Your child may or may not head into a field that involves computer programming, but it is very likely that having an understanding of programming will be helpful. Whether making a basic website, or designing a full-fledged system, programming is here to stay.

I dabbled in coding; AP Computer Science in high school and some programming courses in college — I was never very good at it, but I enjoyed the challenge and am thankful today for that background.  There is no evidence as of yet that any of my children have an affinity for programming, but I want them to have a base level understanding.  For that reason, I am very thankful for the numerous apps and programs out there that give kids an introduction to programming.

Here are two of our favorites (I may write on some others we use and enjoy at a later time)

Kids’n’code

Who doesn’t like FREE?  This free app is cute, fun and instructive. Giving instructions to a little, purple creature, you child will give basic commands to accomplish a task. But be careful, you may find yourself playing when they aren’t looking.  It works on iPads.

Kodable

This is the first programming app I found.  Instruct a furry blue ball (who looks like a koosh-ball, for those who remember those), in simple commands.  Learn the idea of loops and if-then statements.  The free version gives you so many levels, followed by a paid version for even more fun and harder levels.

Overall, these introductions to programming help develop problem solving skills.  Your child needs to think through the next steps in order to know what command to give.  Even my 4-year-old had a blast with Kodable, and is now devouring Kids’n’code.

I hope you check them out.