How to Keep Your Kids Excited About Tech and Coding
We recently had an absolute blast at Farnborough Town Centre meeting so many curious young minds and parents during our local event. Seeing kids tackle our Computer Shed Hardware Twister challenge, learning the difference between a graphics card, RAM, and a motherboard while having fun, was the highlight of our week.
One question we kept hearing from parents was: "They are super interested in computers now, but how do I keep that momentum going at home?"
You do not need a degree in computer science to help your child explore technology. To help you out, the team at The Computer Shed pulled together our favorite free apps, interactive tools, and budget friendly hardware kits categorised by age group.
Whether your child is just learning to read or ready to build their own mini computer, here is how to turn screen time into creative time!
Level 1: Beginners (Ages 5 to 8)
At this stage, technology should feel like play. The goal is to build logic, problem solving skills, and cause and effect understanding without getting bogged down in typing.
📱 1. ScratchJr
Format: 100% Free App (iOS, Android, Tablets)
What it is: ScratchJr is a visual drag and drop app designed by educational experts at MIT. Kids snap together colorful graphical blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing.
Why we love it: It lets kids create interactive stories and games before they have even mastered typing on a physical keyboard.
Find out more: ScratchJr
⚡ 2. micro:bit
Format: Physical Board and Free Online Editor
What it is: A pocket sized expandable microcontroller board featuring LED lights, buttons, and sensors that react to movement and light.
Why we love it: It makes physical coding genuinely interactive.
Pro Tip: You do not even need to buy the physical board right away! You can use the free simulator on the micro:bit website to write code and test it virtually in your web browser.
Find out more: micro:bit
Level 2: Intermediate Builders (Ages 8 to 12)
Kids in this age range are ready for more creative freedom, building real mechanics for 2D arcade games, and connecting digital code to physical objects.
🎮 3. Scratch by MIT
Format: 100% Free Website
What it is: The top block based coding platform for kids. Users drag logic blocks together to build full 2D video games, animations, and interactive artwork.
Why we love it: It has a massive online community where young creators can play games made by others, look under the hood at the code, and remix them to add their own ideas safely.
Find out more: Scratch
🍌 4. Makey Makey
Format: Hardware Invention Kit
What it is: An ingenious simple circuit board that plugs into a computer via USB. Using alligator clips, kids can turn everyday items like bananas, playdough, pencil drawings, or foil into working keyboard inputs.
Why we love it: Want to play a piano made of bananas or create a custom game controller out of cardboard and foil? Makey Makey bridges the gap between hardware and software in a hilarious and engaging way.
Find out more: Makey Makey
Level 3: Advanced Explorers (Ages 12 and Up)
Teens who are ready to transition from visual block based coding to real world text programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and HTML or CSS.
💻 5. CodeCombat
Format: Free Starter Accounts (Web Based)
What it is: CodeCombat turns learning Python and JavaScript into a role playing dungeon crawler game where typing actual code controls your hero.
Why we love it: They take the intimidation factor out of learning text based coding and give instant visual feedback.
Find out more: CodeCombat
🛠️ 6. Raspberry Pi and Arduino
Format: Hardware Kits and Free Open Source Software
What it is: Raspberry Pi is a fully functional credit card sized computer that runs Linux. Arduino is an open source electronics platform based on easy to use hardware and software.
Why we love it: Perfect for teenagers who want to build custom retro arcade machines, home automation gadgets, mini desktops, or robotics projects.
Find out more about Raspberry Pi and Arduino.
Top Tips for Tech Parents
Focus on Projects, Not Just Learning: Kids learn best when trying to make something specific, like a maze game, a light up badge, or an alarm for their bedroom door.
Embrace Mistakes: In computer hardware and software, debugging is half the fun! Encourage them when something breaks because finding why it broke is where real learning happens.
Do Not Worry If You Are Not Tech Savvy: You do not need to know how to code to support them. Ask them to explain how their game or gadget works because teaching someone else is a great way to solidify understanding.
Need Technical Advice or Support?
Have questions about picking hardware or setting up devices for your kids? Head over to our Contact Page to drop us a message. We are always happy to help!
