10 Best Coding Books For Kids And Beginners
Coding can be challenging, but coding books teach kids the importance of persistence and resilience. As children encounter obstacles or bugs in their code, they learn to troubleshoot, debug, and persevere until they find a solution. This fosters a growth mindset and the ability to overcome challenges.
Coding books for kids offer a structured and accessible way to introduce coding concepts, foster critical thinking, nurture creativity, and cultivate valuable skills in the digital age. With the increasing demand for digital skills, coding books provide a head start for kids interested in pursuing careers in technology or STEM fields. By starting early, children can build a strong foundation in coding and develop a passion for programming that may lead to future opportunities.
Kids can read and practice coding exercises at their convenience, giving them the flexibility to explore and experiment with coding concepts in a comfortable environment.
Here are the best and easy coding books to help kids to learn coding
- Table of contents
- 1. Coding for Kids: Python
- 2. Code Your Own Games!
- 3. Coding for Beginners Using Python
- 4. Hello Ruby
- 5. JavaScript for Kids
- 6. Coding Projects in Scratch
- 7. Coding in Minecraft
- 8. Python for Kids
- 9. Scratch Programming Playground
- 10. The Official Scratch Jr.
1. Coding for Kids: Python
Reading Age: 9+
About the author:
Adrienne Tacke is a software engineer, writer, and STEM education advocate as a Code. Org volunteer in Las Vegas, she regularly speaks to students of all ages about the power of code. She encourages young women and girls to explore a career in software engineering. She also contributes to online tech publications such as HackerNoon and CodeBurst.
About the book:
Learning to code isn’t as complicated as it sounds―you just have to get started! Coding for Kids: Python introduces kids to Python programming through fun and engaging projects. It includes game development, creating artwork,and building simple apps.
Coding for Kids: Python emphasizes hands-on learning, allowing kids to experiment and practice coding skills. It contains exercises and challenges to reinforce newly acquired knowledge.
Overall, “Coding for Kids: Python: Learn to Code with 50 Awesome Games and Activities” provides an interactive and engaging approach to help children learn Python’s programming fundamentals. It aims to make coding accessible and enjoyable for young readers while fostering their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
2. Code Your Own Games!
.Reading Age: 7 – 9 years
About the author:
Max Wainwright has written dozens of educational books and software titles for children. His programs and websites have won a number of awards, including BETT, ERA, and Practical Pre-School Gold Awards
About the book:
“Code Your Own Games!” covers the basics of Scratch programming, including sprites, events, loops, conditional statements, and custom blocks, to help readers create interactive games. Scratch is a block-based programming language that simplifies coding by providing visual blocks that users can drag and drop to create scripts.
“Code Your Own Games!” also introduces fundamental game design principles. It teaches readers how to plan game mechanics, create engaging gameplay, and design appealing visuals. This helps readers develop coding skills and better understand what makes a game enjoyable.
Overall, “Code Your Own Games!” is a comprehensive guide for newcomers to the world of coding and game development. It gives readers a structured way to learn programming concepts through hands-on projects, which will help them gain confidence and build up the necessary foundation for creating their own games.
3. Coding for Beginners Using Python
Reading Age: 8 +
About the author:
Louie Stowell started her career writing carefully-researched books about space, Ancient Egypt, politics, and science but eventually lapsed into making stuff up. She likes writing about dragons, wizards, vampires, fairies, monsters, and parallel worlds
About the book:
This approachable and accessible book introduces kids to the fundamentals of Python, a widely used programming language, enabling them to dig into the computer’s source code and make easy games and animations on the screen.
The Step-by-step instructions walk you through the process of starting your program and writing it. In order to enable the reader to code games, drawings, and other things.
By the end of this book, there will be new commands with examples and colorful pictures. More assistance and download via the Internet is included.
4. Hello Ruby
Reading Age: 3 – 7 years
About the author:
Linda Liukas is a programmer, storyteller, and illustrator from Helsinki, Finland. The idea for Hello Ruby first debuted on Kickstarter and quickly smashed its $10,000 funding goal in just three and a half hours, gathering $380,000 to become Kickstarter’s most-funded children’s book.
Linda is a central figure in the world of programming and worked on EdTech before it was even called that.
About the book:
Hello Ruby features a character named Ruby, a young girl who goes on adventures in a world filled with technology. Each book presents a story that introduces coding and computer science concepts in a fun and accessible way. Through Ruby’s adventures, the books teach kids about concepts such as algorithms, loops, conditionals, and problem-solving skills.
Along with teaching coding skills, the books promote values like curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration, empowering children to think critically and embrace technology.
Hello Ruby aims to introduce you to programming ideas rather than a specific language. It provides a valuable resource for parents, teachers, and young learners interested in exploring the world of coding.
5. JavaScript for Kids
Reading Age: +10 years
About the author:
Nick Morgan is a British front-end engineer at Twitter. He loves all programming languages but has a particular soft spot for JavaScript. Nick lives in San Francisco (the foggy part) with his girlfriend and their fluffy dog, Pancake. He occasionally blogs at skilldrick.co.uk.
About the book:
JavaScript is the programming language of the Internet, the secret sauce that makes the Web awesome, your favorite sites interactive, and online games fun!
JavaScript for Kids includes interactive projects and activities that help reinforce programming concepts and promote hands-on learning. These projects range from creating simple animations and games to building web applications.
Throughout the book, numerous code examples and explanations make learning JavaScript easier. Nick Morgan breaks down complex concepts into bite-sized chunks, helping kids understand and apply what they’ve learned.
Nick Morgan understands the importance of making coding fun and engaging for kids. The book is filled with colorful illustrations, diagrams, and screenshots to make the learning process more visually appealing.
6. Coding Projects in Scratch
Reading Age: 9 – 12 years
About the author:
Jon Woodcock has a degree in Physics from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. in Computational Astrophysics from the University of London. He started coding at eight and has programmed all kinds of computers, from single-chip microcontrollers to world-class supercomputers.
About the book:
“Coding Projects In Scratch” is a popular book that introduces coding concepts and gives readers instructions on how to construct different projects in Scratch.
The book is designed for kids and young adults with no prior coding experience. It gradually introduces Scratch programming, incorporating fundamental concepts of code such as loops, variables, and conditionals.
“Coding Projects in Scratch” is an excellent resource for beginners looking to learn to code with Scratch. The book offers a fun and interactive approach to learning essential coding concepts and helps users develop practical coding skills by creating interactive projects.
7. Coding in Minecraft
Reading Age: 10+
About the author:
Craig Richardson is a software developer and Python educator. He has worked for the Raspberry Pi Foundation, taught high school computing classes, and led many workshops on Python programming with Minecraft.
About the book:
Coding in Minecraft assumes no prior programming experience and introduces the fundamentals of programming using Python. The book uses Minecraft, a popular sandbox game, as a platform for learning programming concepts. It combines coding exercises with in-game activities to make learning more engaging.
The book teaches readers to create practical programs within Minecraft, such as building a castle, creating a working bridge, and constructing a railway system. It encourages collaboration and creativity by teaching readers how to work together on multiplayer Minecraft servers and develop projects with friends.
Coding in Minecraft is designed to be accessible to all age groups, including children, students, educators, and programming beginners.
8. Python for Kids
Reading Age: 9+ years
About the author:
Jason Briggs has been a programmer since the age of eight when he first learned BASIC on a Radio Shack TRS-80. Since then, he has written software professionally as a developer and systems architect and served as Contributing Editor for Java Developer’s Journal. His articles have appeared in JavaWorld, ONJava, and ONLamp. Python for Kids is his first book.
About the book:
Python is a powerful, expressive programming language that’s easy to learn and fun to use! But books about learning to program in Python can be kind of dull, gray, and boring, and that’s no fun for anyone.
This book covers various programming concepts and techniques using Python. It starts with the basics, like installing Python and writing simple programs, and gradually moves to more advanced topics, such as loops, functions, lists, and dictionaries. It also introduces the fundamentals of game programming using Pygame.
Python for Kids includes several fun and creative projects kids can build using Python with interactive examples and mini-games to make learning Python more engaging and enjoyable. This helps to keep young readers motivated and interested in the topic.
By the end of the book, kids can code two complete games: a clone of the famous Pong and “Mr. Stick Man Races for the Exit”—a platform game with jumps, animation, and much more.
9. Scratch Programming Playground
Reading Age:10+ years
About the author:
Al Sweigart is a software developer and teaches programming to kids and adults. He has written several Python books for beginners, including Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, Invent Your Computer Games with Python, and Making Games with Python & Pygame.
About the book:
Scratch, the colorful drag-and-drop programming language, is used by millions of first-time learners, and in Scratch Programming Playground, you’ll learn to program by making cool games. Get ready to destroy asteroids, shoot hoops, and slice and dice fruit!
Scratch Programming Playground begins with an introduction to Scratch, providing an overview of the interface and basic programming ideas. Each part explains how to move, animate, and respond to user input with your sprites. Learn how to make your Scratch creations more engaging by including art, music, and sound effects.
Throughout the book, numerous coding examples, explanations, and challenges will reinforce your learning. The Scratch Programming Playground book is designed to be interactive and engaging, allowing you to learn programming concepts while building fun projects.
10. The Official Scratch Jr.
Reading Age: 5 – 9 years
About the author:
Marina Umaschi Bers is a professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development and an adjunct professor in the Computer Science Department at Tufts University. Mitchel Resnick is the creator of Scratch, the wildly popular programming language used in thousands of schools and homes worldwide, with nearly 4 million users. He directed the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab and was awarded the McGraw Prize in Education in 2011 for his creative learning technologies.
About the book:
The official Scratch Jr book is a coding resource specifically designed for young children between 5 and 9. Scratch Jr is a visual programming language that allows kids to create interactive stories, games, and animations by snapping together colorful blocks of code.
The official Scratch Jr book is designed to be used by children with the guidance of parents or educators. It supports adults who may not have coding experience, allowing them to assist children in their coding journey.
ScratchJr is a free, introductory computer programming language on iPads, Android tablets, Amazon tablets, and Chromebooks. Inspired by Scratch, the wildly popular programming language millions of children use worldwide, ScratchJr helps even younger kids create playful animations, interactive stories, and dynamic games.
“In conclusion, coding books can be excellent resources for children who want to learn how to code.” They offer structured courses, hands-on projects, and engaging exercises that make learning programming fundamentals enjoyable and approachable.
Remember, coding is more than learning a programming language; it’s also about developing problem solving skills, logical thinking, and creativity. Be encouraging your child to learn coding beyond the pages of a book, experiment and use what they’ve learned about real world projects.
By introducing coding at an early age, you’re equipping your child with valuable skills that can open doors to exciting opportunities in the digital age. So, choose a coding book that sparks your child’s interest, and together, let’s inspire the next generation of innovators and creators!”
