APP
OF THE
DAY
codeSpark Academy Kids Coding
Programming Games and Puzzles
Based on a curriculum developed at MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, and Princeton University, CodeSpark Academy teaches kids to code using an animated world that (subtly) conveys the core concepts of programming through puzzles and games.
What we love: Designed for ages 4–10, the app features animated critters called the Foos. They guide kids through Fooville, sharing activities that introduce fundamental concepts such as sequencing, conditionals, and variables. A word-free interface makes the app suitable for children regardless of reading level—clever visuals and sound effects steer them in the right direction when they get stuck.
Quick tip: Kids can tap the Create button to jump into designing their own games, or they can play games made by other young coders from around the world.
Meet the creator: CodeSpark Academy was cofounded by digital entrepreneur Grant Hosford and Walt Disney Imagineering veteran Joe Shochet. Gracie, the app’s police character, is named after Grace Hopper—a computer programmer who helped develop COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages. She also invented the first compiler, which translated mathematical code into machine-readable code.