PHOENIX — All kids crave more screen time.
Code.org wants to make that time meaningful and fun by sharing online coding classes for kids of all ages and skill levels — all for free!
From pre-K to high school, kids can learn how to build video games and smartphone apps. It's all thanks to easy-to-follow course instruction.
The time spent learning how to problem-solve may one day lead to careers focused on high-tech innovation, according to Beth Nickel, the Chief Academic Officer at Arizona Science Center who leads the program.
"They are having fun! They are creating this avatar and then programming this avatar to create a dance that they can show their friends," Nickel said.
Nickel tells ABC15 that there are many advantages for parents who sign up, too.
"You can talk the same language if you know that they are working on an activity or an app, you can have the common language between you. They also have a whole lot of really fun hands-on interactive activities where families and students can create their own game or their own app using the resources that Code.org offers."
The creators of Code.org have a mission of getting computer science into the hands of students, teachers, and educators to help build a foundational understanding.
Nickel shares that programs like these will help to build the talent pool to fill Arizona's high-tech jobs of the future.