TOP PICKS | 26 TOOLS
Best Coding Tools for Elementary
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Blue-Bot
Simple robot ideal for introducing programming to young learners
Bottom line: Students will develop logical and sequential thinking with Blue-Bot, creating a foundation for future coding activities.
ScratchJr
Drag-and-drop programming is an effective intro for budding coders
Bottom line: With a little adult help, this is a rich platform for getting kids into programming and digital creation.
Codeable Crafts
Animate stories with accessible drawing tools and coding blocks
Bottom line: Kids get a simple peek at computer programming principles by animating stories using code blocks.
Blockly for Dash & Dot Robots
Adorable robots teach hands-on coding skills
Bottom line: You can program robots with code blocks, with plenty of creative options and lots of fun.
Cork the Volcano - Puzzlets
Fun elementary coding through hands-on puzzle tiles
Bottom line: Programming that combines engaging physical puzzle tiles with digital gameplay.
Kodable - Coding for Kids
Fun procedural reasoning for kids; great curriculum for teachers
Bottom line: Kodable is a fun way for elementary school students to understand coding and contains impressive supports for teachers.
Path for Dash Robot
Impressive intro to programming and robotics grows with students
Bottom line: Fun activities will hook kids; more advanced applications will continue to challenge them.
Code.org
Popular games, big names get kids and teachers pumped to program
Bottom line: A well-planned, -produced, and -curated set of free resources bound to get kids hooked on learning to code.
Code for Life
Comprehensive coding platform has impressive resources for teachers
Bottom line: This learn-to-code program has the breadth and depth required to meet the needs of almost any teacher.
Scratch
Creative sandbox opens the door to coding in any subject area
Bottom line: Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning.
SpriteBox Coding
Appealing puzzle game reinforces essential coding concepts
Bottom line: This well-designed game introduces basic coding syntax and is best used for practice.
Itch
Full-featured tool makes teaching with Scratch easier than ever
Bottom line: Here you'll find resources for teaching with Scratch and a complete management tool to support student learning.
Codemoji
Emoji-based coding tool demystifies web design and animation
Bottom line: Emoji-based lessons engage and empower kids to explore web design and animation, with instant website creation.
Evo by Ozobot
Versatile mini robot tailor-made for teaching coding
Bottom line: Evo encourages students to be creative, emphasizing that coding is a tool in your pocket, not the end game.
SAM Edu
Wireless blocks promote design, engineering, and programming skills
Bottom line: With some perseverance, SAM is a great fit for PBL and STEAM, helping students learn programming skills through invention.
Tickle
Robots, Arduinos, and drones -- the block coding app to rule them all
Bottom line: Impressive tool for introducing block coding and robotics on a ton of devices.
Kodu Game Lab
Open-ended game design and programming tool for visual thinkers
Bottom line: The 3D game-making environment and fun, visual logic will definitely grab some students, but others will need support the game just doesn't provide.
Codesters
Differentiated text-based coding makes for truly authentic experiences
Bottom line: The well-designed Python lessons and user interface make this a great choice for serious coding instruction.
Tynker
Cute, colorful coding platform caters to strong independent readers
Bottom line: Students will be empowered by custom-coding creations for a variety of platforms, but may need some reading support to complete lessons.
Hopscotch For Schools: Learn to code, make cool things, have fun.
Programming blocks give good balance of freedom vs. constraint
Bottom line: With a pinch of patience and a lot of passion, this introduction to computer science and its underlying principles is highly accessible.
CodeCombat
Dungeon-crawling adventure where code is king
Bottom line: While not everyone loves fighting ogres, CodeCombat offers a classroom-ready platform and an authentic learning experience.
CodeMonkey
Puzzler's use of real code fills niche in crowded learn-to-code genre
Bottom line: A great intro to coding, with solid teacher support, gets kids using a real programming language and digging into some meatier concepts than other early coding tools.
Made with Code
Enticing projects and inspiring videos offer anyone an intro to coding
Bottom line: Solid intro to coding with diverse projects geared toward tween/teen girls; sets foundation to explore deeper level coding and logic activities.
Mozilla Thimble
Inspiring platform teaches coding through remixing
Bottom line: Thimble is an excellent, free resource for teaching students to code through experimentation.
Swift Playgrounds
Brilliantly designed iOS coding app great for newbies or pros
Bottom line: If iPad devices are available, this is an inspired choice for learning how to create and tweak code.
Cargo-Bot
Challenging game helps kids learn to think like programmers
Bottom line: Cargo-Bot is a simple concept that packs a challenging punch and teaches valuable programming skills.
