Code.org
This nonprofit foundation website is a great starting point for coding novices. It shares plenty of useful online resources, apps and even local schools to teach coding. Be sure to watch the inspirational video on the main page. The January 2016 iteration is aimed at inspiring girls to code and features well-known women in tech fields, such as Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai as well as everyday women and girls who insist "if you can code, you can change the world."

CodeAcademy
This interactive website is user-friendly and teaches kids basic code through fun and simple exercises that feel like games.

Code Avengers
While Code Avengers lacks the eye-catching graphics of other options, it does offer a series of free intro classes in building web pages, apps and games. If you like the free version, you can graduate to a series of paid options that range from $19 to $39 per 12-hour course.

Code Combat
Best for older kids, Code Combat uses an interactive, competitive gameplay mode to stimulate learning. There are online courses that require registration, but kids can be online, playing for free in seconds, too.

Code Monster
Particularly good for kids, Code Monster features two adjacent boxes. One displays code, the other shows what the code does. As you play with the code (with some help from a prompt), you learn what each command does.

Hackety Hack!
After a quick download to your computer, kids can learn Ruby, an open-source programming language that's easy and intuitive.

iDTech                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            iDTech online programs sharpen students' coding, game dev, and creative skills, all from the comfort of home. Choose from year-round Online Private Lessons, fall and winter Semesters, or spring and summer Virtual Tech Camps. Guided by elite tech rockstars from universities, your child will have fun, advance their skills fast, and join a community of 500,000 aspiring innovators.

Khan Academy
Known for its extensive and challenging math games, Khan Academy also has basic programming tutorials that teach kids how to build graphics, animations, interactive visualizations and more.

Lightbot
Predominantly an app-based program, Lightbot offers a FREE demo online as part of its Hour of Code. Like what you see? Its pair of low-cost programming apps cater to kids ages 4-8 and 9 and older.

MIT App Inventor

Another resource created by MIT is the App Inventor, developed with the firm belief that anyone can create the next great app. Parents and kids can work together to create their first app and then follow tutorials to improve it or create other useful apps. More advanced users can troubleshoot problems in the community forums or read through the teacher curricula to take at-home lessons to the next level.   

Scratch
Designed by MIT students and aimed at children ages 8 to 16, this easy-to-use programming language lets kids build almost anything they can dream. There are no obscure lines of code here. Instead, arrange and snap together Scratch blocks as if they were virtual Legos. But it's more than just a coding guide, it's a vibrant online community of programmers who swap ideas and inspiration.

Stencyl
Inspired by Scratch's snapping blocks system, this software allows users to create simple games for iOS, Android, Flash, Windows, Linux and Mac systems. If your child is serious about it, there are paid pro plans that come with advanced functionality.

Tynker
Like many popular coding programs, Tynker works with interlocking blocks of code, making coding language accessible to beginners. Intro courses here are FREE, but classes jump into the paid category after that, costing $50 per course (discounts apply). Classes are broken down into recommended-age categories, making it easy for mom and dad to determine where kids should begin.

Isla is a website that teaches kids in elementary school basic computer programming with shapes and planets.

 

This website gives information on how to learn the language of computer programming.

 

This website gives directions for both kids and grown-ups to teach the basics of computer coding to make Android apps.

 

Mozilla Thimble is free and lets both children and adults put their computer coding skills to the test.

 

This guide to computer coding teaches people how to create custom websites with computer coding.

 

A special thanks to up and coming computer programmer, Miles for submitting the link to Maryville University Software Coding for Kids. This site offers links to resources including websites, games, and even offline activities for parents, teachers, and students of all ages interested in learning to code. I'm sure you will find this site very helpful.

Also a special shout out to the ladies from the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Council troop #1439 for their diligence in working on earning their Website Designer badges remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been doing distance learning together to stay connected, positive, and earn their badges by using the resources on this page as well as others.  They have been kind enough to share a link to a web design site for kids iwdagency.com. This site is a guide for web design that covers the job of web designers, principles of design, design skills, and games to practice those skills. There are also referrals to other pages for further research. Thank-you Troop #1439 for sharing your interest in technology with others.

Thanks to Carol and Steven Briggs for suggesting the Praxent link https://praxent.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-coding-programming a page dedicated to coding games for kids. It includes information on tools and courses. Steven enjoys the games on this site and thinks other kids will as well. Thanks again Carol and Steven for sharing this link.

Thank-you to Melissa Coldwater and her son Nico for providing the link https://www.smartadvocate.com/News/Blog/software-programming-and-coding-glossary-for-kids a coding glossary and coding sites and games included. This site helped Nico share his interest in coding with his mom so she could better understand the vocabulary he was using while he was in his zone. I'm sure it will be helpful for other coders and parents. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, Mark Eisner from Syracuse University for providing the link https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/blog/kid-friendly-coding-languages/   which includes coding exercises for all ages, online programs, mobile and tablet apps, and in-person or live experiences. Plus, community resources. These educational resources will get your coding career off to a great start.

Thanks to Julie from Lyndhurst STEM Club for Girls for contributing the links https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/computer-history-programming-languages Computer History: A Timeline of Computer Programming Languages a historical timeline of programming languages over the years and https://couponfollow.com/research/learn-to-code-from-home which features links to HTML and CSS tutorials, web design beginners guide, game coding, various Javascript activities and education including DOM, and ECMA Script6. Thanks for the great links!

Thanks to Allegra Balmadier for reaching out on behalf of the online Master of Information and Data Science from the UC Berkeley School of Information and providing the link to Python Practice Problems for Beginner Coders https://ischoolonline.berkeley.edu/blog/python-practice-problems/. This problem set is intended for people who already have familiarity with Python (or another language) and data types. Each problem highlights a few different skills, and they gradually become more complicated. 

 

Bonus

Looking to teach your kids code on the go? Coding apps Daisy the Dinosaur, Hopscotch and Kodable are all for iPad.