23 best free sites for kids to learn coding

The standard first coding tool: snap blocks together to make games, stories and animations. Its huge community means endless projects to remix and learn from.

Watch for: Public sharing and comments. Read the parents page together.

Picture-block coding on tablets for kids who are just learning to read. No accounts, no sharing and no ads. Best with a parent nearby at first.

Full free courses from kindergarten to high school, plus AI units like AI for Oceans, where kids train a model to sort fish from trash. Easy to use at home.

The successor to the Hour of Code: one-hour activities on coding and AI for every age, from many partners. A good, low-stakes place to start.

Free coding clubs run by volunteers in schools and libraries worldwide, with free projects to follow at home. Ask your library if it hosts one.

A free Scratch-based curriculum for grades 3-8 that mixes coding into math, science and art. Google points former CS First users here. Lessons are teacher-led but easy to run at home.

Step-by-step projects in Scratch, Python, HTML and AI from a nonprofit. Many need only a browser, so no hardware is required. Each lists time and skill level.

Puzzle games from Google that teach coding ideas with blocks, then show the JavaScript underneath. There is no account and no ads. Good for kids moving beyond Scratch.

Block and text coding for micro:bit, Minecraft Education and retro arcade games. Kids can make a playable game in about an hour. Works in any browser with no install.

Scratch's grown-up cousin, used in college intro courses at Berkeley. A great next step for kids who have mastered Scratch. Its online manual and free courses help self-taught kids move on to bigger ideas.

Build real phone apps with blocks, and test them on your own phone right away. Kids love having an app they made themselves. Free tutorials walk through every step.

Puzzles that teach Swift, Apple's real programming language, on iPad and Mac. Kids can go on to build an actual app. It is free on iPad and Mac, and the lessons build in a clear order.

Free courses in JavaScript drawing, web pages, SQL and AP Computer Science Principles, with instant feedback on code. Good for middle schoolers ready to type real code.

Computer science ideas taught with cards, string and games, no computer needed. Great for younger kids and for family game nights. Activities come with printable cards.

A puzzle game about commands, loops and functions. Free Hour of Code versions run in the browser, and the full game is a small purchase.

A fantasy game where kids type real Python or JavaScript to move their hero through levels. The free levels teach a lot. Many schools use its classroom version.

Block and Python courses with game design and Minecraft mods. Some starter lessons are free; the full courses are paid. Try the free lessons before paying.

Watch for: Upsells to paid plans are frequent.

A free, open-source Python course for complete beginners, with hints, a built-in debugger and no ads. It runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install, and it works on school laptops.

Thousands of hours of free web development, Python and data courses with certificates, from a nonprofit. It is aimed at adults, so it suits motivated older teens who can work through lessons on their own.

Watch for: Aimed at adults; check the current terms for minors.

A free, open-source, project-based path to full-stack web development. For motivated older teens who want a real challenge. Teens build real projects and a portfolio as they go, with an active help forum.

Harvard's famous intro to computer science, free online with lectures and problem sets. Hard, but extremely well taught. Lectures and problem sets are free, with a paid certificate as an option.

Kids train AI models and use them in Scratch projects. The best free way to code with AI, not just use it. Projects come with step-by-step worksheets.

Watch for: A parent or teacher sets it up.

Free clubs and programs that teach coding with a supportive community of peers, run by a national nonprofit. Clubs meet in schools, libraries and online, and many are run by volunteers.