Learning how to code is a valuable skill but fortunately, your kids don't have to sit in front of a screen for hours on end in order to learn programming concepts! These five screen-free coding games for kids teach the logic and planning skills they need to excel at coding.
The games below include both single player and multiple player games so there is something to suit everyone's mood and situation. All of the coding games for kids also teach sequencing, critical thinking, visual perception and some coding language!
Note: this post contains affiliate links that may earn commission. Thinkfun sent us games to try out.
Hacker
Find it: Amazon
Hacker is a cybersecurity game for ages 10 and up that can be played solo or as a cooperative game. We ended up playing it more often as a cooperative game but it is interesting enough that teens will want to disappear into their rooms with the game to attempt to complete all 120 challenges! There are three steps to the challenges: "code it," hack it" and "fix it." It can seem complicated at first, but as always, ThinkFun pulls through with clear instructions.
Potato Pirates
Find it: Amazon
We loved the Potato Pirates family game because 1) who wouldn't love a game with a ton of potato puns, and 2) where else are you going to find a game with tiny potato props? Using sequencing, reasoning and logical thinking, players program attacks on potato pirate ships. The game teaches if/then programming language as well as coding symbols. It is a fun, quirky game that engaged our brains and my son loved playing it. Ages 7 and up.
Robot Turtles
Find it: Amazon
Robot Turtles is a great way for preschoolers, ages 4 and up, to get off the iPad and learn the logic skills they will need to become future programming wizards. Kids use code cards to move their turtles to their destination. It may seem simple at first, but parents will quickly see how the game functions well to strength their kid's ability to think logically and strategically. The game requires 2-5 players and has been a bestseller for several years now; ThinkFun now has an Add on Pack to extend the fun.
Code Master
Find it: Amazon
We previously featured Code Master as a Game of the Month. This single player game consists of an avatar game piece with 4 crystals, a book of guide scrolls, colored tokens and a map book. The player choses a skill level and a map and attempts to navigate the map by creating a sequence of actions based on placement of tokens. The object of each challenge is to collect the required crystals and land on the end portal. Code Master is excellent for developing visual perception and boosting the kind of complex thinking involved in problem solving and strategy. Ages 8 and up.
//CODE: Rover Control
Find it: Amazon
//CODE: Rover Control is an excellent next coding game for kids after Code Master and is recommended for ages 8 and up. The premise of the game centers on Mars rovers programmed to travel on colored pathways, but the paths have lost their color. Players must use reasoning skills to determine how to color the maps so the rovers can make their way to their destinations. The game includes 40 different challenges so there are hours of play. Kids will put to work the skills they need to learn for programming, all with unplugged play.
More games and activities that will help with the skills needed for coding and programming:
Techy Kids says
What a great list of games to teach coding skills to kids in a fun way. The most important part in coding cycle is to first generate interest among kids for coding. Games is definitely one such activity which will really helpful to teach different coding concepts to kids. We at Techy Kids Canada also focuses on providing excellent coding knowledge in a way which is lot more interactive for kids. Thanks for sharing this!