Thinking of joining an after school coding group? Starting a new chapter of Girls Who Code or Code Club at your school? Programming extracurriculars are a great way to build coding skills in a low stakes environment with people who share your interests. There are tons of different ways to engage with coding resources and build interesting projects together as a group. In this post, we’ll explore some high school coding club activities and projects that will bring your coding club to the next level.

Enjoy Fun High School Coding Club Activities And Projects

Let’s break down seven great options for activities to do with your coding club. From taking classes together to hacking together, these options are all fun ways to bond over code and flex your coding muscles.

1. Try a new language as a group

If you’re starting a new group, chances are members will have a range of different skills and know a variety of languages. In this case, it may be fun to demo several languages, trying out options so everyone knows what’s out there. A great way to learn a new language is to take a free coding class.

It’s easy and (obviously) inexpensive, and lets people try something new. Enroll in award-winning live online free coding classes, and experience a diversity of languages and programming styles. We’d recommend Scratch for newbies, Roblox or Minecraft for gamers, and Python for older students with some previous coding experience.

2. Code a project for social good

The Congressional App Challenge program, hosted by the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, encourages middle school and high school students to create and submit original apps that solve a district-specific problem. Students can use Python, JavaScript, or any other programming language to build their apps. The winning apps are displayed in the US Capitol Building, and are featured on the House of Representatives’ website. The Congressional App Challenge is a great way to apply what you have learned in coding to highlight and solve real world problems. Any student in middle school or high school can submit a project, as long as your congressional district participates (check here to see if your district is part of it). Eager to join but don’t know what project to build with your club and how to complete it end to end? Enroll your club in a live online Congressional App Challenge mentoring class.

3. Make a game together

Not sure what to do for your first coding club meeting? Have all your members work on a project together! There are tons of great options for team projects: project the code up on screen and brainstorm together, or break into small groups and see all the different ways your members solve the same problem. Here are some high school coding projects you could tackle together.

Pick a fun game or coding tutorial that students will relate to, and you’ll be coding together in no time. Here’s a cool Rock, Paper, Scissors Game that’s especially accessible for new-intermediate coders. And even more Scratch projects you could make.

4. Take a class with your club

If your club is looking for a little more support, consider taking a high school coding course together! You can all sign up for the same session and participate either virtually or all in the same room. You’ll work on the same projects with teacher and peer guidance, and at the end, you’ll be more equipped to tackle the projects your team wants to tackle.

Classes depend on your group's interest. Check out live virtual classes for grades 6-9 and for grades 9-12.

5. Explore your hobbies in code

For more advanced clubs, a great way to move to the next level is to encourage members to build their own projects. Code is a great medium for exploring hobbies; while your members share an interest in programming, they bring a variety of other passions to the table that can be harnessed through code. Build games focused on sports, anime, or even cooking.

Here are some cool, Pokemon-focused projects that are bound to be a hit with some of your members.

6. Host a student work showcase

A great way to engage your community and show off your club’s hard work is to hold a student showcase! Book your school or local library for a time where you can invite others to come and see your projects and in-progress work, and feature your member’s programming skills. It’s a great way to keep your club motivated and goal-oriented, and can be a lot of fun.

7. Participate in a high school hackathon

Ready to show off your skills? A hackathon allows your club to compete against other clubs and solve a challenging problem. Hackathons are some of the best bonding activities for aspiring coders, and a great way to put your knowledge to the test. Some are sponsored by companies, and are thus a great way to network with other high school coding enthusiasts and industry professionals.

See if there are any high school hackathons in your area at this link.

8. Enter a competition

A coding competition can be a great way to work together! For example, your club could submit a game development project to the NSF Game Maker Awards. With about a 10 billion dollar budget per year, NSF (National Science Foundation) is one of the largest government agencies supporting fundamental research at universities and research institutes in the US. NSF is hosting the NSF Game Maker Awards Competition to encourage students in grades K-12 to imagine life in the year 2100, and the role science and technology will play in shaping the future.

Enjoy High School Coding Club Activities And Ideas

We hope some of these ideas help you guide your coding club in an exciting direction! Looking to get started with coding for teens, but not sure exactly where to begin? Enroll your student in a free accelerated Scratch class, designed by experts from Google, Stanford, and MIT, to conquer coding fundamentals while making awesome games with the help of a live expert. They'll even earn a certificate.

Up next, discover some leadership activities for high school students.


Written by Sarah Rappaport, who graduated from Northwestern University with undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering and music. She's now working on a masters in data with Georgia Institute of Technology. She taught math and computer science with Teach for America for two years, and now works as a Systems Engineer.