Summer can be a great time for kids to learn coding as it offers them a flexible and relaxed learning environment, continues to foster their creativity during the summer gap, and provides opportunities for collaboration with peers. So today we'll take a look at some fun and educational award-winning summer coding classes to help you find the right studies for your student! We'll provide options for brand new beginners, as well as for high schoolers looking to earn AP credit, as well as classes across a broad range of interests from AI to robotics and game development.
All of these summer courses curricula are designed by professionals from Google, Stanford, MIT, Code.org, Airbnb, and Apple, and taught by live expert instructors. They've also been recognized for excellence by companies such as Meta, SMASH, Minecraft Education, and more. We can't wait to see your student in class!
Discover Award-Winning Summer Coding Classes
During the summer, kids often have more free time without the constraints of school schedules and homework, which can be used for learning coding skills, without the pressure of academic commitments. In the best summer coding classes, students will enjoy immersing themselves in coding concepts, experimenting with different programming languages, and building their own projects that align with their passions - such as creating their own video games, building robots, or designing websites, which can foster their creativity and critical thinking skills. Without the built-in socialization school provides during the year, online collaborative learning can help provide new motivation, as kids can learn from each other, exchange ideas, and work on group projects, which can also boost their teamwork and communication skills. Let's take a look at some parent and expert-recommended coding classes to find the right fit for your student. The following summer coding classes and camps are sorted by age group, from elementary students through to high school.
Explore Summer Coding Classes For Elementary School
Learning coding can be highly beneficial for elementary school students. By learning coding at an early age, elementary school students develop a foundational understanding of how technology works and how it is built which can help them become digitally literate and prepare them for the increasingly digital future. Beyond that, elementary school students will learn to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and develop solutions using coding concepts, which can improve their overall cognitive development and help them become better learners in other subjects too. From fun beginner coding to basic engineering, website design, and making smart devices, here are some of the best summer coding classes for your elementary student!
1. Scratch Summer Coding Class
Scratch is the ideal way to for your student to begin coding because it's easy to learn and students can bring animations to life quickly within their first session. Which gets them more interested in how coding works and what they can create. In this fun interactive online summer class, students learn the basics of how to code games and animations with drag-and-drop coding blocks led live by an expert! Students learn foundational coding concepts, and are encouraged to think critically and use their creativity while coding a special project in each session.
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Beginner coders with no previous experience
Grades: K-9 (ScratchJr (K-2); Scratch Ninja (2-5); Accelerated Scratch (5+)
Prerequisite: None
2. Minecraft Redstone Engineering Class
This is another great entry-level class. Does your child enjoy Minecraft? If so, this fun one-of-a-kind class will help them learn how to identify and utilize the rare Minecraft element: Redstone - to engineer powerful inventions. In addition to engineering techniques in the world of Minecraft, students learn about real-world engineering concepts!
Format: Live online for 55 minutes a session
Best for: Students interested in Minecraft
Grades: 2-5
Prerequisite: None
3. Lights & Beats with Micro:Bit Summer Class
For students that enjoy seeing their coding come to life in the real world, robotics is a great field because it's very hands-on. In this live online summer class, students learn how to control electronics such as LED lights and speakers! This class is the perfect fit if your child enjoys electronics, or if they aspire to build robots or rockets one day. Coding is done through a virtual simulator, eliminating the need for a physical device making the class the more accessible. If you’d like to purchase a Micro:Bit device, your code will also pair perfectly with the device!
Format: Live online for 55 minutes a session
Best for: Kids interested in smart devices and physical building play
Grades: 2-4
4. Smart and Safe on the Internet
This is a great computer science class for every student! Does your child know what information they should or shouldn't show on social media or video games? Kids are online more than ever before, but do they know how to use the Internet safely and protect their privacy? When students join this summer class they'll explore a wide range of topics related to computer security, modern computers, and the Internet. This will be the most exciting cybersecurity class for kids with real-world applications, delivered through a combination of project and inquiry-based learning. They'll enjoy fun videos, games, and security tools, as well as build projects of their own.
Format: Live online for 55 minutes a session
Best for: Every kid that uses the internet
Grades: 2-5
5. Beginner Roblox Game Coding Class
For students with some prior coding experience, this summer class is designed to be an introduction to coding games in the ever popular Roblox gaming platform (with over 40 million games)! It's the only class of its kind to teach Roblox coding without the complicated game development tool Lua, which is most commonly used for Roblox coding. Students learn new coding skills using block-based coding, through building multiple fun games in a supportive environment led live by an expert instructor.
Format: Live online for 75 minutes per session
Best for: Kids that want to learn about Roblox
Grades: 3-8
Prerequisite: Completion of Scratch Ninja 4 or equivalent of advanced coding experience
Explore Summer Coding Classes For Middle School Kids
Coding is beneficial for middle school students as it helps them further develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills while providing a deeper understanding of technology. Middle school students can build upon their foundational coding knowledge from elementary school and explore more complex coding concepts and projects. They can also learn about web development, game design, and robotics, which can introduce them to potential career paths in STEM fields. Coding can also foster collaboration, as middle school students can engage in team-based coding projects, coding competitions, or coding clubs, promoting teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, coding can help middle school students become better digital citizens, teaching them about online safety, ethics, and responsible use of technology, preparing them for the digital world they will navigate as they grow older. Here are some of the best summer coding classes for middle schoolers.
6. Accelerated Scratch
Accelerated Scratch is an award-winning online summer class designed for the novice coder who is in grades 5-9. Studies have proven that students who are new to coding do better starting with block-based coding like Scratch. This class offers a series of compressed sessions that equip students with key coding concepts in just eight sessions, each with a fun project including games and animations. The expert instructor delivers the course in a friendly and encouraging way, giving students the confidence to experiment and try out what they are learning!
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Middle-school aged students who want to start coding
Grades: 5-9
Prerequisite: None
7. Create with AI: ChatGPT Secrets for Kids
Through several carefully designed projects, this live online interactive course designed by experts from Google, Stanford, and MIT, helps students understand what ChatGPT is and introduces them to effective ways of using ChatGPT. Together with ChatGPT, students will plan something fun, honing their systematic and critical thinking skills while developing essential executive functions. Moreover, they'll learn how to use ChatGPT to enhance their writing abilities and unleash their creativity, enabling them to craft captivating storylines, and they'll master the art of delivering powerful messages through well-structured sentences. Students will also have the opportunity to code their very own ChatBot using this remarkable technology. Throughout the course, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the power of ChatGPT, its practical applications, and the ethical considerations associated with AI usage.
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Middle-school aged students
Grades: 4-8
Prerequisite: None
8. Mobile Coding for Apps and Games
This summer class provides students with the skills to create their own unique mobile applications. Students will learn a variety of exciting skills including but not limited to design layout and UI, how to enable UI elements for event handling, how to use different mobile features like a touch screen, how to make multi-user apps, and much more! This is all achieved through building fun projects and games in a small group class, led by an expert teacher.
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Kids that want to learn how to build mobile apps
Grades: 4-9
Prerequisite: Completion of Scratch Ninja 2 or equivalent coding experience
9. Modern Website Design with Wix
Does the student in your life ever talk about wanting to create their own websites? This class is designed to teach students all the skills they need to build their own website with the leading free website building platform, Wix. It covers a wide range of web design topics including how to structure your website, design your layout, choose color schemes, and create an online storefront. Websites can be used as a virtual portfolio, to showcase school or community events, help local businesses or nonprofits, and really anything you put your mind to!
Format: Live online for 75 minutes per session
Best for: Kids that want answers fast and live guidance to learn how to build their own websites
Grades: 4-9
Prerequisite: None, but Scratch Ninja and Canva for Kids are suggested
10. Python for AI
Master Python, an essential coding language, in a supportive environment led by an expert teacher. In this more advanced summer coding class, students will learn not only the advanced coding language of Python, but also the elements of Python that are most relevant to the increasingly-important field of artificial intelligence. Python is used by companies like Netflix and Google for web development, game development, building apps, machine learning, and much more!
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Kids who want to learn a real-world programming language
Grades: 5-12
Prerequisite: Advanced Scratch Coding or Minecraft Modding experience
11. Coding with Roblox Studio in Lua
Does your child love Roblox and have prior experience coding Roblox games? If so, this class is a great fit to equip your child with advanced Roblox coding skills! Students will learn how to use the advanced scripting language Lua to create games, solve puzzles, and more in this fun class. Special skills like how to configure properties of objects like color and texture, how to create multi-player games, and how to create economies are just a few of the exciting features taught in this class.
Format: Live online for 70 minutes per session
Best for: Tweens and teens who are familiar with Roblox
Grades: 6-12
Prerequisite: Advanced Scratch Coding or Minecraft Modding experience
Explore Summer Coding Classes For High School Teens
Check out these award-winning, challenging, and diverse live online coding camps designed by professionals from MIT, Google, and Stanford, for high-school aged students. Coding is beneficial for high school students as it allows them to develop advanced coding skills, explore specialized areas of coding, and prepare for higher education and potential careers in computer science or related fields. High school students can delve deeper into coding languages, frameworks, and libraries, and gain proficiency in more complex coding concepts such as data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming. They can also create more sophisticated projects, such as web applications, mobile apps, or data-driven applications, showcasing their coding skills for college applications or future employment. High school students can also take advantage of coding internships, coding bootcamps, or coding competitions to gain practical experience and enhance their resumes. Additionally, coding can foster entrepreneurship, as high school students can learn about coding for business, develop their own startups or create innovative solutions to real-world problems, fostering innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurial mindset!
12. Build Your Web
Learn the intricacies of how the internet works and how to contribute to the world wide web in this fun hands-on web building summer class. Students will learn HTML and CSS, how to build websites with Javascript, and much more. Students are even introduced to more advanced Javascript and learn how to build more complex web projects, from drawings and animations to online games.
Format: Live online for 55 minutes per session
Best for: Kids interested in building their own highly customized websites
Grades: 5-12
Prerequisite: Completion of Scratch Ninja 3 or coding equivalent
13. Data Science with Python and Pandas
Python and Pandas are a powerful combination of platforms that when used correctly provide students with superb data analyzation and drawing business insights. In this hands-on analytic class students learn how to manipulate data. The ability to effectively analyze data and use it to inform decisions is a critical skill for a variety of professions including lawyers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, journalists, and more.
Format: Live online for 75 minutes per session
Best for: Kids who want to understand how to analyze complex data
Grades: 5-12
Prerequisite: Completion of Python for AI or equivalent experience
14. Unity Game Development Course
Did you know Unity is the most popular game engine in the world? If your child has ever wondered how professionals develop games with sophisticated features and design, this is it! This advanced game building summer course covers a wide range of topics including how to navigate the Unity ecosystem to build 2D/3D games from scratch, complete behavioral and object scripting, and much more.
Format: Live online for 70 minutes per session
Best for: Students who want to learn game building
Grades: 5-12
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of text-based coding such as Python, Javascript, or Java
15. AP Computer Science Principles (meets AP CSP College Board requirements)
In this preparatory class for the AP CSP Exam, students learn a broad range of fundamental exam topics including how to design and evaluate solutions, and how to apply computer science to solve problems through developing algorithms and programs. This class was developed by AP computer science educators and meets the requirements for the AP CSP exam as defined by the College Board.
Format: Live online for 70 minutes per session
Best for: Students who want to prepare for the AP CSP exam
Grades: 6-12
Prerequisite: Completion of Python for AI or equivalent coding experience
16. AP Computer Science Java (meets AP CSA college board requirements)
This rigorous Java class was adapted by Lead Curriculum Developer Jamila Cocchiola from the new Code.org AP CSA curriculum (certified by College Board) to better fit our online format and student needs. This class is a highly thorough introduction to Java programming and covers a wide range of topics like the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, and the development and implementation of algorithms to process data. These skills and many more are put into practice through fun project-based learning!
Format: Live online for 90 minutes per session
Best for: Students who want to prepare for the AP CSA exam
Grades: 6-12
Prerequisite: Completion of Python for AI or equivalent coding experience
Join Summer Coding Classes Today
Online coding courses offer flexibility and convenience, allowing students to learn coding at their own pace from the comfort of their home. The courses we've shared range from introductory coding classes for beginners to more advanced courses for students with prior coding experience. Be sure to select coding classes that align with your student's skill level, interests, and learning goals, that are taught by qualified instructors or reputable organizations to ensure a high-quality learning experience. If you're still not sure where to begin, we'd recommend Scratch coding. Your student might also enjoy one-on-one summer coding tutoring lessons.
