What can 5th graders learn to code?

Coding for 5th graders

It’s that stage of life when they’re bright enough to master almost anything. Algebra, Shakespeare and Python are all within reach of 10 year olds. But then the pre-teen self-consciousness kicks in. Suddenly your little un’ who thought nothing of going into class with a pink jumper proudly proclaiming “I heart Mummy” won’t even eat their favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because they’re considered “uncool”. All the extracurricular activities which they couldn’t wait to get to are labelled as “lame” and being smart means being a “geek”.

Peer pressure can make it difficult to get your kid to do anything productive. Our coding classes try make it less of a chore for parents to persuade 5th graders to start learning something useful. By combining the coolest of video games with coding theory, we make sure our online coding classes for 5th graders are anything but boring. If your kid needs any more encouragement, remind them that they will be able to show off the video game they create in class to all their friends who will then be able to test it out!

In 5th grade teachers also raise the pressure. Homework can last a good few hours, so even if your kid enjoys their after school clubs it can be squeeze to fit them all in. That’s why our online coding classes are especially popular with older students. All that time spent chauffeuring back and forth between activities is saved.

Online Computer Programming Classes

• Scratch: Block-Coding Basics
If you’re looking for a beginner online coding class that introduces kids to coding in a fun and challenging way, then our online Scratch course is probably the one to sign-up for. Scratch is a visual programming language and was developed by MIT specifically for kids. Though it may sound strange, the best way to get beginner students to understand coding is not to teach them how to write code but rather to teach them using Scratch’s drag-and-drop blocks which represent code. By taking this course, kids will learn the key concepts of coding as well as create their own app or game.

• Roblox Code: Mastering Game Developing
It may be surprising, but your kid’s favorite game is also an amazing learning opportunity. Roblox is so much more than the gaming platform it is famous for. It also hosts one of the world’s most used programming tools: Roblox Studio. In this course, we cover all the basics of the programming language Lua that is used in Roblox. At first, your kid will be editing the code of existing games but by the end they will know how to make their very own game from start to finish.

• Python: Becoming a Professional Programmer
We were serious when we said your 10 year old rascal could learn to code in Python. Yes, the most widely used language by professional programmers is simple enough for kids to learn! On top of that it’s also pretty fun. Python is a versatile language that is behind almost any famous program you can think of and, thankfully for kids, it can even be used to program games. While becoming fluent in Python, kids will be able to explore graphic design and create their own video games.

• Web & App development : DIY Website
What 10 year old kid doesn’t want to design their very own website? Making a website that actually works, however, takes a lot of smart; hence, why so few kids actually do make one. Three languages—HTML, CSS and JS— are needed to make even the simplest of websites. In this course, we break web design down to the different languages to make it as easy as possible, however, we still recommend that your kid only take this course once they have taken an introductory course like Scratch.

Offline classes (not available for the moment)

• Modding in Minecraft: Hacking the Game
Though you may not know what modding means, your child most certainly does. It’s the key to acing Minecraft and any kid would kill to learn how to mod better. The good news for both parents and kids is that to be able to create cool gizmos for Minecraft, one first needs to be able to code. As a bonus, your kids will be able to use all the mods they create in the course when playing Minecraft back at home.

• Robotics: Programming meets Lego
If your kid is a tactile learner, then they’ll probably love the hands-on approach to programming of our robotics courses. Our two themed courses, Earthbot and Anibot, combine coding with other subjects like biology and physics, which means your kid will come home bursting with all sorts of weird facts like why giraffes have long necks along with coding know-how.

• Kodu: 3D Video Games
Kodu is a visual language just like Scratch. It is, however, that bit more difficult. The added complexity in the code blocks, means that there’s even more tools at hand for your child to realise their creativity. While learning about loops, variables and constructors, they will be able to make their own arcade games or recreate a classic like Pac-Man.

Thanks for reading this article and if you have any questions or comments on this topic or coding and STEM in general, please feel free to contact us. 

Photos by Sharon McCutcheon, JESHOOTS.COM, Adi Goldstein, Oskar Yildiz on  Unsplash