Learning to code on a computer: what age should children start?

Many parents worry that their child is "late" to coding when they hear about a friend's child who built a game at five or six. The question comes up again and again: at what age should a child sit down at a computer and learn to code?

The short answer: there is no required age. What matters more than age is whether your child has the basic skills, and whether they enjoy it. This article helps you spot when your child is ready, choose a starting point that suits their age and support their first projects.

No need to start very early

Coding means writing steps for a machine to follow. Before touching a computer, children need to be comfortable with the ideas underneath: following an order, repeating, "if… then…", finding and fixing mistakes. These ideas can be practised through games with paper, toys and even their own bodies, with no screen at all.

So young children who haven't used a computer yet are not "missing out". A seven- or eight-year-old who has played plenty of step-ordering, rule-guessing and direction-giving games often picks things up quickly the first time they try a coding tool. On the other hand, pushing a child onto a computer too early can turn coding into a heavy school subject.

Signs your child is ready

Every child is different. Rather than looking at age, watch for signs like these:

Your child enjoys following or making up steps: lining things up in order, giving directions, inventing games with rules.
They often ask "how does this work?" about objects, games and machines at home.
They can stay focused on one activity for about 15 to 20 minutes.
They recognise icons, can read a few short words and can use a mouse or touchscreen.
They don't give up as soon as something goes wrong, or at least they will try again with someone beside them.

If your child isn't there yet, that's fine. Keep playing screen-free games and try again in a few months.

What suits each age

The ages below are only a rough guide:

Age (roughly)	Good fit	Examples
4–6	Screen-free games, picture puzzles about putting steps in order	Following arrows taped on the floor, ordering picture cards of the morning routine
7–9	Block-based coding, very small projects	Making a character walk, say a line, change colour when tapped
10–12	Longer projects, typing code if your child wants to	A simple game with a score, a story with several scenes

There's no need to "move up" by the table. A ten-year-old who is new to coding should still start with blocks until they get bored of them.

Start with block-based coding

For most children, the gentlest first step is a block-based programming language: each command is a coloured block, and children drag blocks together into a sequence, a bit like snapping toys together. This has three advantages:

No typing errors. Blocks only fit with blocks that make sense, so children focus on the idea rather than on dots and commas.
Instant results. Press run and the character moves, so children see straight away whether their program does what they meant.
Visible structure. A repeat block wraps around the blocks inside it and an "if" block has a slot for the condition, so the shape explains itself.

When choosing a tool or app, a few general criteria help: no ads, no chatting with strangers, room for your child's own projects rather than only following tutorials, and an interface your child can use on their own.

Small projects and how to support them

The first project should be small enough to finish in one session: a character running across the screen, a talking birthday card, a fish swimming about. Finishing something small makes children want to do more, far more than a big project left half done.

Sit beside them, but don't take the mouse. Ask "what do you want the character to do?" and let them try.
Treat bugs as normal. When the program goes wrong, ask "which step do you think sent it off course?" instead of fixing it for them.
Keep sessions short. Around 20 to 30 minutes suits many children; stop while they still want more.
Let them show off. Invite the family to watch the program run and hear how it was made.

In Dologi's Create corner, the "Drawing robot" tool lets your child line up commands so a robot moves across dotted paper and draws a shape, a gentle way to get used to sequences of commands before trying a bigger coding tool.

In short

There is no required age for learning to code; basic skills and interest matter more than age.
Young children learn the ideas behind coding best through screen-free games.
When your child is ready, start with block-based coding and projects that can be finished in one session.
Sit beside them, ask more than you tell, and treat mistakes as part of learning.