Hour Of Code: Learn To Code With 2 Fun, Free Activities For Kids

Many experts say that coding is the next literacy—parents everywhere are being told that children should learn about coding and other computer science concepts as soon as possible in order to be successful in our increasingly technological world. Coding also teaches logic, creativity and communication.

For parents who don’t have a background in computer science, it can seem intimidating to introduce these concepts at home (especially if coding courses aren’t readily available in your local community). Luckily, Hour of Code can help!

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Hour of Code is a simple and approachable way to introduce kids to coding. It doesn't require any previous knowledge—kids can do it on their own, or you can do it together as a family.

Part of Computer Science Education Week (December 7 - 13, 2015), Hour of Code is an international movement  to celebrate and empower kids around the world to try one hour of coding. It's organized by Code.org, a non-profit that aims to expand kids' exposure to computer science.

Kids can learn to code through hundreds of free, online tutorials that feature recognizable characters and introductory videos that explain basic concepts. Parents and teachers can visit code.org to learn more about teaching kids to code.

Last year, more than 60 million students around the world participated in Hour Of Code.

Kids' CBC Learn-To-Code Code Tutorials

If your kids are fans of The Adventures of Napkin Man! or the SPYnet games, they’ll love the coding tutorials we’ve created in partnership with Kids Code Jeunesse to inspire the next generation of programmers.

Our tutorials introduce basic coding concepts and require little assistance from parents. Each tutorial is designed to be completed within about an hour.

The Adventures of Napkin Man! tutorial is built using a learn-to-code tool called Scratch. It's perfect for kids ages 6+. Try it now! >

The SPYnet tutorial is built using HTML/CSS in a learn-to-code tool called Trinket. It's designed for kids 8+ to learn independently. Try it now! >

These tutorials are lots of fun for kids to explore and play with and who knows—you may even learn some coding skills yourself!