Looking for free coding games for kids? Today we've pulled together some handy free apps and websites that provide fun, challenging games for kids from elementary school through high school to learn coding.
To learn how to code and make cool games, join any our free coding classes! We recommend you get started with our popular beginner-friendly live online Scratch coding class led live by an expert, and designed by professionals from Google, Stanford, and MIT:
More advanced programmers will enjoy creating cool Pokémon games:
Discover free coding games for kids
For each free coding game we'll provide an overview of what to expect, as well as the format the content is presented in, and the ages it's best for. We've included both pros and cons, so you can chose which is best for your student easily! Get started with fun kids coding today.
1. Scratch
Scratch is the world’s largest coding community for children. The platform provides a coding language with a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows young people to create digital stories, games, and animations. Scratch is designed, developed, and moderated by MIT and the Scratch Foundation, a nonprofit organization. It's free and available in more than 70 languages.
The site also provides a bunch of fun tutorials to follow to make games. Kids will catch on really fast, as it's very simple and intuitive. They'll quickly start experimenting and doing things on their own, building their creativity and coding at the same time! At Create & Learn we offer a fun live online Scratch coding course taught by and expert instructor and designed for kids by experts from Google, Stanford, and MIT. Join today for free to create fun games and conquer inspiring project challenges (join this session to make a cool Pokemon game)!
- Format: App & Website
- Ages: 8-16
- Cost: Free
2. ScratchJr
For kids younger than 8, ScratchJr is the perfect free game, inspired by Scratch! Little one will love to draw and create characters, put them on the stage, and move them around through simple coding.
ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5 and up) to create their own interactive stories and games. Children snap together graphical programming blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing. Children can modify characters in the paint editor, add their own voices and sounds, even insert photos of themselves - then use the programming blocks to make their characters come to life!
ScratchJr is a collaboration between the Developmental Technologies group at Tufts University, the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, and the Playful Invention Company. Some parents have said the parental controls are a little too simple, but overall we think you'll love this free game app. We also offer a ScratchJr coding class for young children, led by a live expert instructor! This is a great way to ensure your child has the support they need as they try something new.
- Format: App
- Ages: 5-8
- Cost: Free
3. Blockly
Blockly is a pure Javascript library, and adds an editor to your app that represents coding concepts as interlocking blocks. It outputs syntactically correct code in the programming language of your choice. Custom blocks may be created to connect to your own application. In Blockly Games, users can solve a maze using Blockly's editor on the right. Blockly codelabs provide step-by-step instructions on how to use and customize Blockly, so that's the best place to begin.
- Format: Website
- Ages: 10+
- Cost: Free
4. Algorithm City
The game is a fun and innovative coding game to teach the basics of programming and algorithm. It teaches coding with fun games with the animals. Players gain the basic concepts of coding, like command sequencing, functions and loops, by guiding their character by collecting golds and solving levels. It features 51 levels in 4 chapters so there's plenty to learn! Users say the app is very fun, with a simple interface and great controls. And the way it slowly increases in difficulty makes for a smooth progression. There are some annoying ads because the app is free, but that's really the only downside.
- Format: App
- Ages: 8+
- Cost: Free
5. Mimo
This app has won Google Play's Editor's Choice, and provides a learn-to-code experience very similar to Duolingo. It helps kids build apps and websites, or become a developer. When you install Mimo, you get access to free coding lessons in Python, Javascript, and HTML that will fit into your day. Run code and build real-world projects on the go thanks to their mobile IDE. Build a portfolio of projects like websites or apps. Plus, get a certificate to showcase your coding skills. This app is a good entry point but would be best supplemented with other free learn-to-code options on a computer.
- Format: App
- Ages: 15+
- Cost: Free with paid upgrade available
6. Programming Hero
This app won Code.org's approval for a great game-based learning app. Programming Hero offers surprise points, gifts, superpower badges, and coding games which make your learning very enjoyable. You won't just learn with this app, you'll play games and learn. Their mission is to provide teens and adults fun coding. There are even quizzes in the app, such as a 3-second burger game, a 45-second ice-cream game, and a 5-second pizza game. But it doesn't tell you during the quizzes when you got a wrong answer at the time, which can reinforce bad ideas.
- Format: App
- Ages: 10+
- Cost: Free with paid upgrade available
7. Grasshopper
This is a great beginner free coding app for high schoolers. This app lets you play fun, quick games on your phone that teach you to write real JavaScript. Visual puzzles develop your problem-solving skills and solidify coding concepts. You can move through progressively challenging levels as you develop your abilities. And while many other apps and websites and resources teach coding at a bit slower pace, this app goes at a pace that will keep you engaged. Plus to keep you excited about progressing, you even collect achievements as you learn new skills! Something to watch out for though is that it doesn't allow the user to just type in the code themselves - so it can be a bit clunky.
- Format: App
- Ages: 10+
- Cost: Free
8. Code.org
Code.org is an education innovation nonprofit dedicated to the vision that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of their core K-12 education. Their annual Hour of Code celebration provides plenty of one-hour game tutorials in over 45 languages. From Dance Party to Mario's Secret, there are tons of free games to learn coding! Here are a few of our favorite Code.org games.
- Format: Website
- Ages: 5+
- Cost: Free
9. Code Wars
Improve your development skills by training with your peers on code "kata" that continuously challenge and push your coding practice. Kata are small coding exercises and games - from beginner to advanced - crafted by the Code Wars community to help you strengthen different coding skills. Master your current language of choice, or learn any of the 55+ programming languages supported. But you have to complete their beginner-friendly initiation challenge in order to sign up!
- Format: Website
- Ages: 18+
- Cost: Free
10. CodeSpark
This app won the Apple Editor's Choice for Top Educational App. CodeSpark has hundreds of activities and kids learning games designed to teach kids the fundamentals of computer science and introduce them to the world of coding for kids. With the app your kid can enjoy personalized daily activities and coding games based on your child’s progress. And new content is released every month with the subscription. Though users report a number of bugs with the app, such as shutting down during setup and some puzzle levels not unlocking.
- Format: App
- Ages: 5-10
- Cost: Paid, but 30-day free trial
Enjoy free coding games for kids
Now you know tons of fun ways to learn coding for kids from free games. What's great about these games is that not only will kids master core coding concepts such as loops, conditional, variables, and more, but also they'll develop logical thinking skills, as well as build their creativity. Up next, check out the best coding games for kids.
To have fun learning coding in a guided environment and through a progressively challenging, structured curriculum, join any of our free coding classes. Many students select to begin with our fun Minecraft engineering class that reveals cool electric Redstone elements.
