Microsoft wants your kids to learn to code, and they have tons of free programs to get them excited. The tech giant offers free classes, camps, and an Hour of Code in their stores to introduce kids to STEM skills, coding games, and creating video or art with computers. Scouts from Brownies to Boy Scouts can sign up for a free program to help earn their high-tech badges and belt loops. And if you have a high school girl interested in a career in tech, sign them up for DigiGirlz Day on September 26, hosted by Microsoft and the Saint Louis Science Center. Most YouthSpark classes are held at the Microsoft Store in the Saint Louis Galleria year round and are for kids ages 8–12 and over 13. More information on their online calendar.
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Learn to code for free with an iPad or iPhone at the Apple Store. Apples hosts a variety of free classes and camps geared to teach kids high-tech skills with coding, art, and music. You can learn how to sketch with an Apple Pencil, program a Sphero to roll through a maze, or learn Swift to make your own App. Weekly Kids Hour classes are for kids ages 6–12. More advanced coding classes are available for kids over 12. You can use your own gear, or Apple will provide you with a loaner. Year round classes are free and hosted at both St. Louis Apples Stores in the Saint Louis Galleria and West County Mall. More information on their online calendar.
Send your kids to this elite tech camp to learn programming skills, such as game design, C++, or robotics. They also teach coding for Minecraft, where kids under 12 can learn Java or MC Edit. iD Tech is hosted at Washington University in St. Louis and is a full day camp program with hot meals at the campus cafeteria and breaks to play outside games. It’s open to kids ages 7–12 and 13–17. Week long camps start at $879, and some spaces are still available.
Good guys hack! GlobalHack backs community projects that put kids on a high-tech career path. There are still summer camp openings for high school students interested in learning Python and mobile App Development ($299). GlobalHack also works with middle schools around the St. Louis area with Youth Coding League, a 12-week event that turns coding into a team sport.
Learn to code (or do just about anything else) at Khan Academy, a free online educational site for students from kindergarten to college. Khan has classes for all ages to dive deep into Java and HTML or just do a fun Hour of Code. You can even learn how Pixar uses the power of computer animation to make your favorite cartoons. Oh, and it’s free.
