Free Kids Coding Workshop: Build Your First App

Free live coding workshop for ages 8–14! Customize a mobile app, write your first function, and make it respond. No experience needed.

Give your child a fun first experience with real coding!

In this free, live online workshop, beginners ages 8–14 will customize a starter mobile app and write code that makes it respond.

Students will meet Pocket Pal, personalize their virtual pet, and program a Play function that reduces the pet’s boredom. Along the way, they’ll be introduced to real coding concepts—including objects, attributes, variables, components, buttons, and functions—through simple, relatable examples.

This workshop is led by Kerwin Alleyne, a professional software engineer with more than 10 years of experience and the founder of Chaparral Dr AI Academy.

Students won’t simply watch or copy a finished project. They’ll customize, experiment, test their code, solve problems, and see their changes come to life.

By the end of the workshop, students will have:

• Customized their own starter mobile app
• Written a function that changes how the app behaves
• Tested and improved their project
• Gained a better understanding of how mobile apps work

No previous coding experience is required. Students will need a laptop or desktop computer with Google Chrome and Zoom installed. Phones and tablets are not recommended for completing the coding activity.

A parent or guardian should be available during the first few minutes in case the student needs help getting connected.