“Mum, I’m bored!”
If I had a penny for every time that my daughter told me she was bored during the long summer break, let’s just say I’d have enough money to not need to work for a looooong time.
Keeping bright kids busy during the summer holidays can be a challenge and while a little boredom is healthy, it’s also a bonus when you find something that your kids LOVE to do that doesn’t cost a fortune.
This summer I’m working with The Code Zone, which offers coding clubs for kids. These clubs are suitable for children aged from 6 to 16 (or even older) that teach valuable coding skills using weekly club challenges that let kids build their own games. There are a bunch of online coding platforms, but what I like about the Code Zone is that all the mentors are DBS-checked and the online reviews from users are packed with good comments from real customers.
Costing from £5 a month, the club is suitable for novices with sessions also available for more advanced coders. There is online support from STEM certified mentors (who are all DBS checked, of course) and if your children choose the live club option, they can also share ideas with other club members in a safe environment.
Why should kids learn coding?
Whatever age your kids might be now, it’s the right time to start learning more about coding, and building confidence around technology. If nothing else, we know that digital jobs tend to pay 50% more than other jobs, while having technology skills in any career is thought to boost earnings by 20%.
Despite this, participation in GCSE IT subjects has fallen by almost half in the last decade, so there are plenty of kids who aren’t learning the skills they need in school.
The Game Dev Club from Code Zone is a fun way to help your kids become more familiar with technology and coding through online clubs that use challenges to help kids learn to code, and build their own games. The classes are taught by STEM certified mentors, so this is high quality learning that gives children real skills to build on.
How does Code Zone work?
Code Zone provides a safe platform where kids can learn to code using Scratch and Python, with the help of mentors, who are specially trained (and DBS checked for safety).
The teaching is tailored to each group’s ability. For kids who are very new, there are also a series of mini-challenges to complete before joining the main challenges. Each challenge also kicks off with a video intro from the Zone Leader to set the scene and provide some tips.
There are three ways to learn coding with the Code Zone:
Game Dev Academy is a flexible membership for people aged between 6 and 16, where you can hack a new game every week with a STEM-certified mentor. Kids can code at a time that suits them, ask questions and receive video messages with support from their mentor. This is ideal if your summer plans mean kids won’t necessarily be around at predictable times.
Game Dev Club is a live activity that takes place at a set time each week. This means students benefit from live support from a mentor, and they can share ideas with other members. Club members also receive continued support throughout the week. Kids will also gain access to challenge games, and Minecraft Mod Worlds are included with all memberships.
Game Dev Advanced is for kids who already have some coding skills. It’s designed to help young people move on from block-based coding to written coding languages such as Python and Typescript. This package includes extensive mentor support, as needed.
What does it cost?
You don’t need to buy any software to take part in the club – all your child will need is access to a laptop or desktop computer, and an Internet connection.
The Starter level of the Game Dev Club costs just £5 a month, with costs rising to £25 a month for the Academy sessions, which include coding challenges with text and video support from a mentor, access to games, Minecraft Mod worlds and seasonal Game Jams. I really like that you don’t need to make a big commitment to get started – you can request a free taster session and you don’t need to provide a credit card (so no stress that you’ll forget to cancel the trial and end up with an unexpected bill).
If you’d like to find out more, visit the Code Zone website.
