the world would have their hands tied in a large classroom, because the teacher can't adapt to individual students' needs. Personalized attention is particularly important for developing students’ creativity and critical thinking skills.

Look for classes with 6 students or less.

2. Differentiated projects made by different students in the coding lesson

According to the World Economic Forum, the top skills required for the future are higher order thinking skills such as problem solving and creativity. But, studies show that only 4% of U.S. classroom work requires these skills.

So when you see your kid’s projects at the end of a program, don’t just get excited about what your kids have done. Take a look at how your child’s projects are different from those of other students.

In many programs, students produce almost identical projects. This is because instead of teaching kids coding, teachers just hand detailed instructions for building the projects to students, who then blindly follow the steps.

In this type of program, there is little true learning, exploring, and creating. As a result, even after producing the projects, many students still don’t understand what they have done.

Ask your child how their project is different from that of their peers.

3. Teachers' experience

Teaching is a skill that takes many years to master. Think for a second, about examples from your own school days, of both good and bad teachers. Did the difference make a world of difference in your own learning? We'd bet so!

Effective teachers not only help your kid do one class well, but also nourish his/her passion for learning in general. The reverse is also true. The influence of a poor teacher can go far beyond a single class. So be very mindful about who teaches your kids.

Read reviews left by parents about teachers to see whether they were engaging.

4. Who created the coding lesson curriculum

Learning coding is not that different from learning skills such as painting or swimming - in that learning from the masters or Olympians will no doubt set your kids on a much more successful path. The experiences and accomplishments in the tech world of the people who create the coding curriculum determine how far the program can bring your kids.

If you would like your kids to go far in the tech world, find out if the curriculum team has worked in the top tech companies. And if they are insiders of both the tech and business side of the broader high-tech industry. Not just someone who can code.

Look on the coding lesson website to learn more about who created the curriculum or reach out to their customer support to ask.

5. Your child's grade and interests

Use your child's grade level as a guide for which set of lessons to begin with. That way they'll be in a class with students of a similar age so they'll feel comfortable. And the lessons will help them build their confidence, rather than be confusing and leave them feeling overwhelmed.

Your child's interests, such as whether they want to build their own games, enjoy art, or love tinkering with LEGOs, can also guide your lesson selection. Using our pathways, available on each grade level page, you can easily find the right match.

Get started with a coding lesson for kids

Here are a few Scratch coding lessons for kids that you can jump right into with your child as well.

Begin with ScratchJr: Students ages 5-7 can learn all about the ScratchJr app, see how to get set up, and try out a few Scratch Jr projects, from creating a rocket escape to an underwater challenge.

Begin with Scratch: Older kids and teens can get started with Scratch. Here's how to sign up for the free platform. After that, try a fun Scratch tutorial that guides you step by step through making your first project - you can even customize the characters (sprites, as they're called in Scratch). Then your child will be ready to try all sorts of cool Scratch projects, such as how to make a Mario game.

Enjoy coding lessons for kids

Begin your child's coding adventure today with our creative coding lessons! Join over 100,000 successful students and get access to the best, cutting-edge technology instruction in the world, from the comfort of your home. Up next, learn more about the best coding classes for kids and the best coding games for kids.