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Kids Who Code:
Terrific Books That Introduce Programming to Children

by Tom Burns

When I was a kid I thought we’d all be living on the moon by 2016, so the fact that I still don’t even have one robot servant is pretty disappointing. However, every time I start thinking the 21st century doesn’t feel enough like the future, I remind myself that my nine-year-old daughter takes LEGO Robotics programming classes at her elementary school, and suddenly it feels like maybe flying cars aren’t all that far away.

All over the world, kids as young as five and six are learning how to write their own software code, which is AMAZING. Some are self-taught and some are learning it in computer science courses at school, but regardless of how they’re introduced to it, programming code has become something children are interested in, and that’s very, very cool. And who can blame them? What kid wouldn’t want to learn how to make their own video game, or design their own Minecraft mod? Coding has become THE cool new language that kids are dying to learn. (Take that, Latin!)

So, if you think your game-loving youngster might also love learning how to make their own games or code their own programs, here are some wonderful books that introduce kids to the basics of coding, programming, and writing their own software. You can thank us later when they grow up to become technology billionaires.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023.