Coding is giving clear instructions
At its heart, coding means giving a computer a list of instructions, in order, to get something done, then fixing the list when it doesn't work. Young children can learn those ideas long before they read or type, and they use them every day already.
Spot the sequences in everyday life
Routines are sequences: brushing teeth, getting dressed, making a sandwich. Ask your child to tell you the steps in order, then do exactly what they say, no more. If they forget "open the bread bag", you can't get the bread out! It's funny, and it's exactly how computers follow instructions.
Play robot
You're the robot and your child is the programmer. Robots only understand simple commands like "step forward", "turn left" and "turn right". Can they guide you to the sofa? Swap roles too. Draw arrows on cards and lay out a whole route before the robot moves: that's writing a program.
Mistakes are part of coding
Programmers call fixing mistakes "debugging", and they do it all the time. When a plan goes wrong, ask "Where did it go wrong? What should we change?" rather than starting over. It teaches children that getting it wrong is just a step towards getting it right.
First coding games
Games can make sequencing visual and give instant feedback.
- Bunny Code guides a bunny past rocks to a carrot with arrows. In Step by Step, each arrow moves the bunny at once; in Plan Ahead, children build the whole route and press Go, like running a program; Star Hunt adds stars to collect on the way.
- Wizzy Maze practises planning a route: tracing the one road that leads to the right place, past dead ends.
- Neither needs reading, so they suit children from about 4.
Keep it playful
There's no rush. The goal at this age isn't to write code but to enjoy thinking in steps, trying ideas and fixing them. That mindset is what makes learning to code later much easier.
