What Is Coding?
A friendly first coding lesson for ages 4-6: learn what coding is, how computers follow instructions, and why code is like a set of steps. Fun examples and a mini quiz.
Key takeaways
- Coding means giving a computer steps to follow
- A computer does exactly what you tell it, in order
- We use code to make games, apps, and robots work
What is coding?
Coding is how we talk to computers.
A computer is a machine. It cannot think for itself. So we give it steps to follow. Those steps are called code.
When we write code, we are telling the computer what to do.
Computers follow steps
Think about brushing your teeth. You do it in steps:
- Pick up the toothbrush.
- Put on the toothpaste.
- Brush, brush, brush!
A computer needs steps too. We call these steps instructions.
The computer does each step in order, one at a time.
Code is everywhere
Lots of things use code:
- 🎮 Video games
- 📱 Phones and apps
- 🤖 Robots
- 📺 Smart TVs
People wrote code to make all of them work!
Computers do exactly what you say
A computer is very good at following steps. But it only does what you tell it.
If you tell it the wrong step, it does the wrong thing! So we have to think carefully and put our steps in the right order.
You can be a coder
A coder is a person who writes code. With practice, you can be a coder too!
Next, learn how to tell a robot what to do in Giving Instructions to a Robot. You can also see how smart computers learn in our AI lessons.
Quick quiz
Test yourself and earn XP
What does coding mean?
Coding means giving a computer a list of steps, called instructions.
A computer does what?
A computer follows your instructions exactly, one step at a time.
Which of these is made with code?
Games, apps, and robots are all made with code.
FAQ
Yes! Kids as young as 4 can learn coding ideas by giving simple step-by-step instructions, even without a computer.
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