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Home » Primary Science » Key Stage 1 Science » Easy Coding Ideas for Kids

Easy Coding Ideas for Kids

Modified: Mar 3, 2025 · Published: Jan 19, 2015 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

Computer code is everywhere: in electronic games, this website, and tills at the supermarket. Even though you can’t see it, computer code is a huge part of our world, which is why it is really important to introduce children to the key principles of computer science from a young age.

The actual concepts involved in computer coding aim to be very straightforward and can be broken down into the following things:

  • Take some input and do something with it. (e.g. press a button and make a doorbell ring, or take a number and multiply it by itself)
  • Do a sequence of tasks to achieve a more complicated objective
  • Repeat a sequence of tasks many times on a schedule or until a condition is met

Coding gets more complicated when we have to handle situations where things don’t go right or if something unexpected happens.

Our brand new Coding for Kids series is full of fun, screen-free activities that introduce children to computational thinking, logical thinking, and the most basic programming concepts.

What is coding?

Coding is when a computer is given commands to which it responds, computer programmers use many different languages to write computer programs.  I’m not suggesting you teach your preschooler to write in Java, but the fundamental principles of coding are the same for every language and we can do activities to encourage the type of thinking programmers need from an early age.

How to encourage logical thinking in children

  • Encourage children to ask questions and foster their creativity.
  • Explain the reasoning behind your answers to their questions rather than expecting simple acceptance of fact.
  • Consider bias. Are there reasons why some people would think one way and others a different way?
  • Ask children to consider alternative explanations and solutions to problems, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each.
  • Encourage children to explain solutions and answers in their own words.

Designing and carrying out scientific experiments is a great way to practice all the above.

Coding Activities for 2-4 year olds

Building blocks are a great learning toy. Stack them up and encourage counting. Build towers using blocks of different heights and ask which tower has the most blocks. Ask lots of questions and encourage children to use past experience, logic, and direct observation to arrive at their answers.

Practice making patterns. You could use building blocks, DUPLO, small toys, shapes, or a coloured pasta necklace.

Try some weighing and measuring, perhaps ask the child to make predictions first as to which object they think is heavier or which people are taller.

Have a go at making and testing predictions with a simple sink and float activity.

LEGO Science

Try building small DUPLO® models and asking the child to copy exactly what you’ve made.

Coding Activities 5-7 year olds

Practice sorting and classifying objects. We’ve got a candy sorting activity you can try, or how about collecting and organising data on a LEGO® bar chart?

LEgo Bar chart for teaching kids about bar graphs

Designing and decoding codes is a fun logic based activity. Try replacing letters for numbers, shifting the alphabet along or using symbols. This spy decoder from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls is just brilliant for helping with the decoding.

Try following instructions using LEGO® or other construction toys.

Practice making patterns, again, you can use LEGO® to make it more fun.

Patterns made with LEGO® for a coding activity

If you have Bee Bots or similar I have some easy ideas for a Key Stage 1 ( age 5-7 ) coding club.

Outdoor ideas – learn to code

Have a game of pooh sticks, each choose a stick, drop into a moving stream and guess which will move the fastest. Are there any obstacles in the way?

Compare sticks, leaves or pinecones for size, can you make a pattern? Which weigh the most?

Try some science with scooters by estimating which will travel the furthest down a hill.

Microscooters

Board games to encourage planning and reasoning skills

Turing Tumble

Tic Tac Toe

Dominoes

Draughts

Monopoly

Cluedo

Rummikub

Mastermind

Genius Square

LEGO® also have some fantastic coding and robotic kits. That are easy to use, come with full instructions and provide hours of fun!

Coding extension tasks for older children

Practice writing instructions.

Take a look at Scratch and Makey Makey projects. We made a giant operation game with our Makey Makey which was brilliant fun!

Easy ideas for kids to learn to code, without a computer ( to start with at least )

Do you have any more coding ideas for kids for us?

Post contains affiliate links

Last Updated on March 3, 2025 by Emma Vanstone

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Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annette - Project Refined Life

    January 19, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    What a fantastic post!!! Thank you, Annette – Projectrefinedlife.com

    Reply
  2. Cait FItz @ My Little Poppies

    January 20, 2015 at 12:57 am

    What a creative and thoughtful post! Thank you!!

    Reply
  3. Craig Smith

    January 26, 2015 at 10:30 pm

    I’m a software developer and father to two boys, aged 3 and 5. I introduced the eldest to Scratch a couple of weeks ago but I’ve been looking for ideas for introducing coding principles away from a computer, so we’ll definitely be trying some of your suggestions out.

    I particularly like the ‘How to encourage logical thinking’ section. In the younger years it’s so important to foster that desire to question everything and to never accept “Because it just is…” as an answer to their questions.

    I’m currently working with my sons’ school to build up coding skills amongst the teachers. To help, I’m building up a list of resources that teachers and parents can use to help them introduce children to coding and computing. I’d like to add your article to that list, if that’s OK?

    The list is here: https://gist.github.com/craigsssmith/9c6528ae485aec09f292

    Reply
    • Emma Vanstone

      January 28, 2015 at 10:32 am

      Please do 🙂

      Reply
  4. TechyKids

    September 03, 2020 at 8:28 am

    I really liked the different activities which you have suggested to teach coding for kids of different ages. As kids spend most of their time playing various games & apps, introducing the basic of coding for kids using this channel will definitely build a strong foundation for them. Keep sharing such interesting blogs with us.

    Reply

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