Are literacy skills and technology really enemies?  Could screens really be the death of imaginative play and creative thinking?  Technology can be a time suck, even an addiction for young, smushy brains (or forty year old brains, for that matter.)   Using some creative resources, such as these coding books for kids, can ensure that you child stays on top of the technology curve while growing their own literacy and problem solving skills.

If you’ve been to the Kitchen Table Classroom before you know that books are pretty much my answer to everything.  A problem, a question, an idea; just go read about it.  I’m a researcher at heart.  Despite the amazing resources available online I still love a real book.  Books feel solid, permanent, and trustworthy.  Combining book learning with the futuristic skill of coding feels like the best of both worlds to me!

What is coding…

Coding is the little thing that makes software, apps, and websites possible.  In the simplest terms it’s very specific, step by step instructions that tell a computer exactly what to do.

The computer cannot think for itself so the coder has to include every step, every stop, and every change.  It’s a very specific way of thinking.  Whether or not your child dreams of a career in computer programming thinking in this “coding brain” is an excellent exercise.  It teaches a linear type of thinking that can’t be found just anywhere.

What if I’m no expert….

I am not an expert at computer anything. Technology is just not a language that comes easily to me.  My favorite thing about these coding book for kids is that they are geared toward children. That means your kids are going to be able to read and follow along, mostly on their own.

It also means that I can learn alongside them!  We are a homeschooling family.  People are amazed (i.e. they do not believe) that my husband and I could have the smarts to teach everything to everyone.  (Read more about how smart we are here!)

Here’s the secret; we don’t know it all.  But we do love learning and finding out new stuff.  Learning something new beside my kids is my favorite.  It’s a risk.  Chances are within minutes they will know more than me.  That’s a risk I’m happy to take!

Teaching is more about facilitating than knowing all the answers.

Coding books for kids….

These coding books for kids will help to nurture a new kind of literacy in your child.  This new literacy is the language of coding!

There are several coding programs that are available completely free of charge and geared toward the beginner.  Scratch and Python are two of the most commonly used programming languages.  This is a no risk endeavor.  Jump in.

Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World

Lift-the-Flap Computers and Coding

Learn to Program (Kids Get Coding)

A World of Programming (Kids Get Coding)

Coding, Bugs, and Fixes (Kids Get Coding)

Online Safety for Coders (Kids Get Coding)

Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding

How to Code: A Step-By-Step Guide to Computer Coding

Coding For Kids For Dummies

Help Your Kids with Computer Coding

How to Code: A Step-By-Step Guide to Computer Coding

DK Readers L2: Story of Coding

My First Coding Book

DK findout! Coding

CoderDojo Nano: Building a Website: Create with Code

For the girls…

I used to hate products that were marketed specifically for little girls.  Why does the “girl” product need to be pink or glittery?  Can’t girls use the same primary colored book as the boys?

Using creative resources, such as these coding books for kids, is a fun way to stay on top of the technology wave and build computer literacy!

Fast forward to me now having a nine year old girl that loves all things girly.  I get it.

In any case there are some really cool coding books and surrounding products directed at girls.  If a pink cover makes the difference as to whether your girl is likely to pick the book up or not then it’s worth it; marketing ploy or not.

Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World

Technology: Cool Women Who Code (Girls in Science)

The Friendship Code #1 (Girls Who Code)

Code It! Create It!: Ideas & Inspiration for Coding (Girls Who Code)

Girls Who Code Rule Notebook

More coding books for kids….

If your kids (or you really takes a liking to this coding business there are just unlimited resources available for them to keep teaching themselves and learning more and more.  Be sure to check out this post that has lots of resources specific to the Scratch programming language and this one that has Python programming resources!

Using creative resources, such as these coding books for kids, is a fun way to stay on top of the technology wave and build computer literacy!

 

Save this list for reference and share your favorite coding book for kids so I can add it to my list!

Every single share helps me to bring you more fun projects and free printable resources!