Connexion
Coolest Projects returned for its second year in India on Saturday 19 September, taking place in Telangana’s state capital Hyderabad once more.
This year’s India event brought together 326 young technology creators who showcased 132 projects: India’s young tech creator community is clearly growing stronger. From AI to hardware to the web, young people’s projects took on topics that mattered to them, covering the playful to the practical.
Here are just a few of the creative projects young people shared on the day.
Fruit keys is a project that turns fruit into a musical instrument. The team used a Raspberry Pi computer, a camera, and the software library OpenCV. Bananas work as virtual keys that trigger musical notes. An apple lets players switch between instrument sounds. It’s a fun example of how computer vision can create touch-free, interactive experiences.
Kinetic care is a smart physical therapy system for use at home. A camera tracks the user’s movements, so they can play a therapy-based video game while they exercise. A wearable sensor watches for sudden or unsafe muscle movements. If it spots one, it sends a vibration alert straight away to help prevent injury. The project shows how hardware can make rehabilitation safer and more engaging.
This is a dinosaur-themed game with a motorised conveyor, moving obstacles, and increasing difficulty. Players dodge obstacles using a button while LEDs and sound effects create an arcade experience. High scores unlock rewards!
Bringing Coolest Projects to India for a second year showed us just how much creativity and ambition exists among young people here. Every project represented hours of learning, problem-solving, and imagination, and it’s a privilege to give these creators a platform to be seen and celebrated.
Events like this shine a light on why investing in young people’s digital skills matters so much for India’s future.
What stood out to us most this year was the breadth of ideas on display, and the confidence with which these young tech creators presented their work. It’s a strong signal of where India’s next generation of creative thinkers and problem-solvers is heading.
A huge thank you to our partner Code Club India for their support with this event, to the volunteers and mentors who made the day possible, and to our sponsors Qube Research and Technologies. And most of all we want to thank every young creator who showed up ready to share and connect with their community. We can’t wait to see what you build next.
There are still a few partner-run Coolest Projects events to come this year — find out if there is one near you. Want to be the first to hear about announcements for 2027? Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter for dates, deadlines, and updates.
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Strap yourselves in for an out-of-this-world journey! The European Astro Pi Challenge 2026/27 officially launches today, 14 September 2026!
Young people across Europe and Canada are invited to participate in two fun coding missions, offering them the amazing opportunity to run their programs on the Astro Pi computers aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Every successful team will receive official certificates complete with runtime details and orbital coordinates, along with their very own space data and image sets to download and keep.
The European Astro Pi Challenge is an ESA Education project run in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and implemented by ESEROs at a national level. It gives young people the chance to learn how to code and conduct real space science in orbit.
Which mission will your teams launch this year?
Send your art to orbit and create colorful pixel art with code! Mission Zero is a beginner-friendly Python activity, perfect for young people aged 9 to 16 with no prior coding experience.
Participants use our web-based code editor to set image colors and capture live light readings to adapt their artwork. In our step-by-step project guide, you’ll find a selection of starter examples to modify and make your own, all chosen directly from entries from the 2025/26 season.
Because so many teams love bringing their artwork to life, Mission Control has included step-by-step worked code examples in our project guide: one that creates a static image, and another that outputs a two-frame animation. Your team can modify the colours, add extra frames, or design an entirely original piece. We can’t wait to see what participants create.
Calling all aspiring space scientists! Mission Space Lab gives young people aged 12 to 19 the chance to capture real sensor data and Earth observation images while the ISS orbits 400km above us.
Working in teams of between two and six young people, participants write a Python program to log sensor or camera data to explore life on Earth or orbital mechanics. Teams can design an entirely original space science project or use our ready-made guides to analyse vegetation using NDVI imaging, or calculate the speed of the ISS. Every eligible program is guaranteed a ten-minute flight slot on the ISS.
This year, you’ll find a template for a basic data capture submission in the Mission Space Lab Creator Guide. It provides a great starting point for teams to predict the output of their program, test their logic, and customise their code. What will your team choose to investigate?
We are excited to announce that ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will be the ambassador for the European Astro Pi Challenge this year. Having worked aboard the ISS, Thomas knows how important it is to conduct scientific experiments in space. Plus, Thomas is no stranger to the European Astro Pi Challenge. In fact, he has been our ambassador twice before, during the 2016/2017 and 2020/2021 editions. He is currently preparing for his next mission, having been selected to command a private astronaut mission, planned for 2027.
The Astro Pi Mission Control team is here to support you every step of the way. Visit our website to learn how to book a support call with our team, or reach out to us directly at contact@astro-pi.org.
We’ll also be hosting interactive support sessions and livestreams for both missions throughout the year. Make sure you stay connected by signing up for our official newsletter.
In the meantime, look to the stars and see how far your young people can reach!
The post Launching Astro Pi 2026/27: Code your way to the International Space Station appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
4 years ago I decided to start a new CoderDojo in my community. The logic was simple: to provide the best support I could to the CoderDojo community, I wanted to understand what it was really like to be a CoderDojo Champion. And so, with the help of local volunteers, Selby CoderDojo was born. We had an amazing response from the community, we’ve been running every month since then to meet demand, and we’ve been the catalyst for the launch of six other local clubs reaching hundreds of young people every month.
This month, Selby CoderDojo celebrated its 40th Dojo event. 40 opportunities for young people to come together, have fun, learn new skills and build new creations. 40 opportunities to see that moment a young person lets out a scream of joy, claps their hands, and jumps up and down when they turn on an LED for the first time. 40 opportunities for young people and parents to genuinely collaborate on a project, and 40 opportunities to see young people grow as they find their voice and proudly show off their new creations to a room full of people. When you create a space for young people to have fun and get creative with technology on their terms, there’s so much joy to see.
This year we celebrate 15 years since the first-ever CoderDojo event in Cork, Ireland. I want to say a huge thanks to co-founders James Whelton and Bill Liao for starting a movement that embraces the power of non-formal education and continues to impact so many young people, including those right here in my community in Selby. We also owe a massive thank you to every Mentor, Champion, supporter, funder, parent, and of course every single Ninja past and present who have made CoderDojo what it is.
Today there are over 600 active CoderDojos running around the world, creating opportunities for tens of thousands of young people. CoderDojos are part of the Code Club movement, the world’s largest coordinated network of free coding clubs for young people, with over 10,000 Code Clubs meeting monthly.
Earlier this month we held Raspberry Fields, our first global partners summit in Cambridge. It was great to have representatives from Dojos around the world join in important conversations about the future of computing education and the impact of AI. Undoubtedly schools play a significant role in preparing young people for the future, but not every child thrives at or even attends school. Every conversation, panel discussion, and workshop at Raspberry Fields reminded me that the original CoderDojo approach — championing non-formal education and embracing fun, creativity, collaboration, and openness — is still immensely important. I’m really proud that these values remain a core part of CoderDojo and the wider Code Club movement today.
Raspberry Fields was a useful reminder that even in the age of AI, it’s imperative that we encourage and enable young people to learn to code. We need to help young people understand, question and shape the AI systems affecting their lives, and we need to think carefully about how we reach young people who can’t or don’t access school. We need even more clubs that will continue the mission that CoderDojo began.
Launching a CoderDojo is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I’m proud to be part of both CoderDojo and Code Club, and I’m proud that we continue to support all of our clubs, no matter what name they choose. If you’d like to join or launch a club in your community, head to the Code Club website to get started — I promise you won’t regret it!
Thank you to James, Bill, and everyone who has been part of the CoderDojo journey. Be cool!
PS For those of you reading this in the community in Ireland, where CoderDojo first began all those years ago, I can’t wait to hear your experiences and learn together in Athlone at Meet, Learn, Make this October.
The post From one club to a global movement: Celebrating 15 years of CoderDojo! appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Coolest Projects UK returned to Bradford in May, with more than 200 young people showcasing digital projects they had designed and built themselves.
Visitors at the showcase event had the chance to explore an amazing range of projects across categories, from Scratch and Python to AI, hardware, web design, and game development. Every participant had the opportunity to speak with judges and industry professionals, receive personalised feedback, and connect with other young people passionate about technology and creativity.
Throughout the day, participants also got stuck into hands-on digital activities designed to encourage collaboration and creative thinking.
This year’s creators came from a wide range of backgrounds, including Code Clubs, schools, Scout groups, CoderDojos, and independent learning environments. Some had spent months refining their projects, while others had only recently started their coding journey. What connected them all was a shared excitement for creating with technology.
Ahead of the event, local workshops held in Bradford gave young people additional opportunities to explore digital making, develop project ideas, and gain confidence ahead of showcasing their work publicly. These sessions helped many first-time participants take their first steps into coding and creative technology.
A key part of this year’s event was the involvement of 57 Scouts from across the region. Young people from six Yorkshire-based Scout groups attended digital making workshops. During the sessions, they learned how to create their own selfie filters using Scratch’s AI-facial recognition tools, earning their DM1 Digital Maker badges. After developing their own ideas and projects during the workshops, they exhibited a selection of them in the Coolest Projects showcase alongside the wider community of young creators.
For many of the Scouts attending, this was their first experience of presenting a technology project to the public. It gave them a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, talk about their ideas, and see how digital making turns imagination into reality.
Throughout the event, Greg Foot, BBC science presenter, brought energy and enthusiasm to the stage, interviewing creators, celebrating achievements, and highlighting the stories behind the projects on display. The day concluded with a celebration ceremony where every participant received recognition for their work, with creators of the judges’ favourite projects also receiving additional awards.
The showcase featured an inspiring range of ideas and inventions created by young people from across the UK. Here are just a few of the projects presented during the event:
This project is a robotic reminder system that recognises people’s faces and plays a personalised reminder message. Using sensors, lights, sounds, and moving parts, the robot reacts when someone comes close and activates a camera for face recognition. Seth built the robot using boxes and tubes, while also using AI face recognition and recorded audio messages to create an interactive experience. Seth shared some of the challenges he faced with the facial recognition system.
“Our facial recognition system kept getting confused, so we took more photos to help it recognise better. We used different backgrounds, clothes and lighting to help it recognise our faces better, but we also took new photos when we got to Coolest Projects, so it would work better in front of the judges.”
Seth wasn’t just excited to share his project with his fellow creators, but with host Greg Foot too, bringing a little surprise along for Greg on the day.
“I have always wanted to go to an event which has lots of people and showcases everyone’s work, and wanted to meet Greg Foot too. I built a giant Scratch block made from Duplo and Lego to give to Greg Foot. I didn’t have all the right sizes so I made a custom part with modelling clay and I reinforced it using sticky back plastic, then I asked my mum to write on it so that it looked like it coded Greg to smile.”
Immune System Defence is a Roblox game where players protect the human heart from waves of incoming viruses. Using white blood cells, vitamin boosts and other defensive towers, players must stop the spread of infection while learning about how the immune system works. The game is designed to be both fun and educational, combining strategy and science in an exciting gameplay experience.
“I got the idea for the project from my Science lessons at school — specifically the ones where we’d learned the parts of blood and the functions of the heart as a related topic on how white blood cells and the immune system protects the body. One of my favourite parts was seeing people scan my QR code and actually play my game live during the showcase.”
Gabriel created a Scratch game that teaches players how rare the fossilisation process is. Players choose between an ammonite, belemnite, or trilobite and then spin three roulette wheels representing different stages of fossilisation. Gabriel was inspired by a board game he saw at the Fossil Festival in Lyme Regis and adapted the idea into his own interactive game with new features such as the roulette wheels.
“The roulette wheel was the hardest to code because I had to make it spin faster at the beginning and then slow down. I found the event [Coolest Projects] very exciting because at one point I had a queue of people wanting to try out my game!”
More Coolest Projects showcases
Each year, Coolest Projects highlights the creativity, curiosity, and technical skills young people bring to digital making. From games and AI experiments to interactive hardware builds, the event continues to inspire more young people to see themselves as creators of technology, not just consumers of it.
While the UK event has now wrapped up for 2026, Coolest Projects showcases continue around the world throughout the year.
Coolest Projects is part of our wider work to help every young person gain access to computing and digital creativity opportunities. At thousands of free Code Clubs running across the UK, Ireland, and around the world, young people can continue building projects, learning new skills, and creating alongside others in supportive community spaces.
To find a local club or learn how to volunteer, visit the Code Club website.
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There’s something really special about a Code Club. It’s a unique space for young people to get creative with technology on their terms, explore what interests them, and learn through experimenting and having fun. But speak to any Code Club leader and they’ll tell you: Code Club delivers so much more than just coding skills.
In the thousands of free Code Clubs across the world, you’ll see young people not only make amazing tech creations, but also grow as people. You’ll see young people find their voice and grow in confidence as they present what they’ve made to a room full of friends and parents. You’ll see them show a problem in their code to their friends and work as a team to fix it. You’ll see young people come up with the most creative digital solutions to challenges they see around them.
We’re delighted that the UK government recently recognised Code Club as a key resource to help schools enhance their enrichment offer. This confirms what the community tells us, and what independent research shows: that Code Club works. Not only does it help young people develop their programming skills, but it also builds life skills including confidence, resilience, and problem solving. And Code Club is completely free. Schools, libraries, and community centres can set up Code Clubs using their existing equipment, and register their clubs to access all our free resources and support for getting started and running successful club sessions for the long term.
And what about AI? There’s no getting around it, at the moment AI dominates almost every conversation about computing education, and this includes enrichment and non-formal activities too. All young people should have the power and agency to understand, question, and shape the AI systems increasingly affecting their lives. We believe that kids still need to learn to code in the age of AI, and we’ve created resources and coding projects for Code Clubs that help young people understand how AI tools work, and how to use them carefully.
Last year we announced our ambition to support every school and library in the UK to set up a free Code Club so that young people can develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the age of AI.
Now we’re pleased to announce a package of free support for UK trusts and local authorities that are interested in becoming growth partners and setting up Code Clubs across their networks. If you join us as a growth partner, you will get:
If you would like to find out more about how Code Club can enhance your enrichment offer, how easy it is to get started, and how we can help, please get in touch!
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From first-time coders to seasoned makers, this year every single Coolest Projects creator brought all their creativity to their tech projects and made something to be proud of. Over 15,000 young people showcased more than 4,500 creations on a global stage. With participants from 40 countries and 47% girls, this year’s online showcase is a true reflection of what the next generation of tech creators looks like.
Yesterday our global livestream brought together the whole Coolest Projects community to celebrate the young people’s creations with some very special guests.
Every year, we invite new special VIP judges to choose their favourite projects from each of the seven Coolest Projects categories. Meet our 2026 judges and find out about the projects they picked.
Ronit is the Strategy and Operations Lead for Google Research and an AI for Education champion. In her role reimagining the future of learning, Ronit is a passionate advocate for technology in service of pedagogy, leading Google Research’s global AI Literacy initiatives. She champions a human-centered vision for technology, spearheading programs like Al Quests, a gamified experience designed to teach teens how AI can be applied to humanity’s greatest challenges.
Ronit’s favourite projects are:
Ben is a senior developer at British video game company Jagex, working on RuneScape to deliver immersive experiences for both new and existing players. He previously worked at Ubisoft on the Assassin’s Creed series and the Avatar Frontiers of Pandora game. Ben learned to code at 12 through making mods for Minecraft, and he has been passionate about game development ever since.
Ben’s favourite projects are:
Akari is a 16-year-old CoderDojo member from Japan who has showcased her own projects at Coolest Projects seven times. She knows exactly what it takes to make something special for the showcase, and we’re so excited to have a young creator’s perspective on the judging panel!
Akari’s favourite projects are:
Sebin is CEO of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EIC) and the Centre of Excellence in loT Sensors at the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala (IIITM-K). A passionate advocate for innovation, he is committed to empowering entrepreneurs, creating sustainable solutions, and shaping the future of technology-driven industries.
Sebin’s favourite projects are:
The Broadcom Coding With Commitment® award shines a light on creators who use coding to support and strengthen their communities with a project that aligns with 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
This year’s Broadcom Coding with Commitment® recipient for the online showcase is Egehan from Türkiye, with their Scratch project Viridia – Back to the World, an educational game designed to teach players about the importance of water and how to use it responsibly.
Browse the Coolest Projects 2026 online gallery to discover thousands of incredible projects from young people all over the world.
Inspired to make your own project? Or encourage a young person you know? To get you started, we offer over 200 free coding projects, in English and many other languages.
Coolest Projects will be back online in 2027. Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to hear about dates, deadlines, and exciting updates.
And did you know there are in-person Coolest Projects events around the globe? There is still time to take part in Coolest Projects India and other partner events this year. Find out more.
We want to say a big thank you to Broadcom Foundation, Amazon Future Engineer, Vilros, Qube-RT, Avnet, and GoTo for sponsoring Coolest Projects 2026 and helping to celebrate young tech creators around the world.
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Coolest Projects is our global technology showcase for young people up to age 18. It’s a place where young creators share the brilliant things they’ve made using digital technology — from first-ever Scratch projects and coding for fun experiments to ambitious robotics builds — with a global audience. Everyone who takes part receives certificates and rewards to celebrate their achievements.
Coolest Projects is open to any young person, anywhere in the world. Creators can submit their tech projects to our online showcase, explore the global project gallery, and join our special celebration livestream. There are in-person events in some countries for local creators, too (find out more below).
By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can:
It is completely free to take part in Coolest Projects, and we welcome all kinds of digital technology projects — from first attempts to an ambitious STEM project or advanced build. Projects don’t need to be finished to be submitted.
Creators can enter a project into one of seven categories: Scratch, Games, Hardware, Web, Mobile Apps, Advanced Programming, and the emergent category of AI.
The findings from the Coolest Projects 2025 Impact report offer clear, evidence-based insights into how Coolest Projects builds confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging for young people around the world. In 2025, almost 12,000 young people from 41 countries took part in Coolest Projects online, a 57% increase on the previous year. This year, we’re excited to welcome even more creators to the Coolest Projects community.
Our annual evaluation shows that Coolest Projects continues to have a powerful impact on young digital creators worldwide. In 2025:
Creators told us how proud they felt sharing their work:
“It feels like I’m being noticed!” – Young creator, UK
“I enjoyed presenting my project and seeing so many creative ideas from others.” – Young creator, India
With many early-stage makers joining for the first time, including 55% of young people at in-person events, Coolest Projects continues to be an accessible entry point into the world of digital creativity.
We’re also proud to see growing participation from girls who code, who tell us they value the chance to share their ideas and be inspired by others. At in-person events, girls made up 63% of creators in India, 50% in the US, 39% in Ireland, and 37% in the UK.
Find out more about the incredible creativity and collaboration from mentors and makers worldwide in the Coolest Projects 2025 impact report.
If you’re entering several projects on behalf of your group, you can create a group code to link young people’s projects to your account.
Here’s a quick reminder of how it works:
There is no limit to the number of young people who can submit through one group code.
If you’d like a full walkthrough, watch our step-by-step group code ‘how-to’ video.
Whether your coders are beginners or experienced digital makers, there are lots of resources to support them. Visit the Coolest Projects guidance page for mentor guides, session plans, and more.
Alongside the global online showcase, Coolest Projects events will take place in several countries again this year. We encourage creators to take part in both their local in-person event and the global showcase.
Save the date for:
More dates coming soon for:
Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to hear about events near you.
Whether your young people already have something they’re excited to share or they’re ready to start something new, Coolest Projects is the perfect place to celebrate their creativity, problem solving, and imagination.
We can’t wait to see the incredible projects they bring to Coolest Projects 2026.
The post Coolest Projects 2026: Opens for entries in January! appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Today, we are marking the 10th anniversary of the European Astro Pi Challenge.
At 11:03 on 15 December 2015, former ESA Astronaut Tim Peake launched from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz rocket as part of his UK Space agency ‘Principia’ mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Two Raspberry Pi-powered Astro Pi Mark 1 computers were waiting for him in the Columbus module of the ISS, ready to be set up for an experimental education activity called “Astro Pi”.
The European Astro Pi Challenge, an ESA Education project run in collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and supported by national ESEROs, has been running every year since. The challenge now features two Python coding ‘missions’ that offer young people the amazing opportunity to write a short computer program to send to run on the ISS: Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab.
Tens of thousands of young people participate in Astro Pi annually, reaching over 160,000 participants since 2015. On 15 December this year, Tim Peake and some of the Astro Pi team were at the Science Museum London running Mission Zero workshops for visiting school groups to create their own pixel art programs to send into space.
“Setting up the Astro Pi computers on the ISS for those first experiments in 2015 was just the beginning of something truly incredible — it’s amazing to see how much impact the programme has had since then! I hope Astro Pi inspires thousands more young people to code, learn about space technology, and feel empowered to reach for the stars in their own careers.” – Tim Peake, former ESA Astronaut
As the challenge has matured, its reach has increased, with over 25,000 participants every year since 2021. Young people from all 27 ESA member and associate states have sent their code into space, with 25% of mentors returning to the challenge year after year.
“I think Mission Zero is a way of connecting not only to a worldwide group of learners, but also to explorers, future scientists, and future astronauts. To see them as part of a larger community and not just an activity or assignment that they have to do in class. They discover their own abilities and potential, and exercise their creativity in a very low-stakes environment and then to see it come to life in that global way is extremely valuable.” – Mission Zero mentor
Mission Zero has proved to be a great way to engage girls in computing and tech, with an average of 44% of participants identifying as female. This is well above the national averages for other STEM subjects in many countries.
What attracts many teams of young people to Mission Space Lab is the chance to capture data and images from the SenseHats and High Quality Cameras on the Astro Pi computers. This year the Astro Pis will be positioned in the World Observation Research Facility (WORF) window, which means teams can hope for some fantastic, high-quality Earth-observation images with a full field of view. Each team that achieves Flight Status will receive the images and data their program captures.
Astro Pi is one of the most inspirational coding activities that young people can do and gives the exciting chance to reach beyond the boundaries of what they may have thought possible. In the 2024–25 impact report, mentors reported that the young people participating were highly motivated by the possibility of having their code run on the ISS.
“Honestly, the idea that a kid can send their own code to space is just mind-blowing. It really makes you rethink what ‘possible’ even means.” – Jeanna, Astro Pi enthusiast
Participation increases skills, confidence and motivation for further exploration in coding, digital making and STEM subjects.
Join us in this year’s anniversary challenge to celebrate a decade of sending young people’s code into space – and receive some limited edition certificates. You can find out everything you need to participate or to mentor a team at astro-pi.org.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re meeting a group of inspiring young innovators from Belfast — Michelle, 15, Inilouwa, 18, Jedidiah, 14 — and Irioluwa, 11, who are using their creativity and technical skills to tackle an issue that impacts millions of young women across the UK: period poverty.
The group first connected through Diverse Youth, a community space that gave them the chance to collaborate, learn, and grow.
At the youth centre, the girls were introduced to Code Club through mentor, and Jedidiah’s mum, Tiwa. When Tiwa offered them the opportunity to travel to Coolest Projects UK and showcase projects they had been working on, they knew they wanted to make something special…
The idea for Flow Body began when Inilouwa was inspired by her sister’s experience at school.
“So, for me, it was my sister actually, that really inspired this project because she would tell me, her school at the time, they run out of period products very frequently, so not a lot of girls could access it.”
Wanting to make a difference, the team created Flow Body, a website connecting young women to period charities in the UK and providing reliable information about periods, puberty, and related health issues.
The technical side of the project was led by Inilouwa, with the rest of her teammates supporting her with research and content creation.
“So, alongside Michelle, I researched the diseases and what can come from period poverty and how different people get by with the lack of period products around,” Jedidiah said.
Their research highlighted just how widespread period-related health issues are.
The team discovered that one of the biggest challenges is access to accurate information, given the stigma around discussing menstruation, and using technology to solve this issue seemed like the perfect fit to them.
Inilouwa explained, “Having that access to information that’s tailored to young women, to young parents, to everyone all across the board would be really helpful, you know, in order to make periods less of a strange topic to discuss.”
After taking home judges’ favourite in the web category, the girls could not recommend the experience enough. When asked what advice they would give to other young people thinking of taking the leap and entering Coolest Projects, the answer was simple…
“Do it. Don’t be afraid. Even if tech is not your thing, it’s not a lot of people’s things. But like you learn so much, you grow so much and it’s very fun. It is. It really is,” said Inilouwa.
If you are interested in getting involved in Coolest Projects, keep an eye on the website for exciting announcements for 2026 plans.
Want support on your coding journey? Find a Code Club near you to learn alongside a likeminded community.
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Tom Mason is Head of Mathematics and Head of ICT at St Joseph’s College, an all-boys secondary school in South East London. He is passionate about teaching and learning, and has a keen interest in digital education practices.
Mr Mason recently set his Year 10 students a creative coding challenge, which they completed using our Code Editor for Education. The challenge not only boosted student engagement, but also showcased the effectiveness of open-ended, student-led learning in computer science education.
Teaching coding in a classroom setting presents a unique set of challenges, with one of the most significant being the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Instead of engaging deeply with concepts like loops, conditions, and sorting algorithms, students now increasingly rely on AI tools to generate entire blocks of code for them, without understanding their functions.
Meanwhile, traditional teacher-led instruction methods that focus on isolated coding concepts like inputs and outputs often leave students disconnected from the practical and creative aspects of programming.
Against this backdrop, Mr Mason wanted to give his students the opportunity to:
Mr Mason set a simple but powerful brief:
“Over three lessons, build a quiz that asks 10 questions about what you’ve learnt on the course.”
With this simple instruction, Mr Mason gave students a clear idea about what to do, while giving them the freedom to design their quiz however they liked. Students were also told that:
To complete the project, students used the Code Editor for Education. Created in collaboration with educators and built purposefully for the classroom, the Code Editor supports a range of teaching styles and learning abilities. Its simple interface encourages students to engage with the logic behind their code — they can’t rely on autocomplete.
The open-ended structure led to an explosion of creativity and problem-solving.
Without step-by-step instructions, students had to independently explore solutions to questions like:
Some students created multi-file Python projects, separating the logic controlling how the quiz worked from the content, or static information. For example, some students created one file to store the player’s answers and another file to manage the quiz interface and score logic. Students also created other advanced features:
All students met the base requirements, but the open-ended nature of the project allowed more advanced students to push the boundaries, without the need for additional scaffolding.
“They couldn’t just Google the answer; they had to think critically and test ideas. That’s what made it powerful.”
Mr Mason noted that the project’s success was due in large part to the flexibility and responsiveness of the Code Editor. Students could iterate quickly, test their ideas, and collaborate, all within a platform built for classroom coding.
“It was the most successful thing I’ve done. I’ll definitely be doing it again every year.”
Join St Joseph’s College and the 1300+ other schools helping their students build a strong foundation in text-based programming with the Code Editor for Education.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Today, we introduce Shajan, a digital storyteller and senior business advisor at the BBC, whose extraordinary personal and professional journey has led him to champion digital literacy for young people in Bangladesh.
Shajan is British-born, but his roots deeply connect him to Bangladesh. This connection was instilled by childhood holidays to Bangladesh, as well as his late father, who emigrated to the UK in the 1960s but always encouraged Shajan to maintain ties with the community he left behind. Shajan’s pull towards Bangladesh intensified after his father’s passing fifteen years ago.
“I always thought I’d like to do something, carry on the work he left behind with efforts in building schools and supporting his local community.”
The memory of his sister Khela, who passed away at just 12 years old while in Bangladesh, also motivates Shajan. He says, “She was a really creative person, really into her arts and crafts and learning.”
Khela’s loss fuels Shajan’s desire to do something specifically for the young people of Bangladesh, connecting with their potential for creativity and learning.
Shajan’s 15 years of working for the BBC led him to discover the power of digital education. In 2015, he project-managed the BBC’s “Make It Digital” campaign, a UK-wide initiative addressing the National Digital Skills Gap.
As part of this, he led partnerships with organisations like Code Club.
“That experience showed me how digital tools could unlock creativity in young people and build their confidence.”
During his visits to Bangladesh, Shajan observed a widening digital divide. Young people, especially in rural areas, lacked access to basic internet and computers. Teachers faced heavy workloads, and many students needed to pause their education to support their families. Seeing no equivalent to Code Club in Bangladesh to inspire young people, Shajan felt he had to act. Before he knew it, he was requesting a six-month career break.
“I said, ‘This is what I always wanted to do. If I don’t do it now, I will miss the opportunity.'”
With the support of both the BBC and Code Club, Shajan packed his bags and moved to Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.
Shajan’s initial goal was to raise awareness and build a sustainable model for Code Club in Bangladesh. Recognising that teachers needed support to run clubs, Shajan’s strategy was to engage university students as volunteers. He organised a national coding festival, leveraging these student volunteers to connect with schools and prepare young participants for a Scratch-based project challenge. The event received lots of media attention, encouraging interest and inspiring a new generation of coders.
However, there were some hurdles that had to be worked around, including unreliable internet connections, limited access to computers, and unstable electricity supply. Beyond practical challenges, Shajan faced a crucial mindset shift.
“Not everybody’s convinced yet that their children should be doing coding. For many families, generating immediate income takes precedence over digital education. Balancing the need to put food on the table with the long-term benefits of coding remains a constant battle.”
Despite these obstacles, Shajan’s efforts proved successful. Some of the creators from the 2016–2017 classes, now in their twenties, have pursued computer science and now share how Code Club helped them on their paths. He also organised an incredible exchange program, bringing creators and mentors from Code Club South Korea to Bangladesh for a seven-day visit. Despite not sharing a language, creators connected through the language of code, an experience Shajan describes as inspiring for the young people and adults alike.
Shajan’s focus now is to launch a Coolest Projects event in Sylhet, the place his father was born and a region he wants to focus on before taking Coolest Projects national as well.
He is actively engaging with teachers and student volunteers across the city, with strong support from Nooraiya Khan, an ICT Lecturer with a background in computer science. Nooraiya is working hard with Shajan to co-lead all Code Club activities in Bangladesh, bringing valuable expertise and shared passion to the movement.
Shajan believes the current digital landscape offers new opportunities. He is a strong advocate for the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, viewing it as a way to help bring opportunities to all young people. He plans to introduce AI-focused Code Club projects to Bangladesh, ensuring the next generation is prepared for a future driven by technology.
For Shajan, Code Club Bangladesh is “for everybody”. He wants to ensure that no child, especially girls and those from underserved communities, is left behind. He would welcome anyone interested in helping the young people of Bangladesh, including teachers, educators, tech professionals, and government bodies, to join Code Club Bangladesh’s journey.
If you’d like to support young people in your community to explore coding, why not start a Code Club? The team will support you every step of the way with resources, training, and a collaborative community.
Find out more on the Code Club website.
The post Dedication to digital education in Bangladesh: Meet Shajan appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Meet Isabelle, a youth mentor at a library Code Club, whose inspiring story tells how a passion for helping others and a love for reading led back to a childhood interest, shaping an unexpected and rewarding journey.
Isabelle’s coding journey began around the age of nine. An avid reader, she regularly attended her local library in Stourbridge with her gran. When they saw there was a Code Club held on a Saturday morning, they both decided it might be a good skill for Isabelle to learn.
“I used to have like an entire folder of all the projects I’d completed. I’ve still got it somewhere in my room!”
She quickly progressed through Scratch, Python, and HTML, even finding herself teaching the adults at the club at some points! But, as secondary school approached, her involvement naturally tapered off as she began to focus on her studies.
In secondary school, Isabelle was looking for volunteering opportunities as part of her Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award. Remembering her positive experiences at the library, and continued love of books, she initially considered volunteering there. Then, she had an idea.
“I suddenly thought ‘What if they still do Code Club?’ I really enjoyed it when I did it and I still remembered enough about it to help others. So, I felt like I could actually be useful instead.”
Isabelle reached out, and thanks to her gran’s long-standing connection with the library, she was remembered and welcomed back. What started as a three-month commitment for her DofE award soon extended to six.
“I really looked forward to each session at the library and decided to stick with it for the whole time.”
Isabelle’s return coincided with the Code Club restarting. Stepping into a mentoring role, she quickly found herself in the thick of it. With five computers and a group of new young people, most of whom had no prior coding experience, the first sessions were a whirlwind.
“It’s like the best kind of chaos. It doesn’t get easier as such. But it’s so fun meeting these new kids, they’re all different and they bounce off each other.”
She works closely with Lucy, the club leader, helping manage the flow of projects and supporting the children as they navigate everything from creating Scratch accounts to tackling challenging projects.
While the technical skills are central, Isabelle emphasises that Code Club offers so much more. She’s seen shy children blossom, making new friends and becoming more involved.
“I think there’s the whole element of socialising as well. And beyond coding, kids develop essential IT skills, like learning how to use a mouse and keyboard. Something many who just use tablets and phones don’t know!”
Isabelle, now preparing to go on to further education, could not have predicted how her mentoring journey would turn out. What began as a three-month DofE requirement has turned into a four-year commitment.
“It has just never been something that I thought ‘oh, I don’t want to do this anymore’. It’s just part of the weekly routine now. It’s been four years and it’s shocking how quickly it’s gone.”
Isabelle’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s built strong bonds with the staff and gained invaluable experience. She’s learned to organise, work in a team, and even run sessions independently, developing skills that will be invaluable for her future.
“I like the bond that I have with the staff and with Lucy. It feels great to be trusted that much and it has just been such a nice experience.”
Lucy, Stourbridge Code Club leader and Library Assistant, shared her experience with the club and collaborating.
“Since Code Club offers so much more than just coding — confidence building, creativity, friendship, etc. — it plays an important role for children and young people in the community. The library is much more than just a place for books, and hosting Code Club here creates a welcoming space where young people can explore technology away from the classroom.”
“Isabelle has been absolutely fantastic both in supporting us with club admin as well as supporting the children with their coding! She understands the projects inside and out and is brilliant at not only solving problems, but also, importantly, encouraging the club to find ways of solving problems themselves. Our Code Club couldn’t have become what it is today without her input!”
As Isabelle prepares to head off to the Bath Spa University to study media communications and publishing, she offers this advice for other young people considering becoming a Code Club mentor…”just go for it!”
Isabelle admits to being anxious at times, but the experience has significantly boosted her confidence.
“It built my confidence a bit more. You make friends along the way and you learn a lot of new things. And don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of coding experience. I don’t think you need it. I had a little bit but I was still basing it mainly off of reading the project instructions. And in all fairness, the instructions are really helpful!”
Mentoring at Code Club isn’t just about teaching, it’s about learning, growing, and connecting. It’s an opportunity to give back, build confidence, and discover the joy in supporting the next generation of digital creators. As Isabelle’s journey shows, sometimes the most rewarding paths are the ones you never planned to take.
Lucy shared why she thinks having youth mentors involved with Code Club is such an important dynamic.
“Youth mentors are great as role models and inspiration for children, and as a young person themselves they build such a great rapport with the club members. A mentor who’s closer to their age often feels more approachable, which helps create a comfortable and encouraging environment for them.”
If Isabelle’s story has inspired you, why not explore the world of coding? You can get started at home with over 250 free projects on the Code Club Projects website.
Looking for a little extra support in your own coding journey or open to mentoring others? Join a Code Club near you to meet a like-minded and supportive community.
The post From coder to mentor: Meet Isabelle appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Seung Woo, also known as Tony, is a 17-year-old student from Canada and the co-founder of his school’s Code Club, alongside his teacher, Kay. A curious and driven teen with big ambitions in computer science, Tony is not only passionate about technology, but also dedicated to building a safe, welcoming space where others can learn, explore, and grow alongside him.
Tony’s fascination with computers started early, driven by his love of video games, coding, and, perhaps most memorably, his admiration for Tony Stark, the comic-book and film character who becomes the superhero Iron Man! The idea of building something powerful from scratch stuck with him.
“My whole life, I have been curious about the inner workings of a computer and my inspiration for coding is Tony Stark or Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe!”
Tony’s early coding journey wasn’t without its challenges. Finding the right resources was difficult, and staying motivated during tough moments was often hard without a support system.
“Like many others, I was independently taught, and during this time of independent learning I’d find many different roadblocks and challenges that I had to overcome alone. A big setback for me was finding the right resources in order to learn how to code. Another big obstacle for me was motivation. I would find myself losing interest in a project. I didn’t have the exterior motivation to help me push through the inevitable hardships that come with coding.”
That’s where the idea for a coding club began to take shape.
Tony co-founded the Code Club at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in December 2024 with that exact vision in mind — he wanted to provide a fun, collaborative, and welcoming environment where students of all skill levels could explore their love of technology together.
“I created the coding club to help everyone on their journey of computer science, no matter their skill level, and that is exactly what it is turning out to be. Finding resources is easier than ever with a teacher and all of the amazing members.”
Tony’s teacher and co-founder, Kay, shared why Code Club was the right fit for the school.
“I thought Code Club was the best way to start our club for a few reasons. The amount of coding language options was varied and appealed to the different learners in our club. It was also important for us to promote our club and let our community know about the presence of a coding club in our school, and Code Club helped us do so via their online presence.”
For Tony, the secret ingredient behind his club’s success is simple: teamwork.
“Without teamwork, our club wouldn’t really be a club, it would simply be an ensemble of people coding in their own little cubicles, much like a stereotypical office job, and to me, that does not sound too enjoyable. Teamwork is our little secret ingredient in problem-solving and building motivation, we embrace it by creating a safe space where everyone can speak their minds without judgement!”
Members are free to choose their own learning paths. No matter the project, the atmosphere is always filled with laughter, energy, and curiosity.
“Coding should be something that is fun — not stressful like others may make it seem. Celebrating achievements, making short term goals, and problem solving with friends are all great ways that we make coding fun in our club. A second word would be teamwork. Without teamwork, our club wouldn’t really be a club.”
Teamwork, he adds, transforms what could be a solitary activity into something social and deeply motivating.
Tony hopes the club will continue to grow, bringing more students into the world of coding and helping them feel at home in it. His story is a great reminder that learning to code isn’t just about computers — it’s about building community, confidence, and creativity.
“I wanted to create a space where everyone would be accepted and encouraged to learn more about coding and not be ashamed to ‘nerd out’ about this subject like I do very frequently. I’ve dreamed of creating a space that embraces this beautiful passion.”
If you’d like to explore coding, you can get started at home with over 250 free projects.
For a little more support, or if you’re open to mentoring others, you can also join a Code Club. Check our website to find a club near you and become part of a like-minded and welcoming community.
The post Creating a space for connection and code: Meet Seung Woo (Tony), Canada appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
Growing up in Mathare, one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, Douglas experienced first-hand what it meant to go without access to education and opportunity. His experience sparked a Code Club journey that is already hugely inspiring… and it’s only just getting started.
For Douglas and many of his peers, the limited access to education in Mathare often meant being left with no clear path to earn a livelihood. Douglas saw opportunity in technology — he wanted to increase access in this field for the young people in Mathare and raise their ambitions.
“Why are we doing technology? Because we believe that tech does not have a boundary. As long as you have access to the internet and you can learn some basic skills… the opportunities are limitless.”
That belief became the keystone of Oasis Mathare, an organisation co-founded by Douglas and a group of others with similar lived experiences. Like Douglas, most of the founding members haven’t followed a standard path with formal schooling, but all understand the power of technology to transform lives.
Douglas’ own tech journey began humbly, and was sparked by his curiosity.
“After primary, I didn’t go straight to high school. I spent two years working in a nearby barber shop. Then I think I just fell in love with computers. I learned how to do some basic stuff with design and used to play around with Photoshop.”
From there, he taught himself web design and programming skills, which began to open new doors. Eventually, he went back to university to study business and information technology to deepen his knowledge, but even before that, Douglas had already started giving back.
“We used to hold a club providing a space for kids to come and play games on computers. That sort of grew from just Saturdays to a few times a week… and now it’s full time.”
Today, Oasis Mathare runs intensive software engineering and robotics programs that last between 9 and 12 months. But back in the early days of the organisation, Douglas quickly realised that many young people were struggling to keep up — not because of ability, but because they’d never used a computer before.
“So, we started Code Clubs to introduce these principles of programming at an early age… and we actually realised that those who have gone through Code Club take less time to complete our software engineering and robotics classes.”
Code Clubs now serve as a stepping stone at Oasis Mathare. They help introduce computer literacy and programming concepts to young people early, making it easier for them to thrive in more advanced programs.
The impact of the program is already visible. Many graduates of Oasis Mathare programs go on to volunteer and eventually teach, serving as role models for the younger learners.
“Oasis Mathare has 6 full-time staff. There are 12 Code Club leaders. They are our graduates from the software engineering program. We are plugging them into the Code Clubs to help them gain confidence and help the next generation.”
The Code Clubs are held both in schools and at the Oasis Mathare centre, creating safe, structured environments for learning, experimenting, and collaborating.
Before setting up Code Clubs, Oasis Mathare ran STEM clubs that used a variety of resources, but the cost and maintenance became a barrier. When they discovered Code Club’s free-to-access resources, everything changed.
“We found [the resources] very useful. The good thing about Code Club is you can plan sessions using resources that are freely available, like Scratch. It’s really straightforward.”
The biggest challenge now? Internet access is limited, so Douglas and his team often work offline. The team have started using the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s offline resources, and look forward to more being available in the future.
Douglas and the Oasis Mathare team have already achieved so much. This was recognised with a royal seal of approval in 2018, when Douglas was honoured with the Queen’s Young Leaders Award by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Through the award, he gained access to world-class mentoring and leadership training from the University of Cambridge, helping him to amplify his impact back home.
So, what’s next? Douglas’ vision for the future is bold and clear.
“The main idea is to ensure that all kids in Mathare know at least one computer language. Not for the sake of it, but to use the principles of programming to solve their local problems.”
By learning coding, young people build more than just technical skills. They learn to think critically, work in teams, and solve problems in their communities. For Douglas, that’s the real impact.
“The overall goal is to ensure that no youth in Mathare are left behind and they all have the opportunity to develop essential skills from an early age.”
Oasis Mathare runs Code Clubs weekly, all year round, and Douglas is always looking for ways to expand the program’s reach, especially through partnerships, sponsorships, and sharing their successes so far.
With more resources, more local leaders, and a whole community behind him, Douglas is rewriting the narrative for young people in Mathare. You can find out more about Oasis Mathare on their official website.
If you’d like to support young people in your community to explore coding, why not start a Code Club? The team will support you every step of the way with resources, training, and a collaborative community. Find out more on the Code Club website.
The post Giving back through Code Club: Meet Douglas appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
We love hearing from members of the community and sharing stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
It’s especially inspiring to hear about young people who are not only passionate about technology, but who are also driven to share that passion with others. Meet Matthew, a 15-year-old creator and youth mentor at Code Club, who builds his own projects and inspires peers by organising hackathons.
Matthew’s journey into the world of coding began at a young age. His initial exposure was through Scratch at school in Singapore. From there, he began exploring self-learn platforms in his own time, getting to grips with HTML and basic web development.
His enthusiasm for creating led him to participate in a technology week in Year 6, where he took on a BBC micro:bit challenge. He dedicated his summer holiday to developing a token system that encouraged community recycling, using an ultrasonic sensor to award points for good behaviour. This early project showcased his knack for problem-solving and innovation.
What truly captivated Matthew was the possibility of combining the logical challenges of competitive programming with the joy of project creation.
Through Youthhacks, an initiative he co-founded to support teenage hackathon organisers, Matthew aims to expand access to hackathons across the UK (a hackathon is an event where individuals or teams work intensively over a relatively short time period to build software, hardware, or other kinds of technology). Matthew wants to offer advice and support, making it easier for young people to run their own hackathons. He puts a lot of time into ensuring that the content and atmosphere truly resonate with the participants.
“So, we made Youthhacks basically as an idea to be able to support these teenage organisers, you know, like hackathons for teenagers by teenagers.”
Matthew’s connection with the Raspberry Pi Foundation came from his keen interest in the hackathon community and a need for a local venue. Having previously toured the Foundation’s offices for a school robotics club, he decided to reach out when organising a satellite hackathon called Counterspell.
This initial collaboration led to further events at the Foundation, including Scrapyard Cambridge and, more recently, Cool as Hack.
Cool as Hack was Matthew’s third event held at the Raspberry Pi Foundation offices. Unlike traditional hackathons with intense time pressure, this event, inspired by the spirit of Coolest Projects, aimed to be more relaxed and collaborative.
“For this, people could bring in their own project scraps and then they could put it together with a team, finalise it, and then enter it to Coolest Projects.”
The focus was on showcasing creativity and sharing projects globally, rather than competitive prizes. Everyone then entered their creations into the Coolest Projects online showcase.
Cool as Hack was a huge success. The atmosphere was incredible — there was even a karaoke session and a “swag shop” where participants could exchange tokens earned for innovative ideas or project milestones. This token system, designed by Matthew and harking back to his own recycling project from years ago, created a fun and engaging reward system.
Matthew’s drive to organise these events and encourage other young people to code stems from his enjoyment of project creation and the community aspect of hackathons.
“Well, I suppose it links back to me enjoying making projects and when you attend a hackathon, it’s not a competition really. It’s more of a social event. So, you’re making a project and then you’re meeting quite a lot of coders, or even artists and musicians, and so many other people.”
Now a regular volunteer at the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s monthly Code Club in Cambridge, Matthew remains focused on encouraging others into tech. For aspiring young coders, he says that coding is far more diverse and creative than many might initially perceive, encompassing art, storytelling, and problem-solving. Matthew’s advice is simple:
“Enjoy the process and as you learn new things you’ll realise that all of this is like super interesting, and that there are so many ways to make what you want. Just enjoy it and continue meeting new people and, yeah, be creative.”
Matthew’s journey shows how an intro to computing at a young age can lead to an incredible amount of impact. With his continued dedication, he’s sure to inspire many more young minds to start on their own coding adventures.
If you would like to explore coding, you can get started at home with over 250 free projects.
Looking for a little extra support in your own coding journey or open to mentoring others? Join a Code Club near you to meet a like-minded and supportive community.
The post Code, karaoke, and creativity: Meet Matthew appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Inspired to set up a Code Club but not sure where to start? In this blog we hear from the amazing network of Code Club leaders and mentors, and we give you practical tips on how to take the first steps to set up your own club.
Code Club is a thriving global community of clubs where young people can develop the confidence to create with digital technologies in a fun and supportive space. Code Clubs run in schools, libraries and other community settings. We have already supported 2 million school-aged young people worldwide to make things they care about with code.
We offer free training and ongoing support for anyone who would like to set up a Code Club — you don’t need to have a background in coding and technology to get involved.
“If you’re thinking of starting a Code Club, do it. The Code Club team has everything created — all the resources are available.” – Peter Hutyan, Code Club mentor, The Mease Spencer Academy, UK.
Peter, a primary school teacher, has been running a Code Club for seven years at The Mease Spencer Academy in Derby, UK.
“When I started Code Club, I didn’t know how to do Scratch”, says Peter about the block-based coding tool that lots of young learners start with. “So I made myself learn how to use Scratch and I was two to three lessons ahead of the kids. Basically I’ve done what the kids will do — I’ve read the instructions and created the code. It’s such a phenomenal experience of enriching young people’s lives, and you see the smile and sense of accomplishment on their faces. It’s the best day ever.”
Rachael Coultart is the Computer Subject Leader at St Nicholas Primary School, Stevenage, UK and has run a Code Club for over ten years.
“I think the benefits of running a Code Club for our school are that it really develops children’s collaboration skills, really develops their perseverance, their thinking skills, their independence”, Rachael says.
“The key ingredients that I think make a Code Club successful is enthusiasm, from the adults who are there, a kind of passion to learn together and make mistakes together. I kind of think that sets the scene for the children to make mistakes as well. And I think having that freedom outside the classroom is what makes a Code Club really successful.” – Rachael Coultart, Computing Subject Leader, St Nicholas Primary School, UK
Saad Koubeissi runs four Code Clubs in libraries in London, UK.
“Code Club, for me personally, is about providing children with things I didn’t have when I was younger”, says Saad. “I went to youth clubs and stuff but it was never, like, so specific in tech, it was more, like, playing football. So Code Club, I think, by starting off early, it’s introducing children not only to identifying those skills, but also the terminologies, providing that. And being able to be part of that change for those children is welcome for me, to be honest.”
Bob Bisland is a mentor who started his first Code Club twelve years ago after a career in technology. He now runs three clubs in Malvern, UK.
“Everyone should set up a Code Club. This is such a rewarding thing to be able to do. I am sharing my passion and my knowledge with another generation of children, and I’m seeing them learn what coding is all about.”
We provide everything you need to make starting a club straightforward, including hundreds of free coding projects to help you tailor your sessions to the interests of your young tech creators. Our projects are available in up to 40 languages.
Running a Code Club is a fun and rewarding way to engage young people and help them learn valuable skills for the future. Start your Code Club journey today by finding out more about setting up a club.
The post Begin your Code Club journey: Set up a club today appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Here at the Raspberry Pi Foundation we believe ensuring every child knows how to code will equip them with the skills to thrive in the future.
But what do we mean by coding and how can you get started?
Coding is how humans give instructions to computers. Machines process and execute these instructions to perform the task you want — whether it’s making an LED light flash, designing your own avatar and making it dance, or creating a website.
Coding underpins the digital technologies that are ubiquitous in our daily lives: the apps on your phone, the software in your TV, and in life-saving devices in hospitals — even making sure your supermarket is fully stocked.
By learning to code, young people can develop the skills and knowledge that we need in an increasingly digital world.
One of the best ways for school-aged young people to get started with coding is to find your local Code Club — a fun and supportive space where young people develop the skills and confidence to create with digital technologies. They might program their first-ever game or animation in Scratch, create their own step counter with a micro:bit, or use Python to control a robot!
There are around 2,000 Code Clubs across the UK and Ireland and nearly 6,000 more around the world, running in schools and communities – and they are totally free! As well as learning to code, young creators work together, gain confidence and a sense of belonging, and build their skills in problem solving and teamwork. You can read more about the benefits in this independent evaluation of Code Club.
Creators use our free, step-by-step projects to learn different coding languages and skills. We have hundreds of free coding and computing projects for all experience levels and interests. For example, young people can start to code to make a character catch a bus, then move on to building a musical instrument, and even try out creating a project that uses artificial intelligence.
This handy guide for mentors will help you find which projects are right for you and your creators. Read on to find out more about our free coding resources.
Scratch is a good way for young people to begin their journey in coding. Scratch is a block-based language, which allows children to assemble code to produce games, animations, and stories.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has hundreds of Scratch projects that young creators can try out, but the best place to start is with our Introduction to Scratch path. This will provide young people with the basic skills they need, and then encourage them to build projects that are relevant to them, culminating in their creation of their own interactive ebook.
Websites are integral to many of our lives, and we believe that it is important for young people to learn how the websites and apps they visit are created with code.
That is why we have an Introduction to web development path that enables young creators to make their own simple webpages and apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and share them with their friends. The path helps them create webpages about subjects that they care about, and they also learn about accessible web design.
Once children feel confident using Scratch, Python is a brilliant next step. It’s a real-world programming language used by professionals, but it’s also simple enough for beginners. Python helps young people move from blocks to text-based code, deepening their understanding of how programming works. It’s easy to read, which means learners can focus on thinking logically and building exciting projects. Our Python path for beginners is the perfect place to start, and we have loads more Python projects for them to explore as their skills grow.
Our new artificial intelligence (AI) path allows young people to discover the foundational concepts of machine learning through creative and interactive projects using AI applications and technologies. Working with voice recognition, facial recognition, and other AI technologies, young people gain a broader understanding of how AI can be applied in different contexts.
For young creators interested in interacting with the real world using code, our physical computing projects help them discover how to use electronic components. These projects show how to build things with buttons, switches, buzzers and LEDs using Scratch and a Raspberry Pi computer, or using Python and a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller.
Another fun option for young people who want to explore physical computing is the micro:bit. This is a small programmable device with an LED display, buttons, and sensors, and it can be used to create games, animations, interactive projects, and lots more. A visual programming language called MakeCode can be used to control a micro:bit. Or the micro:bit can be programmed using Scratch or text-based languages such as Python, offering an easy transition for young creators as their coding skills progress. Have a look at our free collection of micro:bit resources to learn more.
When young people are confident in these areas, they could try creating and exploring 3D worlds with the power of Unity. And what about creating using a Raspberry Pi computer? These beginner projects help you learn to set up and configure your Raspberry Pi and get started.
Once you’re up and running, we have two fun ways kids can get even more out of coding.
The European Astro Pi Challenge allows kids to run their code in space. We have two levels:
And young people can also submit their creations to Coolest Projects. This is a celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. We have a global online showcase, as well as in-person Coolest Projects events in several countries.
And if you’ve been inspired to set up a new Code Club, or volunteer at a Code Club near you, find out the next steps here.
The post New to coding? Resources to help children learn to code appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Today we are starting a campaign to support every school and library in the UK to set up a free Code Club to make sure that all young people can develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the age of AI.
Over the past decade, Code Club has provided more than 2 million young people with the opportunity to learn how to build their own apps, games, animations, websites, robots, and so much more.
We know that getting hands-on, practical experience of building real projects with technology works. Independent evaluations have shown that attending a Code Club not only helps young people develop their programming skills, but also builds wider life skills such as confidence, resilience, problem-solving, and communication. All of which we know are essential if they are going to thrive in a world where AI is ubiquitous.
Right now, there are over 2,000 Code Clubs meeting in schools and libraries all over the UK, organised by an amazing community of teachers, educators, and volunteers from all walks of life. We want to see that number grow.
You don’t need technical skills to mentor at a Code Club. The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides free, self-guided projects that help young people learn how to create with different technologies. We have over 200 Code Club Projects on our website, all of which are developed by expert educators, based on evidence of how young people learn, and rigorously tested; so we know that they are effective.
That includes a set of projects that support the safe exploration of AI technologies, helping young people understand how AI works, its possibilities and limitations.
We also provide training and support to help you set up and run your Code Club, all of which is available at no charge.
I can promise you that the hour you spend in a Code Club will be the highlight of your week. I always come away from Code Club inspired and optimistic about what young people can achieve if we give them a sense of agency over technology.
If you have been inspired to set up your own Code Club, you can find all the information you need to run your own club here.
You don’t have to take my word for it: here’s Janine, a Computer Science teacher and long-time Code Club mentor from Stoke-on-Trent sharing her experience.
Janine Kirk is a Computer Science Teacher at The King’s Church of England Academy in Stoke-on-Trent, UK, who has been running a Code Club for over ten years. She has been inspired by the campaign for a Code Club in every school and library in the UK, to set up clubs in six other schools in her multi-academy trust.
Setting up a Code Club is really easy as a teacher, as you can just tag it onto the end of your school day, or during lunch. The website is clear and easy to use — and once you have signed up, you have access to additional resources to promote your club. Code Club gives time and space to explore coding in a completely different way than in a classroom. For me, it’s about seeing what programs really inspire students: it gives an insight into how students like to code, ideas of preferred coding language, and tasks they keep coming back to. Running a Code Club has also allowed me to build relationships with students outside of the classroom environment, and all of this spills into my lessons and improves my teaching practice.
For students, Code Club is a great space where they can collaborate and work on their chosen tasks. Students often comment on how they look forward to Code Club and how they have continued their projects at home. It also allows students much more variety in enrichment activity, as Code Club is often popular with students who are neurodivergent. It’s amazing to see the children grow in confidence and friendship as they find likeminded students to support each other.
My students really love the certificates they can earn. We have been inspired by the excellent activities that revamp the old ways of teaching programming and give them a really nice spin. In fact, I have used the resources in computer science lessons too, as they are often much more visual and fun for the students to create.
Since joining Code Club I have felt part of a community. I receive regular updates, and attending events such as the Clubs Conference really helps inspire creative ways to teach coding. As a computing teacher in a secondary school, you are often part of a very small team — but Code Club has allowed me to feel part of something bigger, and I know that should I need support, they are always there with friendly advice. It really is the best thing that I have done in my career.
Are you inspired to set up your own Code Club? Then find more information on how to get started running a club today.
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At Code Club, we believe learning to code should be as fun as it is empowering — what better way to start than making your own game?
Whether it’s about pixelated pirates, racing robots, or a time-travelling llama, creating a game is one of the most exciting ways to explore coding. We’ve seen young people go from “I like Minecraft” to “I’ve built a space adventure with hedgehogs” in no time at all.
Games are more than just fun. They’re also a brilliant gateway into problem solving, creativity, and computational thinking. When you create your own game, you learn how to:
And perhaps most importantly, you get instant feedback. If your code doesn’t quite work, you’ll know right away, and you’ll have the chance to fix it, test it, and improve it.
We’ve created a free library of step-by-step game projects that work in a browser, that require no previous experience, and that let imagination lead the way.
Here are three brilliant beginner-friendly projects to try at Code Club or at home:
Games are a great starting point because they’re naturally motivating: young people see what they’ve made work, and that’s incredibly empowering.
“I started with ‘Catch the dots’. I changed the sprite to a spaceship and then added power-ups and space cats. Now I’m making my own levels!”
– Lila, 11, Creator
“When my son made his first Scratch game, it was the first time he explained what a loop was to me. Games build confidence.”
– Laura, parent and Code Club Mentor
“Games are a great starting point because they’re naturally motivating. Young people see what they’ve made work, and that’s incredibly empowering.”
– Marc Scott, Senior Learning Manager
Once you’ve finished a project, the real fun begins. With just a few changes, creators can build their own levels or make the game more challenging, design custom characters and backdrops, or invent brand new rules and mechanics.
And if they want to share ideas and collaborate with others, joining a Code Club is the perfect next step.
You can find all the projects mentioned here — and many more — on the Code Club projects site. They’re free to use and designed to help creators grow in confidence as they learn to code.
All our projects focused on game creation can be found here.
Every coding journey begins with a single click. Let’s press start!
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Creating a computer program involves many different skills — knowing how to code is just one part. When we teach programming to young people, we want to guide them to learn these skills in a structured way. The ‘levels of abstraction’ framework is a great tool for doing that. This blog describes how using the framework will benefit you and your learners in the computing classroom.
We’re also excited to share our new Pedagogy Quick Read, which you can download for free to:
Creating a program from the ground up can be daunting, especially for new learners. Without support, they’ll likely get stuck sooner or later; programs rarely work the first time round. And the more complex the problem that a program is addressing, the more likely it is that the first version of the program won’t work.
One reason that learning to program can be challenging is that it involves understanding a lot of specific concepts and applying many varied skills. From early on in their learning journey, young people need to have a firm grasp of concepts such as repetition, selection, variables, and functions. Also fundamental to learning to program well is the skill of abstraction: understanding a task and identifying which details are relevant and which can be ignored.
To get to grips with all these different concepts and skills, young people need structure — otherwise they’ll try to hold everything in their head at once, and likely feel overwhelmed by the cognitive load. This sort of experience may cause them to disengage instead of persisting. They may even decide that programming is not for them.
In light of these challenges, the ‘levels of abstraction’ framework is a great tool for teaching.
The framework breaks programming down into four levels, each focusing on a different aspect of creating a program:
Throughout the processes of developing a program, learners (and professional programmers) move between these levels as they implement their designs and debug them, sometimes even returning to the problem level if more analysis or clarification is needed.
Potential benefits of the ‘levels of abstraction’ framework for teachers:
Potential benefits for learners:
Our new Quick Read shares tips on how to best use the framework in your teaching.
Things to aim for when using the framework with your learners:
We hope you find the framework useful. If you have ideas for how to use it in your teaching, why not share them in the comments?
When following the ‘levels of abstraction’ approach, learners need to explain how programs work and debug them. That means program comprehension is a key skill here. You may have already helped your learners to develop and practise this skill, for example with the PRIMM approach. The Block Model is another useful tool for helping your learners talk about various aspects of a program. And if you use the pair programming approach in programming activities, your learners can improve their program comprehension by talking about their code with each other. On our website, you’ll find more guidance on the best ways to teach programming and computing.
And what about generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools for programmers? In the age of AI, we think young people still need to learn to code because it empowers them to navigate and think critically about all digital technologies, including AI. And while generative AI tools can help a skilled programmer create quality code more quickly, more research is needed to show whether such tools help school-age young people build their understanding as they learn to code. You can see some of the great work being done in this area if you catch up with our 2024 research seminar series.
The ‘levels of abstraction’ framework is useful in your teaching no matter what tools young people use to create programs. Even with an AI tool, they will still need to work at all four levels of abstraction to program effectively.
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Today we’re publishing a position paper setting out five arguments for why we think that kids still need to learn to code in the age of artificial intelligence.
Just like every wave of technological innovation that has come before, the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are raising profound questions about the future of human work. History teaches us that technology has the potential to both automate and augment human effort, destroying some jobs and creating new ones. The only thing we know for sure is that it is impossible to predict the precise nature and pace of the changes that are coming.
One of the fastest-moving applications of generative AI technologies are the systems that can generate code. What started as the coding equivalent of autocomplete has quickly progressed to tools that can generate increasingly complex code from natural language prompts.
This has given birth to the notion of “vibe-coding” and led some commentators to predict the end of the software development industry as we know it. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that there is a vigorous debate about whether kids still need to learn to code.
In the position paper we put forward five arguments for why we think the answer is an unequivocal yes.
First, we argue that even in a world where AI can generate code, we need skilled human programmers who can think critically, solve problems, and make ethical decisions. The large language models that underpin these tools are probabilistic systems designed to provide statistically acceptable outputs and, as any skilled software engineer will tell you, simply writing more code faster isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Learning to code is the most effective way we know for a young person to develop the mental models and fluency to become a skilled human programmer. The hard cognitive work of reading, modifying, writing, explaining, and testing code is precisely how young people develop a deep understanding of programming and computational thinking.
While there’s no doubt that AI is going to reshape the labour market, the evidence from history suggests that it will increase the reach of programming and computational approaches across the economy and into new domains, creating demand for humans who are skilled programmers. We also argue that coding is no longer just for software engineers, it’s becoming a core skill that enables people to work effectively and think critically in a world shaped by intelligent machines. From healthcare to agriculture, we are already seeing demand for people who can combine programming with domain-specific skills and craft knowledge.
Alongside the arguments for coding as a route to opening up economic opportunities, we argue that coding and programming gives young people a way to express themselves, to learn, and to make sense of the world.
And perhaps most importantly, that learning to code is about power. Providing young people with a solid grounding in computational literacy, developed through coding, helps ensure that they have agency. Without it, they risk being manipulated by systems they don’t understand. As Rushkoff said: “Program, or be programmed”.
Finally, we argue that the power to create with technology is already concentrated in too small and homogenous a group of people. We need to open up the opportunity to learn to code to all young people because it will help us mobilise the full potential of human talent, will lead to more inclusive and effective digital solutions to the big global challenges we face, and will help ensure that everyone can share in the societal and economic benefits of technological progress.
We end the paper with a call to action for all of us working in education. We need to challenge the false narrative that AI is removing the need for kids to learn to code, and redouble our efforts to ensure that all young people are equipped to take advantage of the opportunities in a world where AI is ubiquitous.
You can read the full paper here:
The cartoon image for this blog was created using ChatGPT-4o, which was prompted to produce a “whimsical cartoon that expresses some of the key ideas in the position paper”. It took several iterations.
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Scratch is a free, beginner-friendly coding platform that allows young people to create animations, games, and interactive stories using simple visual blocks. Scratch removes some of the complexity of coding by replacing syntax-heavy programming languages with intuitive drag-and-drop blocks. This lets creativity take centre stage and makes it the perfect first step for young coders.
Every coding journey begins with a single step. Scratch delivers this first step in a way that is playful, approachable, and empowering. Scratch immediately delivers tangible results that new coders can feel proud of by linking coding to storytelling, design, and play. It also cultivates curiosity, confidence, and resilience — qualities crucial to long-term success in both coding and problem solving.
Most importantly, Scratch emphasises exploration over perfection. It invites young learners to experiment freely, troubleshoot confidently, and express themselves creatively without fear of making mistakes. This exploratory mindset provides the foundation for future technical proficiency and innovation.
Starting with structured projects helps young learners build solid coding skills while maintaining enthusiasm and enjoyment.
In ‘Catch the bus’, coders create an animation featuring a character (called a sprite in Scratch) attempting to catch a departing bus. They learn how to sequence events, switch costumes to simulate movement, and synchronise actions to tell a simple story. This introduces fundamental storytelling and animation skills in Scratch.
What you’ll learn:
In ‘Chomp the cheese’, learners use facial recognition tools in Scratch Lab to build an interactive game controlled by mouth movements. Using a webcam, players physically open their mouths to “chomp” virtual cheese snacks on screen. This playful and engaging activity introduces machine learning concepts in a tangible and enjoyable way.
What you’ll learn:
In ‘Boat race’, young coders create a game where players navigate a boat around obstacles, steering using mouse controls. They learn to handle player input, detect collisions, and define conditions for winning. This foundational game-making experience sets the stage for more complex creations in the future.
What you’ll learn:
“The key to sparking a lifelong interest in coding is excitement. When young people are building something they genuinely care about, they’re not worried about getting everything perfect on the first try. They’re chasing their ideas and learning as they go. Scratch creates the ideal environment for this type of messy, brilliant exploration. It provides young coders with the freedom to experiment, persevere, and express themselves — all while enjoying the process,” or so says my amazing colleague Pete Bell, Learning Manager and creator of some of our most engaging content at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. I have to say, I agree with him!
After completing their first projects, young coders can continue to build momentum through several exciting avenues:
Encouraging personalisation, curiosity, and community involvement keeps learners motivated and engaged on their coding journey.
Scratch is more than just an introductory tool — it’s a creative playground that nurtures curiosity, resilience, and technical skills in equal measure. By guiding young coders through their first steps with engaging projects and supportive encouragement, you lay the foundation for a lifetime of innovation, problem-solving, and creative expression. Ready, set, Scratch! Let’s get started!
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Earlier this month, young creators gathered at the Sport Ireland Campus National Indoor Training Centre in Dublin for Coolest Projects Ireland 2025, an inspiring showcase of creativity, coding, and problem solving. With more than 80 participants sharing over 60 incredible projects, this year’s event highlighted the passion and innovation of young creators from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The day offered the chance for young people to share their digital projects, engage with a like-minded community, chat with VIP judges, and take part in exciting coding activities like Astro Pi Mission Zero. The event was once again supported by Meta, who sponsored the new AI category, continuing their commitment to promoting the importance of digital skills to young people.
Coolest Projects is a space for all digital projects, across all levels and categories, from hardware inventions to AI to Scratch. The event celebrates not just the finished products, but also the learning journeys of young creators and skills such as problems solving and creativity.
Helen Gardner, Programme Manager at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, shared her enthusiasm about this year’s showcase:
“Returning to Dublin for Coolest Projects is always such a joy! It’s incredible to see the enthusiasm, creativity, and talent of young creators as they bring their ideas to life. This event is all about celebrating the community and inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers. It’s always so inspiring to witness their amazing projects and the energy they bring to the day!”
Participants at Coolest Projects Ireland included young people from schools, coding clubs such as Code Club and CoderDojo, and independent makers. Many were returning participants, excited to showcase their latest projects and connect with fellow creators. The sense of community and encouragement was felt throughout the event, with mentors, parents, and judges offering valuable support and feedback to support growth and celebrate achievements.
This year, judges were particularly impressed with the originality and impact of the projects. We caught up with four of the creators to find out why being involved in Coolest Projects Ireland was important to them.
Sister duo, Riddhiba and Aarushiba, created Innovaid, a project that uses technology to improve safety at events.
“We wanted to solve a problem that was affecting a large number of people. Having read news articles, and having talked to people who have had bad experiences at concerts and large events, we wanted to solve this problem that has been ongoing for many years. Although technology has advanced rapidly in the past years, there are still flaws in large event management leading to incidents and deaths. We wanted to incorporate safety, medical aid, crowd management, and inclusivity.”
“Coolest Projects Ireland was an amazing experience for both of us, we got the opportunity to meet with so many people that were so passionate about technology and coding. We met many people who also wanted to make a change in society, or wanted to solve problems.”
Coolest Projects also welcomed an AI category, supported by Meta, for the first time, which included Kirsty’s entry, A haon, dó, trí – Learn with me. Kirsty’s entry used machine learning to help learners master the Irish language in an engaging and interactive way. Kirsty shared a little about her journey with the project
“I really enjoyed some of the machine learning with Scratch projects on the Raspberry Pi site. While doing the ‘Alien language’ project, it occurred to me that I could use a similar approach to build a game to help young kids learn Irish.”
“I had to build my own Irish language training data set so I recorded lots of speech samples from my school friends. However, I go to an all-girls school, which would have meant my training data would have been very limited! So I recorded some boys’ voices at my CoderDojo to make my data set more varied and balanced.”
In the Games category, Timi received acknowledgement for his project, Stakes & Laughters Maximus.
“I got the idea from a story my dad told me about when I was younger. I apparently got really upset when I lost a game of Snakes and Ladders. So, I wanted to make a Snakes and Ladders game that wasn’t just about luck. I wanted players to have to think strategically about how to use their luck.”
“There were many challenges! Everything from the character movement to the turn system and the items presented roadblocks. But I broke through them by carefully thinking about what I wanted to achieve and then using code to create the logic for it.”
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open for entries, providing young people worldwide the opportunity to share their digital creations.
We also have upcoming in-person events in the US, UK, and around the world thanks to our partner organisations. You can find out more and get involved with these through the Coolest Projects website.
Finally, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made Coolest Projects Ireland 2025 such a fantastic experience! We can’t wait to see what young innovators create next year.
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Code Club is more than just a place to learn coding — it’s a thriving global community where young minds discover, create, and grow with technology. With a refreshed look and ambitious goals for 2025, Code Club is set to connect an even larger network of mentors and reach millions more young people worldwide.
Since it was founded in the UK in 2012, Code Club has grown into a global movement, inspiring over two million young people to build apps, games, animations, websites, and more. Supported by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Code Club provides free training and resources to mentors, ensuring creators achieve meaningful and lasting skills. Our vision for the next decade? To empower ten million more young people to have confidence in their coding.
A recent independent evaluation by the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE) confirmed what we’ve always believed: Code Club makes a real difference. Young people who attend gain valuable coding skills, grow in confidence, develop a strong interest in technology, and find a sense of belonging in the digital world.
At the heart of Code Club are passionate volunteers who bring coding to life. Whether it’s the thrill of overcoming a challenge or the excitement of seeing an idea come to life on screen, mentors make a lasting impact while learning coding skills alongside their club’s creators.
Bob Bilsland, a dedicated volunteer since 2012, runs one of the world’s longest-running Code Clubs at Malvern CofE Primary School, Worcestershire, England. His motivation?
“What brings me back week after week is the sharing of what I enjoy doing. It’s so much fun to help others explore this space themselves, to see what they can personally create. I see that giving others the opportunity to explore and familiarise themselves with computing as something that could open up a world of possibilities for them in the future.”
For Yang, a mentor at the EY office clubs, representation in tech is key:
“If there are some female role models, I think for a little girl growing up, that means so much. Because if they can see somebody thrive in this industry, they will see themselves there one day. And that’s the inspiration.”
Across the world, volunteers like Nadia in Iraq and Solomon in The Gambia are using Code Club to bridge the digital divide, create opportunities, and empower communities.
“[Code Club] added to my skills. And at the same time, I was able to share my expertise with the young children and to learn from them as well.” – Nadia Al-Aboody, Iraq.
“We strongly believe in the transformative power of digital skills and their potential to create opportunities for young people. Witnessing the lack of access to computer knowledge among high school graduates in The Gambia and other sub-Saharan African countries inspired us to take action. By bridging the digital skills gap, we aim to empower young individuals to thrive in the 21st century.” – Solomon, Gambia
Code Club isn’t just loved by mentors; it’s so important to the young people who participate.
Eoghan, a young creator from Ireland, values the collaboration and support he receives:
“It’s really fun to meet and talk about ideas with other creators, and the mentors are very helpful in fixing any coding problems.”
Jayantika, a 15-year-old from rural Pune, India, started as a creator and is now a peer mentor. For her, Code Club is about giving back:
“I believe coding opens doors and helps young children express their creativity. By mentoring, I hope to prepare them for a future that is increasingly driven by AI and technology.”
Along with the incredible community, Code Club is supported by sponsors and funders who share our mission. We would like to extend a thank you to Cognizant, who have committed their support to the Code Club mission in the UK and Ireland for 2025.
Code Club is more than just learning to code; it’s about creating opportunities, encouraging confidence, and building a global network of digital creators. Whether you’re a mentor, educator, or young digital maker, there’s a place for you in our community. Start your Code Club journey today and join a global community of digital creators.
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Coolest Projects is our global technology showcase for young people aged up to 18. Coolest Projects gives young creators the incredible opportunity to share the cool stuff they’ve made using digital technology with a global audience. Everyone who takes part will also receive certificates and rewards to celebrate their achievements.
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to young people worldwide. Young creators can enter their projects to share them with the world in our online project gallery and join our extra special livestream event to celebrate what they have made with the global Coolest Projects community.
By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can join an international community of young makers, represent their country, receive feedback on their projects, and get certificates to recognise their achievements.
Coolest Projects is completely free to take part in, and we welcome all digital technology projects, from young people’s very first projects to advanced builds. The projects also don’t have to be completed before they can be submitted.
Projects can be submitted to one of seven categories: Scratch, games, web, mobile apps, hardware, advanced programming, and AI (new for 2025).
We know Coolest Projects has a big impact on young people all over the world, and we can’t wait to see your creations for 2025. You can find out more about the incredible creativity and collaboration from mentors and makers worldwide in our 2024 impact report.
Taking part in Coolest Projects is simple:
Mentors — entering more than one project? Sign up for a group code, and your young people can link their projects to your account.
Submit your coolest projects. Every young person who uses your group code will have their project linked to your account. You can review and edit their projects in your group dashboard and submit them from there. There is no limit to the number of young people who can submit entries using your group code.
For a more detailed run-through of how to use group codes, please see our ‘how-to’ video.
As well as the global online showcase, Coolest Projects in-person events are held for young people locally in certain countries. We encourage creators to take part in both the online showcase and their local in-person event. In 2025, creators can attend the following in-person events, run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and partner organisations around the world:
More events are on the way, so sign up for the Coolest Projects newsletter to be sure you hear about any in-person events in your country. And if there isn’t an event near you, don’t worry, as the online showcase is open to any young person anywhere in the world.
Coolest Projects welcomes all digital tech projects, from beginner to advanced, and there are loads of great resources available to help you help the young people in your community to take part. If you’re searching for inspiration, take a look at the 2024 showcase gallery, where you can explore the incredible projects submitted by participants last year.
You’ll find everything you need to know about all seven Coolest Projects categories on our category pages, including our brand new AI category. Our projects site is also a great place for participants to begin — there are hundreds of free step-by-step project guides to help young people create their own projects, whether they’re experienced tech creators or just getting started.
We will also be running a series of online webinars for mentors and young people to help participants develop their creations for each Coolest Projects category. Sign up for the sessions here. All sessions will be recorded, so you can watch them back if you can’t join live.
Be sure to check out the Coolest Projects guidance page for resources to help you support young people throughout their Coolest Projects journey, including a mentor guide and session plans.
There’s lots more exciting news to come, from the announcement of our VIP judges to details about this year’s swag, so sign up for updates to be the first to know.
Whether your coders have already made something that they want to share, or they’re inspired to make something new, Coolest Projects is the place for them. We can’t wait to see what they create!
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Afandi Indiatsi, our Programme Coordinator in Africa, recently attended Coolest Projects South Africa 2024. Read on to hear her highlights.
What happens when creativity, enthusiasm, fun, and innovation come together? You get Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 — a vibrant showcase of students from all walks of life displaying their talent and shaping the future of technology.
Hosted by our partner, Coder Level Up, Coolest Projects South Africa brought together creators, mentors, educators, and industry leaders to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of young tech enthusiasts from across the country.
With nearly 200 projects submitted and dozens showcased, the event highlighted the impressive talent and potential of South Africa’s next generation of innovators.
Taking place at the University of Western Cape’s Department of Education in Cape Town, the event was a hub of excitement. Right from the start the venue was buzzing with activity, with the South African World Robot Olympiad (WRO) team kicking things off with a fantastic demonstration of their robotic inventions. Their creations came alive to cheers and applause as they performed flawlessly, leaving attendees in awe — what an inspiration they were!
The participants then presented their projects, each of which was ingenious in its own way. From hardware and visual programming to game development and website creation, there was a wealth of ideas on display — and a demonstration of the boundless potential of young minds when given the right tools and guidance. Adding to the inclusive spirit of the event, participants from Durban and East London joined remotely, their energy resonating through Zoom.
One standout project was a garbage collection robot created by an all-girls team from Nguzo Saba School. Using a LEGO kit, these creators transformed their idea into a functional invention. What made their project exceptional was their ability to improvise and enhance the kit to achieve their desired functionality. This was a true testament to their creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills.
Another memorable presentation came from Emma, who used Scratch to tell the story of the history of chocolate. Her engaging narrative spanned the journey of chocolate from the Olmec civilisation in Latin America to today’s chocolate museums. Emma’s research was extensive, and she captivated the judges not only with her presentation but also with chocolate samples for everyone to enjoy — a sweet touch that left a lasting impression!
A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of mentorship. Many of the young people shared that they had sought guidance from mentors, teachers, and family members while developing their projects. This collaborative spirit underscored the role of supportive communities in fostering innovation and creativity among young creators.
Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 was more than a showcase of talent. It was a reminder of the transformative power of education, mentorship, and creativity. Every project had a story of passion and perseverance, and every creator left inspired to dream bigger.
As we reflect on this event — and the many other Coolest Projects events that took place around the world this past year — we are reminded that the future of technology is in capable, imaginative hands.
Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025.
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open globally to any young person up to age 18. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.
Thanks to an incredible network of partners, Coolest Projects events will also be hosted in person in many countries around the world. Go to the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details.
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From crafting interactive stories to designing captivating games, the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s coding projects offer a hands-on approach to learning, igniting creativity and developing the skills young people need, like perseverance and problem-solving. In this blog, I explore two of my favourite projects that young coders will love.
Our projects are free and open to all. They are easy-to-follow, step-by-step guides that young people use to make their own games, animations, and websites using coding languages such as Scratch, HTML/CSS, and Python. The projects introduce coding concepts one by one and allow young people to build their knowledge progressively. As such, educators and volunteers running clubs don’t need to be experienced coders, and many volunteers in our community enjoy learning alongside their club members.
One of the brilliant things about our projects is how easy it is to adapt them. This is called remixing, and it gives the learner the opportunity to create and modify a brand-new project that is personal to them.
“Remixing allows beginners to tinker with a pre-existing project and make increasingly complex modifications”
My favourite project brings space into the classroom. Space is such an intriguing and mysterious thing, but aspects like the extremely high speeds that satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) travel at are difficult concepts for young people to understand.
The Astronaut Reaction Time Game in Scratch introduces young people to the fact that things happen very quickly at the speed the ISS travels. It includes links to maths and science (speed, distance, time, velocity, units, calculations, operators) and, for older learners, prompts discussions on computational abstractions and problem-solving.
The project tests reaction speeds, something that real astronauts have to do as part of their training. NASA has found that reaction speeds are slower on the ISS than on Earth, possibly as a result of the stress of zero gravity. It’s also a fun activity young people can share and play with their friends. Sharing is a key part of the club environment, and this project is ideal for generating a little bit of competition.
As with all projects, a scaffolded approach is taken, with challenges set for learners so that they can complete part of the project independently. If someone is stuck, they can get a hint in the form of an explanation or sentence, which then turns into the code blocks they need to solve the problems, finally giving them the solution if they really need it.
Club volunteers can also introduce their learners to some of our physical computing projects, or they could design their own race track that measures the speed of a vehicle. They could even develop a program on a microcontroller like a Pico or micro:bit to measure the speed of young athletes on a running track. If learners are inspired to do more space-themed projects, we have that covered in our project collection.
My other go-to project is Colourful Creations. Coding is an excellent vehicle for self-expression, and this project showcases the ways programming can be used to create digital art. It uses the turtle library, which is an excellent tool for creating designs and patterns.
The name “turtle” stems from the Logo programming language created in the 1960s. Logo is mainly known for drawing lines, shapes and patterns on the screen and using a “turtle” on the floor to draw them on paper. The turtle library is, therefore, a selection of functions that can be used for drawing.
Part of the project’s appeal is that learners are given a blank canvas to which they can apply any theme. There are limited instructions, leaving lots of space for creativity. Whether it be climate change, a period in history, or some other topic, learners can work on their own poster or in pairs to create something bigger.
The possibilities for remixing are almost endless, as learners can add more screens and turn their project into a mini presentation or unleash their artistic side and go wild with colours. The learning in this project leads perfectly to more complex turtle drawing projects like Robo-Trumps, providing a solid foundation in creative computing for you to build on later.
We want you to create your own versions of these projects. You could organise a themed day, which can give learners more freedom, or link with other projects such as Astro Pi. Try remixing the projects to start with, then building up to develop new and exciting projects based on the skills that have been learnt. Happy coding!
A version of this article also appears in Hello World issue 24.
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We’re pleased to share a new collection of Code Club projects designed to introduce creators to the fascinating world of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These projects bring the latest technology to your Code Club in fun and inspiring ways, making AI and ML engaging and accessible for young people. We’d like to thank Amazon Future Engineer for supporting the development of this collection.
By engaging with AI and ML at a young age, creators gain a clearer understanding of the capabilities and limitations of these technologies, helping them to challenge misconceptions. This early exposure also builds foundational skills that are increasingly important in various fields, preparing creators for future educational and career opportunities. Additionally, as AI and ML become more integrated into educational standards, having a strong base in these concepts will make it easier for creators to grasp more advanced topics later on.
We’re excited to offer a range of AI and ML projects that feature both video tutorials and step-by-step written guides. The video tutorials are designed to guide creators through each activity at their own pace and are captioned to improve accessibility. The step-by-step written guides support creators who prefer learning through reading.
The projects are crafted to be flexible and engaging. The main part of each project can be completed in just a few minutes, leaving lots of time for customisation and exploration. This setup allows for short, enjoyable sessions that can easily be incorporated into Code Club activities.
The collection is organised into two distinct paths, each offering a unique approach to learning about AI and ML:
Machine learning with Scratch introduces foundational concepts of ML through creative and interactive projects. Creators will train models to recognise patterns and make predictions, and explore how these models can be improved with additional data.
The AI Toolkit introduces various AI applications and technologies through hands-on projects using different platforms and tools. Creators will work with voice recognition, facial recognition, and other AI technologies, gaining a broad understanding of how AI can be applied in different contexts.
Inclusivity is a key aspect of this collection. The projects cater to various skill levels and are offered alongside an unplugged activity, ensuring that everyone can participate, regardless of available resources. Creators will also have the opportunity to stretch themselves — they can explore advanced technologies like Adobe Firefly and practical tools for managing Ollama and Stable Diffusion models on Raspberry Pi computers.
One of the highlights of our new collection is Chomp the cheese, which uses Scratch Lab’s experimental face recognition technology to create a game students can play with their mouth! This project offers a playful introduction to facial recognition while keeping the experience interactive and fun.
Fish food uses Machine Learning for Kids, with creators training a model to control a fish using voice commands.
In Teach a machine, creators train a computer to recognise different objects such as fingers or food items. This project introduces classification in a straightforward way using the Teachable Machine platform, making the concept easy to grasp.
Apple vs tomato also uses Teachable Machine, but this time creators are challenged to train a model to differentiate between apples and tomatoes. Initially, the model exhibits bias due to limited data, prompting discussions on the importance of data diversity and ethical AI practices.
Dance detector allows creators to use accelerometer data from a micro:bit to train a model to recognise dance moves like Floss or Disco. This project combines physical computing with AI, helping creators explore movement recognition technology they may have experienced in familiar contexts such as video games.
Dinosaur decision tree is an unplugged activity where creators use a paper-based branching chart to classify different types of dinosaurs. This hands-on project introduces the concept of decision-making structures, where each branch of the chart represents a choice or question leading to a different outcome. By constructing their own decision tree, creators gain a tactile understanding of how these models are used in ML to analyse data and make predictions.
These AI projects are designed to support young people to get hands-on with AI technologies in Code Clubs and other non-formal learning environments. Creators can also enter one of their projects into Coolest Projects by taking a short video showing their project and any code used to make it. Their creation will then be showcased in the online gallery for people all over the world to see.
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Since we first launched the Code Editor, a free online tool designed to support young people as they learn text-based programming, we’ve been excited to hear how educators have been trying it out in their classrooms.
“I used the Code Editor with my computer science students yesterday and it worked a dream! Students were able to write and run code without any issues.”
– Head of Computer Science
The Code Editor is designed for learning, rather than for professional use, and is informed by our understanding of pedagogy and computing education. It can be accessed from a web browser without installing any additional software.
Earlier this year, we announced that we’d be introducing classroom management features and we’re now pleased to confirm that we’ve launched the beta version of Code Editor for Education with school accounts. You can be the first to try out the new features, together with the many schools who have chosen to pre-register their school accounts.
We’ve kept the educator interface clean, simple, and easy to use. School owners can invite other teachers to join, add students, organise students into classes, and help students reset their passwords quickly. Educators can create coding projects to share with students and view their work.
We’ve added these classroom management features because one of the key problems we’ve seen educators face over the past months has been the lack of an affordable tool to teach text-based coding in the classroom. We will always provide the Code Editor and all of its features to educators and students for free.
We take safeguarding seriously, providing visibility of student work at all times, as well as features such as the ability to report a concern. In line with best practices protecting children online, we minimise data capture so that we have just enough to keep students safe.
As the platform is currently in beta, we’d love to hear what you think of the new classroom management features — please send us your feedback.
We’ll be actively looking to develop new features over the coming months. Such features are set to include an extended set of Python libraries, custom instructions that sit alongside starter code projects and teacher-to-student feedback capabilities. All new developments will be informed by ongoing educator feedback.
Find out more and register for a free school account.
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Coolest Projects celebrates young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. Today, we’re sharing the impact that taking part in Coolest Projects showcases has on young people’s motivation and confidence, as well as announcing dates for Coolest Projects 2025.
This year, 7197 young people across 4678 projects took part in our global Coolest Projects online showcase, with participants from 43 countries. All of these projects were shared in our online showcase gallery, and we hosted a live-streamed event celebrating the judges’ favourites watched by over 1000 people.
At the 2024 in-person Coolest Projects events in Ireland and the UK, 171 young people shared projects. At these events, the young creators presented their projects to other attendees and our team of judges. They also took part in other activities, including a digital escape room.
We wanted to understand how Coolest Projects impacts young people, and so we collected the following data:
In the survey, mentors and young people told us that taking part in the Coolest Projects online showcase had a positive impact:
Mentors told us that the community built by the online showcase gallery played an important role in making young people want to participate, and improving their confidence. One mentor said that “[being part of the online showcase] motivates them actually to do something innovative and… [the] global community motivates them to think out of the box.”
They also reported that the online community inspired young people to solve real-world problems. One mentor said, “the wonderful thing is the kids create so many things which are solutions to world problems.” Others told us that young people feel a great deal of pride that their solutions are available for others to see online and that they get ideas from other projects on how to solve problems. One mentor from India told us about a young person who created a boat to clean rivers and then was inspired to learn to program micro:bit devices, having seen similar projects in the gallery.
The phrase ‘growth, not competition’ came from the mentors in the focus group, and we love this description.
“[With] Coolest Projects… the only agenda is to grow. Grow with the coding, nurture your skills, creativity.” – Focus group attendee.
In the focus group, mentors told us they really valued the way the Coolest Projects online showcase allows all young people to participate, including those who were less experienced tech creators. One mentor told us that because everyone’s project is displayed in the gallery the “beauty is that everybody is encouraged individually… regarding the experience. … They can start with very small things. And they have [the] opportunity to upload it on the platform.”
One mentor who supports young people in remote locations in India spoke about the way Coolest Projects offers a level playing field where his students can be included and participate to the same extent as less remote places: “students never feel left behind.”
The in-person events also reflected the diversity of young people’s experience of digital making. Of those creators who answered surveys, 35% said it was their first time making this kind of project, while 37% said they had made similar projects before. This mix of experience was also reflected in the interviews, with some young people creating something for the first time and having only started learning coding recently, while others had been developing their projects for a long time. Many creators told us they felt inspired by the opportunity to show their projects to others, regardless of their experience level.
Attendees at both Coolest Projects UK and Ireland commented on the sense of community and the excitement that was generated by being around other young people. One young person spoke about how much they enjoyed being “surrounded by people who like coding too”. They really valued seeing other creators’ projects and speaking with their peers.
The young people we spoke to reflected on the positive impact of this sense of community and belonging. They told us that seeing others’ projects inspired them to develop their ideas and learn new skills. One young person described how the in-person event allowed them to “get inspired and socialise.” A second said, “that’s why I’m here — to get inspired.”
Another clear theme was how much young people valued the opportunity to show their projects to others. This gave them confidence in their own ability to build things. One creator at Coolest Projects UK spoke about the sense of achievement they felt after building something themselves and then being able to present it to others.
Young people at both events spoke about their plans for what they wanted to do next, talking about trying new technology such as building games, learning Python, and creating mobile apps. At both events, creators described how they wanted to continue to develop and build on their existing ideas with the possibility of showcasing them again.
We are continuing to look for ways to improve the Coolest Projects experience for young people and their mentors. As part of this, we are conducting user experience research to understand how we can improve the registration process for the online Coolest Projects showcase.
We were delighted to hear from mentors in this year’s focus group how much they valued the online showcase gallery, and we want to understand the impact of this resource better as part of Coolest Projects 2025. If you want to find out more about Coolest Projects, we highly recommend taking a look at the amazing projects made by young people around the world.
We’re so pleased that so many young people around the world loved taking part in Coolest Projects this year. And we’re very excited that Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025!
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to any young person up to age 18, based anywhere in the world. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.
Coolest Projects in-person events will also be popping up around the world. In-person events are open to everyone up to age 18 in the host country. Family and friends are very welcome to come along too.
Save the date for:
Keep an eye on the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details coming soon.
It’s never too early to start making and saving digital projects to showcase next year. We can’t wait to see what the world’s young tech creators will make!
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Today we’re unveiling a fresh look and feel for Code Club, along with a new ambition to inspire 10 million more young people to get creative with technology over the next decade.
Code Club is a network of free coding clubs where young people learn how to create with technology. Founded in the UK in 2012, it has grown to be a global movement that has already inspired more than 2 million young people to learn how to build their own apps, games, animations, websites, and so much more.
We know that Code Club works. Independent evaluations have demonstrated that attending a Code Club helps young people develop their programming skills as well as wider life skills like confidence, resilience, and skills in problem-solving and communication. This impact is a result of the positive learning environment created by the teachers and volunteers that run Code Clubs, with young people enjoying the activities and developing skills independently and collaboratively — including young people who sometimes struggle in a formal classroom setting.
Just as important, we know that Code Clubs inspire young people from all backgrounds, including girls and young people from communities that are underrepresented in the technology sector.
While we are incredibly proud of the impact that Code Club has already achieved, we want to see many more young people benefiting, and that led us to set the ambitious goal to reach 10 million more young people over the next decade.
To help us figure out how to reach that ambition, we spent a lot of time this year listening to the community as well as engaging with parents, teachers, and young people who aren’t yet involved in Code Club. All of the changes we’ve made have been informed by those conversations and are designed to make it easier for educators and volunteers all over the world to set up and run Code Clubs.
The biggest change is that we are making Code Club a more flexible model that can be adapted to reflect your local context and culture to ensure that it is as meaningful as possible for the young people in your community.
That means you can host a Code Club in a school or a community venue, like a library or makerspace; you can choose the age range and rhythm of meetings that make sense for your setting; and you can tailor the activities that you offer to the interests and skills of the young people you are serving. In order for the movement to be as inclusive as possible, you don’t even need to be called ‘Code Club’ to be an ‘Official Raspberry Pi Foundation Code Club’ and benefit from all the support we offer.
To support this change, we have developed a Code Club Charter that we ask all club leaders and mentors to sign up to. This sets out the principles that are shared by all Code Clubs, along with the commitments that the Raspberry Pi Foundation is making about our support to you.
We have launched a new website that makes it easier for you to find the information you need to set up and run your Code Club, along with an updated and simplified club leader guide. In a few weeks time, we are launching a new online course with guidance on how to run a successful club, and we will be adding to our programme of online community calls, webinars, and training to support a growing community of club leaders and mentors.
One of the most important parts of our support for Code Clubs is the projects that help young people learn how to bring their ideas to life using a wide range of hardware and software. As they are created by experienced educators, based on research, rigorously tested, and translated into dozens of languages, you can have confidence that these projects lead to meaningful and lasting learning outcomes for the young people attending your club. Code Club projects enable young people to learn independently, meaning that mentors don’t need technical skills.
Alongside Code Club, the Foundation supports CoderDojo, a network of coding clubs that started life in Cork, Ireland in 2011 and merged with the Raspberry Pi Foundation in 2017.
In order to reduce duplication and make it easier for anyone to set up and run a coding club, we have decided to bring together the resources and support for all club leaders and mentors under one website, which is the new Code Club website.
There is no need for existing CoderDojos to change their name or anything about the way they operate. All registered CoderDojos will be able to manage their club in exactly the same way through the new website, and to access all of the support and resources that we offer to all coding clubs. New clubs will be able to register as CoderDojos.
The ethos, experiences, and lessons from the CoderDojo community have been a vital part of the development of the new Code Club. We have worked hard to make sure that all existing CoderDojos feel that their values are reflected in the Charter, and that the guidance and resources we offer address their circumstances.
CoderDojos will very much remain part of this community, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation will continue to celebrate and learn from the amazing work of CoderDojos all over the world.
With AI already transforming so many parts of our lives, it’s not surprising that some people are starting to ask whether young people even need to learn to code anymore.
We’ve got a lot to say on this subject — so watch this space — but the short version is that learning how to create with technology has never been more important. The way that humans give instructions to computers is changing, and Code Club provides a way for young people to experiment with new technologies like AI in a safe environment. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be launching new Code Club projects that support young people to learn about AI technologies, including generative AI, and we’ll be providing support for club leaders and mentors on the topic too.
I want to end by saying a huge thank you to everyone who has been part of the Code Club journey so far, and particularly to everyone who has worked so hard on this project over the past year — far too many people to name here, but you know who you are. I also want to thank all of the parents, teachers, mentors, and partners who have provided the feedback and ideas that have shaped these changes.
Code Club and CoderDojo were both founded in the early 2010s by individuals who wanted to give more young people the opportunity to be digital creators, not just consumers. From that first Dojo in Cork, Ireland, and the first Code Clubs in London, UK, we’ve built a global movement that has empowered millions of young people to engage confidently with a world that is being transformed by digital technologies.
It’s never been a better time to get involved with Code Club, so please take a look and get in touch if you need any help or support to get started.
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We have developed an innovative activity to support young people as they transition from visual programming languages like Scratch to text-based programming languages like Python.
This activity introduces a unique interface that empowers learners to easily interact with Python while they create a customised painting app.
“The kids liked the self-paced learning, it allowed them to work at their own rate. They liked using RGB tables to find their specific colours.” – Code Club mentor
We’ve long been championing Python as an ideal tool for young people who want to start text-based programming. Python has simple syntax and needs very few lines of code to get started, and there is a vibrant community of supportive programmers surrounding it.
However, we know that starting with Python can be challenging for young people who have never done any text-based coding. They can face obstacles such as software installation issues, getting used to a new syntax, and the need for appropriate typing skills.
‘Paint with Python’ is an online educational activity that addresses many of these challenges and helps young people learn to code Python for the first time. It’s entirely web-based, requiring no software installation beyond a web browser. Instructions are displayed in a side panel, allowing learners to read and code without needing to switch tabs.
To help young people with creating their painting app, much of the initial code is pre-written behind the scenes, which enables learners to focus on experimenting with Python and observing the outcomes. They engage with the code by clicking on suggested options or, in some cases, by typing small snippets of Python. For example, they can select colours from a range of options or, as they grow more confident, type RGB values to create custom colours.
The activity is fully responsive for mobile and tablet devices and provides a final view of the full program on the last page, together with suggested routes to continue learning text-based programming.
We believe this activity offers an accessible way for young learners to begin their journey with text-based programming and learning to code Python. The code they write is straightforward and the activity is designed to minimise errors. When mistakes do occur, the interface provides clear, constructive feedback, guiding learners to make corrections.
Try out ‘Paint with Python’ at rpf.io/paint-with-python. We’d love to hear your feedback! Please send any thoughts you have to uxresearch@raspberrypi.org.
This activity was developed with support from the Cisco Foundation. Through our funding partnership with them, we’ve been able to provide thousands of young people with the inspiration and opportunity to progress their coding skills anywhere, and on any device.
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Moonhack is a free, international coding challenge for young people run online every year by Code Club Australia, powered by our partner the Telstra Foundation. The yearly challenge is open to young people worldwide, and in 2023, over 44,500 young people registered to take part.
Moonhack 2024 runs from 14 to 31 October. This year’s theme is taken from World Space Week 2024: climate change. As always, the projects cater for everyone from brand-new beginners to more experienced coders. And young people have a chance to win a prize for their submitted project!
We caught up with Kaye North, Community and Engagement Manager at Code Club Australia, to find out more.
For this year’s projects, Kaye told us that she collaborated with farmers, scientists, and young people from across Australia to cover diverse topics related to climate change and space. The projects will help participants learn about topics from how people who work in agriculture use climate data to increase crop yields and practise sustainable farming, to the impact of rising global temperatures on sea life populations.
Kaye also hopes to help young people understand the role of satellite data related to climate change, such as the data NASA collects and shares via satellite. Satellite data on rising sea levels, called out in United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, forms the basis of one of the Moonhack projects this year.
Moonhack participants will be able to code with Scratch, micro:bit, or Python. They can also take on a project brief where they may choose their favourite programming language and even include physical computing if they wish.
All six projects will be available from 1 September when registration opens, and projects can be submitted until 30 November.
Climate change is an issue that affects everyone, and for many young people it’s a source of concern. Kaye’s aim this year is to show small changes young people can make to contribute to a big, global impact.
“Moonhack’s question this year is ‘Can we create calls to action through our coding to influence others to make better choices, or even inform them of things that they didn’t know that they can share with others?'” – Kaye North, Code Club Australia
This year’s Moonhack includes new resources to help educators and mentors who are supporting young people to take part:
To find out more, visit the Moonhack website and sign up to the Moonhack newsletter.
Code Club Australia is powered by the Telstra Foundation as part of a strategic partnership with us at the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
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Our Coolest Projects 2024 online showcase has come to a close, with 7197 young people from 43 countries sharing the incredible things they have made with code. A huge congratulations to everyone who took part!
Coolest Projects is our annual global celebration of young digital creators and the cool things they make with technology. This year’s showcase featured 4678 amazing projects, from a doughnut clicker game created in Scratch to an app that tracks sunscreen usage and areas with high UV levels for users.
This week, we celebrated each and every young creator and their incredible tech projects in a special livestream:
Every year, we invite some very special VIP judges to choose their favourite projects to highlight. Meet our 2024 judges and find out about the projects they picked.
Azra is the co-founder of MakerGhat, an education nonprofit based in India that aims to nurture underserved youth to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. MakerGhat has reached around a million youth to date through hands-on making programmes. She is also an Assistant Professor at Emory University, where she directs the CARE Lab (Collective Action & Research for Equity). Azra was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list, and has previously worked with Google, the Wadhwani Institute for AI, and United Nations Global Pulse. She has a PhD in Human-Centered Computing and Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech.
See Azra’s favourite projects:
Greg is an award-winning Science Presenter and Producer who has written and hosted a bunch of stuff on TV, YouTube, radio, and stage over the past 20 years. Greg has a BBC Radio 4 show called Sliced Bread that investigates whether wonder products like face creams and air fryers are indeed ‘the best thing since sliced bread’, or marketing hype. Greg regularly pops up on TV — he’s a regular on the BBC’s Morning Live and was the in-house science guy on Blue Peter and Sunday Brunch for many years. He’s also hosted multiple TV series, made live shows for families on YouTube (Let’s Go Live), and toured science theatre shows around the UK.
Take a look at Greg’s favourite projects:
Natalie is the Executive Director of the App Inventor Foundation, a global nonprofit that has empowered over 20 million inventors of all ages to create over 100 million apps to improve their lives and uplift their communities. She received her PhD in ML and AI education from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, and currently serves as Expert on Mission at UNESCO to develop the UN’s AI Competency Framework for K-12 Students.
See which projects Natalie chose as her favourites:
Selin is a 17-year-old multi-award winner and changemaker who has been passionate about using tech for good since an early age. She taught herself to code at age 8 and started building robots at 10, and participated in Coolest Projects for many years. She has built seven robots to date, including the social good robot iC4U, a robot guide dog for visually impaired people, and BB4All, an anti-bullying school aid robot. She has also built a stray dog wellbeing app, JAVA, and an AI model for breast cancer diagnosis. Her aim is to inspire young people, especially girls, to see the fun and importance of using tech for good.
Selin’s favourite projects are:
We partnered with Broadcom Foundation to give a special award to young creators using coding and computing to solve real-world problems that matter to their communities. Broadcom Coding with Commitment® is a special recognition for a Coolest Projects creator aged 11–14 who has used computing as an essential problem-solving tool to help those around them.
This year’s Broadcom Coding with Commitment® recipients are Naitik, Shravasti, and Nikita from India in recognition of their project Drainage alert system. Their thoughtful project uses a water flow sensor connected to a Raspberry Pi computer to detect when waste enters the drainage system and causes blockages and send an alert to the local council.
Now you’ve seen the judges’ favourite projects, it’s time to pick your own! Take a look at the Coolest Projects 2024 online showcase gallery to see all the amazing projects from young people all over the world, and get inspired to make your own.
Participants will shortly receive their own unique certificates and the personalised feedback on their projects from our team of judges, to celebrate their achievements.
Support from our Coolest Projects sponsors means we can make the online showcase and celebration livestream an inspiring experience for the young people taking part. We want to say a big thank you to all of them: Amazon Future Engineer, Broadcom Foundation, GoTo, Kingston Technology, Meta, and Qube Research & Technologies.
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Modern web design has turned websites from static and boring walls of information into ways of providing fun and engaging experiences to the user. Our new ‘More web’ project path shows young creators how to add interaction and animation to a webpage through JavaScript code.
As of 2024, JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world. And it’s easy to see why when you look at its versatility and how it can be used to create dynamic and interactive content on websites. JavaScript lets you handle events and manipulate HTML and CSS so that you can build everything from simple animations, to forms that can be checked for missing or nonsensical answers. If you’ve ever seen a webpage continuously load more content when you reach the end, that’s JavaScript.
The six new projects in the ‘More web’ path move learners beyond the basics of HTML and CSS encountered in our ‘Introduction to web’ path. Young people will explore what JavaScript makes possible in web development, with plenty of support along the way.
By the end of the ‘More web’ path, learners will have covered the following key programming concepts:
| HTML and CSS | JavaScript |
| Navbars, grid layouts, hero images and image sliders Form design and handling user input Accessibility and responsive design Sizing elements relative to the viewport or container Creating parallax scrolling effects using background-attachment Fixing the position of elements and using z-index to layer elements | Local and global variables, and constants Selection (if, else if, and else) Repetition (for loops) Using Console log Concatenation using template literals Event listeners Use of the intersection observer API to animate elements and lazy-load images Use of the localStorage object to retain user preferencesWriting and calling functions to take advantage of the Document Object Model (DOM) Use setTimeout() to create time delaysWork with Date() functions |
We’ve designed the path to be completed in six one-hour sessions, with one hour per project. However, learners can work at their own speed and the project instructions invite them to take additional time to upgrade their projects if they wish.
All six projects use our Code Editor, which has been tailored specifically to young people’s needs. This integrated development environment (IDE) helps make learning text-based programming simple, safe, and accessible. The projects include starter code, handy code snippets, and images to help young people build their websites.
The path follows our Digital Making Framework, with its deliberate format of six projects that become less structured as learners progress. The Explore projects at the start of the path are where the initial learning takes place. Learners then develop their new skills by putting them into practice in the Design and Invent projects, which encourage them to use their imagination and make projects that matter to them.
Learners use HTML and CSS to design a website that lets people discover a place they may never get a chance to visit — Antarctica. They discover how to create a navigation bar (or navbar), set accessible colours and fonts, and add a responsive grid layout to hold beautiful images and interesting facts about this fascinating continent.
In the second Explore project, young people build an interactive website where the user can design a superhero character. Learners use JavaScript to let the user change the text on their website, show and hide elements, and create a hero image slider. They also learn how to let the user set the colour theme for the site and keep their preferences, even if they reload the page.
Young people create an interactive story with animated text and characters that are triggered when the user scrolls. They will learn how to design for accessibility and improve browser performance by only loading images when they’re needed.
This is where learners can practise their skills and bring in their own interests to make a fan website, which lets a user make choices that change the webpage content.
The final Design project invites young people to build a personalised web app that lets users test what they know about a topic. Learners choose a topic for their quiz, create and animate their questions, and then show the user their final score. They could make a quiz about history, nature, world records, science, sports, fashion, TV, movies… or anything else they’re an expert in!
In this final project, young people bring everything they’ve learnt together and use their new coding powers and modern design skills to create an interactive website to share a part of their world with others. They could provide information about their culture, interests, hobbies or expertise, share fun facts, create quizzes, or write reviews. Learners consider what makes a website useful and informative, as well as fun and accessible.
Encourage your young learners to take their next steps in web design, learn JavaScript, and try out this new path of coding projects to create interactive websites that excite and engage users.
Young people can also enter one of their Design or Invent projects into the Web category of the yearly Coolest Projects showcase by taking a short video showing the project and the code used to make it. Their creation will become part of the Coolest Projects online gallery for people all over the world to see!
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Young people taking part in the European Astro Pi Challenge are about to have their computer programs sent to the International Space Station (ISS). Astro Pi is run annually in collaboration by us and ESA Education, and offers two ways to get involved: Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab.
This year, over 25,000 young people from across Europe and eligible ESA Member States are getting their programs ‘uplinked’ to the Astro Pi computers aboard the ISS, where they will be running over the next few weeks.
Mission Zero is an exciting activity for kids with little or no experience with coding. We invite young people to create a Python program that displays an 8×8 pixel image or animation. This program then gets sent to the ISS, and each pixel art piece is displayed for 30 seconds on the LED matrix display of the Astro Pi computers on the ISS.
We picked the theme ‘fauna and flora’ as the inspiration for young people’s pixel art, as it proved so popular last year, and we weren’t disappointed: this year, 24,378 young people submitted 16,039 Mission Zero creations!
We’ve tested every program and are pleased to announce that 15,942 Mission Zero programs will be sent to run on the ISS from mid May.
Once again, we have been amazed at the wonderful images and animations that young people have created. Seeing all the images that have been submitted is one of the most enjoyable and inspiring things to do as we work on the Astro Pi Challenge. Here is a little selection of some of our favourites submitted this year:
For Mission Space Lab, we invite more experienced young coders to take on a scientific challenge: to calculate the speed that the ISS orbits Earth.
Teams are tasked with writing a program that uses the Astro Pis’ sensors and visible light camera to capture data for their calculations, and we have really enjoyed seeing the different approaches the teams have taken.
Some teams decided to calculate the distance between two points in photos of the Earth’s surface and combine this with how long it took for the ISS to pass over the points to find the speed. This particular method uses feature extraction and needs to account for ground sampling distance — how many square metres are represented in one pixel in an image of the ground taken from above — to get an accurate output.
We’ve also seen teams use data from the gyroscope to calculate the speed using the angle readings and photos to get their outputs. Yet other teams have derived the speed using equations of motion and sampling from the accelerometer.
All teams that took multiple samples from the Astro Pi sensors, or multiple images, had to decide how to output a final estimate for the speed of the ISS. Most teams opted to use the mean average. But a few teams chose to filter their samples to choose only the ‘best’ ones based on prior knowledge (Bayesian filtering), and some used a machine learning model and the Astro Pi’s machine learning dongle to select which images or data samples to use. Some teams even provided a certainty score along with their final estimate.
However the team choses to approach the challenge, before their program can run on the ISS, we need to make sure of a few things. For a start, we check that they’ve followed the challenge rules and meet the ISS security requirements. Next, we check that the program can run without errors on the Astro Pis as the astronauts on board the ISS can’t stop what they’re doing to fix any problems.
So, all programs submitted to us must pass a rigorous testing process before they can be sent into space. We run each program on several replica Astro Pis, then run all the programs sequentially, to ensure there’s no problems. If the program passes testing, it’s awarded ‘flight status’ and can be sent to run in space.
This year, 236 teams have been awarded flight status. These teams represent 889 young people from 22 countries in Europe and ESA member states. The average age of these young people is 15, and 27% of them are girls. The UK has the most teams achieving flight status (61), followed by the Czech Republic (23) and Romania (22). You can see how this compares to last year and explore other breakdowns of participant data in the annual Astro Pi impact report.
Our congratulations to all the Mission Space Lab teams who’ve been awarded flight status: it is a great achievement. All these teams will be invited to join a live online Q&A with an ESA astronaut in June. We can’t wait to see what questions you send us for the astronaut.
Normally, the Astro Pi programs run continuously from the end of April until the end of May. However, this year, there is an interesting event happening in the skies above us that means that programs will pause for a few days. The ISS will be moving its position on the ‘beta angle’ and pivoting its orientation to maximise the sunlight that it can capture with its solar panels.
The ISS normally takes 90 minutes to complete its orbit, 45 minutes of which is in sunlight, and 45 minutes in darkness. When it moves along the beta angle, it will be in continual sunlight, allowing it to capture lots of solar energy and recharge its batteries. While in its new orientation, the ISS is exposed to increased heat from the sun so the window shutters must be closed to help the astronauts stay cool. That means taking photos of the Earth’s surface won’t be possible for a few days.
Once all of the programs have run, we will send the Mission Space Lab teams the data collected during their experiments. All successful Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab teams and mentors will also receive personal certificates to recognise their mission completion.
Congratulations to all of this year’s Astro Pi Challenge participants, and especially to all successful teams.
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We love hearing from members of the community and sharing the stories of amazing young people, volunteers, and educators who are using their passion for technology to create positive change in the world around them.
In our latest story, we’re heading to Alkmaar, the Netherlands, to meet Arno and Timo, CoderDojo enthusiasts who have transitioned from club members to supportive mentors. Their journey at CoderDojo and their drive to give back and support the next generation of coders in their community has been an inspiration to those around them.
Arno and Timo have been friends since childhood, and embarked on their CoderDojo journey at the age of 12, eager to explore the world of coding. Under the guidance of mentors like Sanneke, Librarian and Chair of CoderDojo Netherlands, they not only honed their technical skills, but also learned about the value of collaboration, curiosity, and perseverance. As they grew older, they in turn were inspired to support young coders, and wanting to remain part of the CoderDojo community, they decided to become mentors to the next generation of club attendees.
Having been helping younger members of the club for years, the transition to official mentors and proud owners of the much-coveted mentor T-shirt was seamless.
Sanneke reflects on the impact young mentors like Timo and Arno have on the young learners at CoderDojo:
“Having young mentors who are just slightly older than our youngest… I think it helps them to see what happens when you grow up and how they can help. They can be examples for how to help others.” – Sanneke, Librarian, CoderDojo mentor, and Chair of CoderDojo Netherlands
Timo echoes this sentiment, highlighting how mentoring provides a fantastic opportunity to help people and make a positive impact in the local community:
“I think volunteering is important, because you’re doing something for the community, in a city or village, supporting them in their journey in learning coding.” – Timo
As they continue their journey, Timo and Arno remain committed to supporting and inspiring the next generation of coders. They also encourage anyone who is thinking of volunteering at a club to give it a go:
“If you want to volunteer at the CoderDojo, just go for it. You don’t really need that much experience. […] The kids can learn it, so can you.” – Arno
The CoderDojo movement in the Netherlands is celebrating a decade of impact, and champions a culture of growth and learning. Arno and Timo’s story serves as an inspiration to us all, shining a light on the power of mentorship and the impact of volunteering in building stronger, more supportive communities.
Arno and Timo’s story showcases the importance of mentorship for both individuals and communities, and the real impact you can have by donating an hour of your time a week. If you’re interested in becoming a CoderDojo volunteer, head to coderdojo.com to find out how to get started.
Help us celebrate Arno and Timo and their inspiring journey by sharing their story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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Big news for young coders and everyone who supports them: project registration is now open for Coolest Projects 2024! Coolest Projects is our global technology showcase for young people aged up to 18. It gives young creators the incredible opportunity to share the cool stuff they’ve made with digital technology with a global audience, and receive certificates and rewards to celebrate their achievements.
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to young people worldwide. Young creators can register their projects to share them with the world in our online project gallery, and join our exciting livestream event to celebrate what they have made with the global Coolest Projects community.
By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can join an international community of young makers, represent their country, receive personalised feedback on their projects, and get certificates and more to recognise their achievements.
Here’s how it works:
Taking part in Coolest Projects is simple:
As well as the global online showcase, Coolest Projects in-person events are held for young people locally in certain countries too, and we encourage creators to take part in both the online showcase and their local in-person event.
In 2024, creators can look forward to the following in-person events, run by us and partner organisations around the world:
More events are coming soon, so sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be sure to hear about any in-person events in your country. And if there isn’t an event near you, don’t worry. The online showcase is open to any young person anywhere in the world.
Coolest Projects welcomes all digital tech projects, from beginner to advanced, and there are loads of great resources available to help you support the young people in your community to take part.
We are running a series of online calls and webinars for mentors and young people to share practical tips and help participants develop their ideas and build their creations. Sign up for the sessions here. All sessions will be recorded, so you can watch them back if you can’t join live.
You can also check out the Coolest Projects guidance page for resources to help you support young people throughout their Coolest Projects journey, including a mentor guide and session plans.
To inspire your coders, encourage them to take a look at the 2023 showcase gallery, where they can explore the incredible projects submitted by participants last year.
Our projects site is also a great place for participants to begin — there are hundreds of free step-by-step project guides to help young people create their own projects, whether they’re experienced tech creators or they’re just getting started.
There’s lots more exciting news to come, from the announcement of our VIP judges to details about this year’s swag, so sign up for email updates to be the first to know. And whether your coders have already made something fun, innovative, or amazing that they want to share, or they’re inspired to make something new, Coolest Projects is the place for them. We can’t wait to see what they create!
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We’re currently trialling the full integration of our Code Editor in some of the projects on our Projects site, with the aim of providing a seamless experience for young learners. Our Projects site provides hundreds of free coding projects with step-by-step instructions for young people to use at school, in Code Clubs and CoderDojo clubs, and at home. When learners make text-based programming projects in our Python and web design project paths, they use our Code Editor to write and run code in a web browser.
Our new integrated learning experience allows young people to follow the project instructions and work in the Code Editor in a single window. By providing a simpler workspace, where learners do not need to switch between windows to read instructions and input code, we aim to reduce cognitive load and make it easier for young people to learn.
In the integrated project workspace, learners can access the project instructions, coding area, and output (where they can see what they have made) all in the same view. We have reorganised the project guides into short, easy-to-follow steps made up of simple instructions, including code snippets and modelled examples, for learners to work through to create their projects. The project guides feature fresh designs for different types of learning content, such as instruction steps, concept steps, code snippets, tips, and debugging help.
We have also optimised this learning experience for young people using mobiles and tablets. On mobile devices, a new ‘Steps’ tab appears alongside the ‘Code’ and ‘Output’ tabs, enabling learners to easily navigate to the project guide and follow the steps to make their projects.
We are testing our new integrated learning experience as a beta version in three projects:
In each of these projects, young people can choose to complete the original version of the project, with the project instructions and Code Editor in separate windows, or click the button on the project page to try out the new integrated learning experience.
We’d love to hear how your young learners get on with this new integrated experience. Try it out in the three projects above and share your feedback with us here.
Code Editor developments have been made possible with generous support from the Cisco Foundation.
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In our series of community stories, we celebrate some of the wonderful things young people and educators around the world are achieving through the power of technology.
In our latest story, we’re heading to Vivek High School in Mohali, India, to meet Sahibjot, a 14-year-old coding enthusiast who has taken his hobby to the next level thanks to mentorship, Code Club, and the exciting opportunity to take part in the Coolest Projects 2023 global online showcase.
When he was younger, Sahibjot loved playing video games. His interest in gaming led him to discover the world of game development, and he was inspired to find out more and try it out himself. He began to learn to code in his spare time, using tutorials to help him develop his skills.
Keen to share the joy he had experienced from gaming, Sahibjot set himself the challenge of creating a game for his cousin. This project cemented his enthusiasm for coding and developing games of his own.
“I always felt that I have played so many games in my life, why not make one and others will enjoy the same experience that I had as a child.
For my cousin, I made a personal game for him, and he played it and he liked it very much, so once he played it, I felt that, yes, this is what I want to do with my life.” – Sahibjot
While continuing to hone his computing skills at home, Sahibjot heard that his school had started a Code Club. After initially feeling nervous about joining, his enthusiasm was bolstered by the club mentor, Rajan, talking about artificial intelligence and other interesting topics during the session, and he soon settled in.
At Code Club, with support and encouragement from Rajan, Sahibjot continued to develop and grow his coding skills. Alongside his technical skills, he also learned about teamwork and working collaboratively. He embraced the opportunity to help his peers, sharing his knowledge with others and becoming a mentor for younger club members.
“Last year, we joined this coding club together and we became friends. He’s a very friendly person. Whenever we need him, he just quickly helps us. He helps us to troubleshoot, find any bugs, or even fix our codes.” – Akshat, fellow Code Club member
The next step for Sahibjot came when Rajan introduced him and his fellow Code Club members to Coolest Projects. Coolest Projects is a celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. It offers participants the opportunity to share their tech creations in a global, online showcase, and local in-person events celebrating young creators are also held in several countries.
Sahibjot was eager to take part and showcase what he had made. He submitted a Python project, a ping-pong game, to the online showcase, and was very excited to then see his creation receive a special shout-out during the Coolest Projects global livestream event. He was delighted to share this achievement with his friends and family, and he felt proud to be representing his school and his country on a global stage.
“I told everyone around me that there was going to be a livestream and I possibly might be featured in that, so that was really exciting. I learned a lot about just not representing my school and myself as an individual, I learned about representing my whole nation.” — Sahibjot
Sahibjot’s passion for computing has helped shape his aspirations and ambitions. Looking to the future, he hopes to use his technology skills to benefit others and make an impact.
“Using code and technology and all of the things like that, I aspire to make effort to do something with the world, like help out people with technology.” — Sahibjot
To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.
For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your school, visit codeclub.org.
Join us in celebrating Sahibjot’s inspiring journey by sharing his story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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With the rapid advances in digital technologies like artificial intelligence, it’s more important than ever that every young person has the opportunity to learn how computers are being used to change the world and to develop the skills and confidence to get creative with technology.
There’s no better way to develop those abilities (super powers even) than getting hands-on experience of programming, whether that’s coding an animation, designing a game, creating a website, building a robot buggy, or training an AI classification model. That’s what tens of thousands of young people do every day in Code Clubs all over the world.
We were absolutely thrilled to organise a Code Club at Number Ten Downing Street last week, hosted by the UK Prime Minister’s wife Akshata Murty as part of Lessons at 10.
Lessons at 10 is an initiative to bring school children from all over the UK into Number Ten Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister. Every week different schools visit to attend lessons led by education partners covering all kinds of subjects.
We ran a Code Club for 20 Year 7 students (ages 11 to 12) from schools in Coventry and Middlesex. The young people had a great time with the Silly eyes and Ghostbusters projects from our collections of Scratch projects. Both stone-cold classics in my opinion, and a great place to start if you’re new to programming.
You may have spotted in the photos that the young people were programming on Raspberry Pi computers (the incredible Raspberry Pi 400 made in Wales). We also managed to get our hands on some cool new monitors.
Mrs Murty’s father was one of the founders of Infosys, which ranks among the world’s most successful technology companies, founded in India and now operating all over the world. So it is perhaps no surprise that she spoke eloquently to the students about the importance of every young person learning about technology and seeing themselves as digital creators not consumers.
We were lucky enough to be in one of the rather fancy rooms in Number Ten, featuring a portrait by John Constable of his niece Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. Mrs Murty reminded us that one of the lessons we learn from Ada Lovelace is that computer programming combines both the logical and artistic aspects of human intelligence. So true.
Since Code Club’s launch in April 2012, it has grown to be the world’s largest movement of free computing clubs and has supported over 2 million young people to get creative with technology.
Code Clubs provide a free, fun, and safe environment for young people from all backgrounds to develop their digital skills. Run by teachers and volunteers, most Code Clubs take place in schools, and there are also lots in libraries and other community venues.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation provides a broad range of projects that young people use to build their confidence and skills with lots of different hardware and software. The ultimate goal is that they are empowered to combine their logical and artistic skills to create something original. Just like Ada Lovelace did all those years ago.
All of our projects are designed to be self-directed, so young people can learn independently or in groups. That means that you don’t need to be a tech expert to set up or run a Code Club. We provide you with all the support that you need to get started.
If you want to find out more about how to set up a Code Club, visit the website here.
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Since November, registration is open for Mission Space Lab, part of the European Astro Pi Challenge 2023/24. The Astro Pi Challenge is an ESA Education project run in collaboration with us here at the Raspberry Pi Foundation that gives young people up to age 19 the amazing opportunity to write computer programs that run on board the International Space Station (ISS). It is free to take part and young people can participate in two missions: Mission Zero, designed for beginners, and Mission Space Lab, designed for more experienced coders.
This year, Mission Space Lab has a brand-new format. As well as introducing a new activity for teams to work on, we have created new resources to support teams and mentors, and developed a special tool to help teams test their programs.
A big motivator for these changes was to make the activity more accessible and enable more young people to have their code run in space. Listening to feedback from participants and mentors, we are creating the opportunity for even more teams to submit programs that run on the ISS this year, by offering a specific activity and providing more extensive support materials.
For this year’s mission, ESA astronauts have given teams a specific scientific task to solve: to calculate the speed that the ISS is travelling as it orbits the Earth. People working in science often investigate a specific phenomenon or try to solve a particular problem. They have to use their knowledge and skills and the available tools to find ways to answer their research question. For Mission Space Lab, teams will work just like this. They will look at what sensors are available on the Astro Pi computers on board the ISS, develop a solution, and then write a Python program to execute it. To test their program, they will use the new Astro Pi Replay software tool we’ve created, which simulates running their program on board the ISS.
To help teams and mentors take part in Mission Space Lab, we are providing a variety of supporting materials:
We have also run virtual sessions to help mentors and teams familiarise themselves with the new Mission Space Lab activity, and to ask any technical questions they might have. You can watch the recordings of these sessions on YouTube:
Astro Pi Replay is a new simulation tool that we have developed to support Mission Space Lab teams to test their programs. The tool simulates running programs on the Astro Pi computers on board the ISS. It is a Python library available as a plug-in to install in the Thonny IDE where teams write their programs. Thanks to this tool, teams can develop and test their programs on any computer that supports Python, without the need for hardware like the Astro Pi units on board the ISS.
The Astro Pi Replay tool works by replaying a data set captured by a Mission Space Lab team in May 2023. The data set includes readings from the Astro Pi ‘s sensors, and images taken by its visible-light camera like the ones below. Whenever teams run their programs in Thonny with Astro Pi Replay, the tool replays some of this historical data. That means teams can use the historical data to test their programs and calculations.
One of the benefits of using this simulation tool is that it gives teams a taste of what they can expect if their program is run on the ISS. By replaying a sequence of data captured by the Astro Pis in space, teams using sensors will be able to see what kind of data can be collected, and teams using the camera will be able to see some incredible Earth observation images.
If you’re curious about how Astro Pi Replay works, you’ll be pleased to hear we are making it open source soon. That means you’ll be able to look at the source code and find out exactly what the library does and how.
Community members have consistently reported how amazing it is for teams to receive unique Earth observation photos and sensor data from the Astro Pis, and how great the images and data are to inspire young people to participate in their computing classes, clubs, or events. Through the changes we’ve made to Mission Space Lab this year, we want to support as many young people as possible to have the opportunity to engage in space science and capture their own data from the ISS.
If you want a taste of how fantastic Astro Pi is for learners, watch the story of St Joseph’s, a rural Irish school where participating in Astro Pi has inspired the whole community.
Submissions for Mission Space Lab 2023/24 are open until 19 February 2024, so there’s still time to take part! You can find full details and eligibility criteria at astro-pi.org/mission-space-lab.
If you have any questions about the European Astro Pi Challenge, please get in touch at contact@astro-pi.org.
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At the heart of our work as a charity is the aim to democratise access to digital skills and technologies. Since 2020, we have partnered with over 100 youth and community organisations in the UK to develop programmes that increase opportunities for young people experiencing educational disadvantage to engage and create with digital technology in underserved communities.
Youth organisations attempting to start a coding club can face a range of practical and logistical challenges, from a lack of space, to funding restrictions, and staff shortages. However, the three issues that we hear about most often are a lack of access to hardware, lack of technical expertise among staff, and low confidence to deliver activities on an ongoing basis.
In 2023, we worked to help youth organisations overcome these barriers by designing and delivering a new hybrid training programme, supported by Amazon Future Engineer. With the programme, we aimed to help youth leaders and educators successfully incorporate coding and digital making activities as part of their provision to young people.
“Really useful, I have never used Scratch so going [through] the project made it clear to understand and how I would facilitate this for the children[.]” – Heather Coulthard, Doncaster Children’s University
We invited 14 organisations from across the UK to participate in the training, based on:
Attendees included a number of previous Learn at Home partners, including Breadline London, Manchester Youth Zone, and Youth Action. They all told us that the additional support they had received from the Foundation and organisations such as The Bloomfield Trust during the coronavirus pandemic had directly inspired them to participate in the training and begin their own coding clubs.
We started with four online training sessions where we introduced the youth leaders to digital making concepts, programming languages, and recommended activities to run with their young people. This included everything from making their own block-based Scratch games, to running Python programs on our Code Editor and trying out physical computing via our new micro:bit project path.
Alongside digital skills and interactive codealongs, the training also focused on how to be an effective CoderDojo mentor, including classroom management best practice, an explanation of the thinking behind our 3…2…1…Make! project paths, and an overview of culturally relevant pedagogy.
This last part explored how youth leaders can adapt and tailor digital making resources designed for a wide, general audience for their specific groups of young people to aid their understanding, boost their learning outcomes, and increase their sense of belonging within a coding club environment — a common blocker for organisations trying to appeal to marginalised youth.
The training culminated in a day-long, in-person session at our head office in Cambridge, so that youth leaders and educators from each organisation could get hands-on experience. They experimented with physical computing components such as the Raspberry Pi Pico, trained their own artificial intelligence (AI) models using our Experience AI resources, and learned more about how their young people can get involved with Coolest Projects and Astro Pi Mission Zero.
The in-person session also gave everyone the chance to get excited about running digital making activities at their centres: the youth leaders got to ask our team questions, and had the invaluable opportunity to meet each other, share their stories, swap advice, and discuss the challenges they face with their peers.
“Having the in-person immensely improved my skills and knowledge. The instructors were all brilliant and very passionate.” – Awale Elmi, RISE Projects
Finally, thanks to the generous support from Amazon Future Engineer, we were able to equip each participating organisation with Raspberry Pi 400 kits so that the youth leaders can practise and share the skills and knowledge they gained on the course at their centres and the organisations can offer computing activities in-house.
Over the next 12 months, we will continue to work with each of these youth and community organisations, supporting them to establish their coding clubs, and helping to ensure that young people in their communities get a fair and equal opportunity to engage and create with technology, no matter their background or challenges they are facing.
“It was really great. The online courses are excellent and being in-person to get answers to questions really helped. The tinkering was really useful and having people on hand to answer questions [was] massively useful.” – Liam Garnett, Leeds Libraries
For more information about how we can support youth and community organisations in the UK to start their own coding clubs, please send us a message with the subject ‘Partnerships’.
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Each year, young people all over the world share and celebrate their amazing tech creations by taking part in Coolest Projects, our digital technology showcase. Our global online showcase and local in-person events give kids a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their creativity with their communities, explore other young creators’ tech projects, and gain inspiration and encouragement for their future projects.
Now, visitors to the Young V&A museum in London can also be inspired by some of the incredible creations showcased at Coolest Projects. The museum has recently reopened after a large reimagining, and some of the inspiring projects by Coolest Projects 2022 participants are now on display in the Design Gallery, ready to spark digital creativity among more young people.
Many Coolest Projects participants showcase projects that they created to make an impact and solve a real-world problem that’s important to them, for example to help members of their local community, or to protect the environment.
One example on display in the Young V&A gallery is EleVoc, by 15-year-old Chinmayi from India. Chinmayi was inspired to create her project after she and her family faced a frightening encounter:
“My family and I are involved in wildlife conservation. One time we were charged by elephants even though we were only passing by in a Jeep. This was my first introduction to human–animal conflict, and I wanted to find a way to solve it!” – Chinmayi
The experience prompted Chinmayi to create EleVoc, an early-warning device designed to reduce human–elephant conflict by detecting and classifying different elephant sounds and alerting nearby villages to the elephants’ proximity and behaviour.
Also exhibited at the Young V&A is the hardware project Gas Leak Detector by Sashrika, aged 11, from the USA. Gas Leak Detector is a device that detects if a fuel tank for a diesel-powered heating system is leaking and notifies householders through an app in a matter of second.
Sashrika knew this invention could really make a difference to people’s lives. She explained, “Typically, diesel gas tanks for heating are in the basement where people don’t visit every day. Leakage may be unnoticed and lead to fire or major repair cost.”
As well as projects designed to solve problems, Coolest Projects also welcomes young people who create things to entertain or have fun.
At the Young V&A, visitors can enjoy the fun, fast-paced game project Runaway Nose, by 10-year-old Harshit from Ireland. Runaway Nose uses facial recognition, and players have to use their nose to interact with the prompts on the screen.
Harshit shared the motivation behind his project:
“I wanted to make a fun game to get you thinking fast and that would get you active, even on a rainy day.” – Harshit
We can confirm Runaway Nose is a lot of fun, and a must-do activity for people of all ages on a visit to the museum.
If you are in London, make sure to head to the Young V&A to see Chinmayi’s, Sashrika’s, and Harshit’s projects, and many more. We love seeing the ingenuity of the global community of young tech creators celebrated, and hope it inspires you and your young people.
With that in mind, we are excited that Coolest Projects will be back in 2024. Registrations for the global Coolest Projects online showcase will be open from 14 February to 22 May 2024, and any young creator up to age 18 anywhere in the world can get involved. We’ll also be holding in-person Coolest Projects events for young people in Ireland and the UK. Head to the Coolest Projects website to find out more.
Coolest Projects is for all young people, no matter their level of coding experience. Kids who are just getting started and would like to take part can check out the free project guides on our projects site. These offer step-by-step guidance to help everyone make a tech project they feel proud of.
To always get the latest news about all things Coolest Projects, from event updates to the fun swag coming for 2024, sign up for the Coolest Projects newsletter.
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We support two networks of coding clubs where young people around the world discover the countless possibilities of creating with digital technologies.
Every year, we send out a survey to volunteers at all the clubs we support. Today we share some highlights from the findings and what we’re planning next.
The simple answer is: to help make clubs even better for everyone involved! Educators and volunteers are doing a remarkable job in helping young people learn about computing and coding, so we want to know more about them, about how they run their clubs, and what impact the club sessions have for young people.
By knowing more about clubs — how frequently club leaders run them, what resources they use, what they would like more of — we can continue to improve the learning experience for educators, volunteers, and young people involved in our clubs.
This year in March we sent out our survey to all Code Clubs and CoderDojos around the world, and we heard back from almost 500. As always, the results were very positive, and they also gave us a lot of useful information on how we can continue to improve our support for clubs all over the world.
Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time, the network of over 4200 Code Clubs and 700 CoderDojos was reaching almost 139,000 young people globally. The global community of clubs has continued to grow since then, with a now even larger network of volunteers supporting ever more young people.
According to the survey, the majority of young people attending clubs are aged between 8 and 13, but clubs host young people as young as 6 and as old as 18. It was great to hear about the participation of girls, and we’d love to see this rise even higher: respondents told us that 42% of their Code Club attendees and 30% of their CoderDojo attendees are female.
Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ interest and engagement in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing.
None of these young people would be able to attend clubs without the great work of teams of educators and volunteers. Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time of the survey, there were over 10,300 Code Club leaders and almost 4000 CoderDojo champions around the world. Many survey respondents said that they were motivated to start volunteering after attending a club themselves.
Community is at the heart of clubs and the clubs networks: over 80% of respondents said that belonging to a global community of clubs helps motivates them to volunteer at their own club.
Clubs focus on a wide range of topics and programming languages. Scratch is overwhelmingly popular, with over 95% of respondents telling us that they used Scratch in club sessions in the previous year. Micro:bit projects and Python-based programming were also very popular. Club leaders told us that in future they would like to offer more activities around AI applications, as well as around games and mobile apps.
Club leaders told us that being part of a Code Club or CoderDojo affects young people positively. Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ skills and interest in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing. Almost 90% of club leaders also agree that after attending a club, young people are interested in additional experiences of learning about computing and programming.
Attending also positively affects young people’s wider skills and attitudes, with club leaders stating that young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking.
Young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking.
We were pleased to find out that most Code Club leaders, who run their sessions in schools, think that their clubs increase the visibility of computing within their school. Many also said that the attendees’ parents and guardians value their clubs as opportunities for their children.
We want to keep providing clubs with support to increase their positive impact on young people. Thanks to the survey results, we know to focus our work on providing training opportunities for club volunteers, as well as supporting club leaders to recruit volunteers and advertise their clubs to more young people.
You can read the survey report to dive deeper into our findings.
As we take an impact-focused approach to our work, we are currently partnering with Durham University on an evaluation of Code Clubs in UK schools. The evaluation will provide further insights for how we can best support people around the world to run clubs that provide welcoming spaces where all kids can learn to create with digital technologies.
The post What is the impact of attending a Code Club or CoderDojo? appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
The day after the successful meetup with our Global Clubs Partner organisations based in Africa, our team and some of our partners enjoyed participating in the Coolest Projects South Africa 2023 event to meet young tech creators and help out as project judges. Here are some of our impressions.
This is the fourth year of a partner-run, regional version of Coolest Projects — our world-leading showcase for young tech creators — taking place in South Africa, led by David Campey. David is Director of Coder LevelUp, one of our Global Clubs Partners growing and supporting a network of CoderDojos and Code Clubs in the country, and involved in the CoderDojo movement for a whole decade.
There was a buzz of anticipation and excitement at the Cape Town Science Centre as young coders from age 5 to 18 and various backgrounds gathered on this sunny Saturday morning to showcase their coding creations and inventions at Coolest Projects South Africa. From fun games and animations on Scratch, to cool websites created with HTML and CSS, to fantastic Python-based hardware solutions to real-world challenges — every young creator brought along a project they’d created to proudly showcase and celebrate.
While chatting with the creators and discovering what had motivated their projects, we met up with 11-year-old Luhle, who was delighted to take us through the ‘Moon conversation’ animation she had coded in Scratch.
The animation involved a Spanish conversation between two people who journeyed to the moon and back. Luhle had created her animation because of her love for languages and in response to a challenge posed to her class by her teacher: to learn 5 languages. While her mother tongue is isiXhosa, she is confident in English, is learning Afrikaans, has started teaching herself Spanish, and would love to learn Korean.
We also met with 16-year-old Kayden, who showcased a project he’d made to address a real-world challenge. He told us he had always struggled to concentrate in class — a challenge that many young people face — and he wanted to build an alternative solution to the established medications. Using vibration sensors and two microcontrollers, he created a digital device to prompt users when they are no longer paying attention in class. With his friend Carl, he successfully tested the device on a meaningful sample of Grade 1–3 learners (ages 7–9).
Kayden is now developing this low-cost innovative solution to include a heart rate monitor to help to detect when a user loses focus, and he wants this to be a solution that’s widely accessible and affordable for all South African children. One of the judges, our partner Akwabi Paul from Tech Kidz Africa in Kenya, was greatly impressed and motivated by Kayden’s work, and took time to advise Kayden on the next steps to turn his invention into a commercial product.
During the event we also met members of Mrs Hill’s coding club and learnt about Mrs Hill’s experience of nurturing a love and interest for coding and robotics at CBC St Johns Parklands in Cape Town.
Since 2020, Mrs Hills has been providing coding lessons to all school classes — learners aged 6 to 12 years — as well as an after-school coding and robotics club. She approaches her lessons by introducing and demonstrating coding skills and then presenting her learners with a problem to solve collaboratively. In her words, ‘Learners find more interest in learning practically.’
That’s why Coolest Projects is the perfect fit for her and her young people. 4 of her club members took part in Coolest Projects South Africa 2022. This year, she was proud to enter 11 participants, 3 of whom were chosen as judges’ favourites.
After the showcasing and judging, the Coolest Projects South Africa event culminated in a hearty celebration of all that the young tech creators had presented. David Campey’s passion for nurturing coding literacy, digital making skills, and innovative thinking among learners from different walks of life made the whole day a truly enjoyable, inclusive event for the young creators.
It was inspiring, no doubt, for our other African partners who participated as judges and are now keen to host Coolest Projects events back in their home countries.
If you and your young people based anywhere on the globe feel inspired to showcase digital tech creations, you can get involved in our Coolest Projects 2024 online showcase! It’s free and open to any young tech creator up to age 18.
Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to hear all updates, for example when showcase registration opens on 14 February.
The post Impressions from Coolest Projects South Africa 2023 appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Big news for young tech creators: Coolest Projects will return in 2024. The world’s leading showcase for young creators of digital tech will be open for registration in the online gallery, and we want young people worldwide to showcase their tech projects.
In 2024, we are hosting the Coolest Projects online showcase and livestream celebration for all young creators around the world, and also in-person events in the UK and Ireland for young creators who live there.
All young tech creators can take part — for free — in the Coolest Projects online showcase:
Coolest Projects is an opportunity for young tech creators to share what they have made with the world. Young people register their tech creations to show them in the Coolest Projects online showcase gallery. Alongside mentors, parents, friends, and family members in their local and global communities, they can explore the gallery and celebrate what they and their peers have made.
If your kids want to learn about creating with technology, check out our free guided coding project paths. These paths are designed to support all young people to learn how to make their own tech projects and develop their coding skills. For example:
Young creators can take a look at the Coolest Projects 2023 online showcase gallery for inspiration if they are not sure what they want to make. You can also watch the story of Zaahra and Eesa, siblings who participated in Coolest Projects 2020.
If you are a young creator in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, or the UK, then Coolest Projects is also coming to you in person in 2024. Participants will be able to meet other young tech creators, connect to their community, and celebrate each other’s creations. Young people are encouraged to take part in both the Coolest Projects global online showcase and their local in-person event.
Coolest Projects Ireland will take place at DCU St Patrick’s College Campus, Drumcondra in Dublin. It’s open to young creators in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and their families and friends are invited to come along to celebrate them and see all the incredible projects on show. Participants can apply for partial bursaries for the costs of attending the event.
Very soon we will announce the date and venue for Coolest Projects UK for all young creators in the UK. Sign up for email updates to be the first to hear about it. We will also share full details of each in-person event on the Coolest Projects website when registration opens.
If there’s not an in-person Coolest Projects event near you, you can still join in the fun: the Coolest Projects online showcase is open to any young creator aged up to 18, from anywhere in the world. We also work with brilliant partner organisations around the world to bring Coolest Projects events to their countries and communities. Sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be the first to know about any in-person event in your country.
Coolest Projects registration opens soon in 2024, and young creators can start thinking of ideas and working on their projects now. Or if young people have already made something they are really proud of, they can showcase that creation once registration is open.
Sign up for email updates to always get the latest news about all things Coolest Projects, from event updates to the fun swag coming for 2024.
The post Coolest Projects is back in 2024 appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Earlier this year, we launched our Code Editor, a free online tool to help make learning text-based programming simple and accessible for kids age 9 and up. We focus on supporting the needs of young people who are learning programming at school, in Code Clubs and CoderDojos, and at home.
Today, we have two exciting updates to share: support for web page projects with HTML/CSS, and an improved mobile and tablet experience.
Learners can use the Code Editor to write and run code in a web browser without installing any additional software. The Editor is currently available as a beta version, and we’ve already received really positive comments:
“The Editor looks really nice! I have tried the Python part, and it is intuitive and concise. My little program worked no problem, and I am sure the Editor will be easy, intuitive, and quick to learn for the young [learners].”
— Volunteer in the CoderDojo community
The Code Editor now supports the HTML and CSS web development languages, giving young people the ability to create and preview their own websites directly in the Editor interface. Learners can have their code and the preview panel side by side, and they can also preview their websites in a separate, larger tab.
We have embedded the Editor in our ‘Introduction to web‘ path on the Projects site. The path contains six HTML and CSS projects for beginners and helps them create fun websites like the ones shown here.
We want the Code Editor to be safe, age-appropriate, and suitable for use in classrooms or coding clubs. With this in mind, we have excluded certain functions, like being able to add links to external websites in the code. Rather than enabling image uploads, we provide a library of images when projects in our free learning paths contain images, in order to support multimedia projects safely.
Whether users are coding in Python or HTML/CSS, the Editor offers accessibility options so you can easily switch settings between light and dark mode, and between small, medium, and large text size. The text size feature is useful for people with visual impairments, as well as for educators who want to demonstrate something to a group of learners.
Our Code Editor now offers a new and improved experience for users of mobile and tablet devices. This improves access for learners in classrooms where tablets are used, and in low- and middle-income countries, where mobile phones are commonly used for digital learning.
The Editor now includes:
We’re continuing to develop the Code Editor and have more improvements planned. If you would like to try it out and provide us with your feedback, we’d love to hear what you think of our latest updates.
Code Editor developments have been made possible with generous support from Endless and the Cisco Foundation.
The post Code Editor update: Support for HTML and mobile devices appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Young people can now learn to code and create with our brand-new path of micro:bit coding projects. The ‘Intro to micro:bit’ path is free and kids can follow it to code projects that focus on wellbeing, including topics like mental health, relaxation, and exercise.
As you might know, a micro:bit (pronounced “microbit”) is a small, programmable device designed for education. You can program it using any computer. It’s easy to use and learn with, and suitable for beginners, especially young people in and out of school.
Our aim for this new micro:bit project path is to help young people explore how they can create their own tech tools that help them look after themselves and others. By designing the micro:bit coding projects around wellbeing, we want to not only help kids develop programming and digital literacy skills, but also promote open conversations about the important topic of mental health.
The six micro:bit coding projects in our new path all cover different aspects of wellbeing in a fun, creative way:
We hope that following the path and making projects helps encourage learners to ask questions, share their experiences, and feel like they can ask parents, teachers, or mentors for support, and help support their friends and peers.
The ‘Intro to micro:bit’ path is designed according to our Digital Making Framework. Its aim is to encourage young people to become independent coders and tech creators as they progress along the projects in a path by gently removing scaffolding.
The structure of the path means that learners are led through the development process of a coding project and learn how to turn their ideas into reality. The path structure also supports them with fixing programming errors (debugging), showing them that errors are a normal part of computer programming and just temporary setbacks that they can overcome.
Because community is important for learning, the path also offers young people the chance to share the projects they make with peers around the world.
The Explore projects at the start of the path are where the initial learning takes place. Learners then develop their new skills and knowledge by putting them into practice in the Design and Invent projects, where they add in their own ideas and creativity.
The key programming concepts covered in this path are:
There are two versions of the micro:bit (V1 and V2) and learners can use either version to create the micro:bit coding projects in the path, using the micro:bit’s input and output features:
In this Explore project, kids create a music player on the micro:bit to explore how listening to music can improve their mood. While creating their music player, young people get to choose melodies that they enjoy or that make them feel more relaxed. They also add a range of functions such as pausing, skipping, and shuffling tracks.
Noise levels can affect people’s well-being, so in this project, kids create a program to use the micro:bit to display how noisy their environment is. They will also learn how to save the noise data the micro:bit measures so they can identify the noisiest times in their day.
Sleep is an important factor that contributes towards well-being. With this third Explore project, kids create a program to track their sleep movements using the micro:bit. This teaches them about variables and about using the micro:bit’s accelerometer, and its LEDs to display data.
The first Design project of the path gets young people to build a mood checker program using the question ‘How’s your day?’. Kids get creative design control over the mood checker’s outputs according to the user’s replies, including displaying an animation or positive messages, or playing music. Kids can also make use of sensors to measure the various factors in the environment that could be affecting the user’s mood.
In this project, young people apply all of the coding skills and knowledge covered in the Explore projects, including selection, repetition, variables, functions, and randomisation.
In the second Design project, young people create an assistant that helps them get active.The project provides examples, a structure, and brief summaries of what kids have learned to do on the path so far to inspire and motivate them. This mean young people can work independently to produce their own outcomes and the functionality of their assistant is up to each young tech creator.
The final project, Party game, encourages learners to independently replicate their favourite party game for entertainment and relaxation. Learners will combine all of the knowledge and skills they’ve gained throughout the path to make something of their own around the theme of well-being. This is a chance for them to unleash their creativity and reflect on real-life games they enjoy. The outcome will be unique, and fun for them to share with their friends and family.
We have written these micro:bit coding projects with young people around the age of 6 to 13 in mind. Building the projects on the path does not require any previous coding experience, although complete beginners may want to try our free ‘Intro to Scratch’ path first.
A web browser on a computer. In every project, starter code is provided in the MakeCode online code editor. Learners can either download their project code to a physical micro:bit (recommended) or use the micro:bit simulator in MakeCode.
Young people who live where there isn’t constant internet connectivity can also download the offline version of the MakeCode editor. There are also free micro:bit coding apps for smartphones and tablets.
We’ve designed the ‘Intro to micro:bit’ path to be completed in six one-hour sessions, with one hour per project. However, the project instructions invite learners to take additional time to upgrade their projects if they wish.
At the end of the micro:bit path, learners are encouraged to register a project they’re making with their new coding skills for Coolest Projects, our annual online technology showcase for young people around the world.
Taking part is free, and beginners as well as more experienced young tech creators are invited. This is their opportunity to share their ingenuity in an online gallery for the world and the Coolest Projects community to celebrate.
The post New micro:bit coding projects for kids appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Today we’re calling all young people who are excited to explore coding and space science, and the mentors who want to support and inspire them on their journey. Astro Pi Mission Space Lab is officially open again, offering young people all over Europe the amazing chance to have their code for a science experiment run in space on the International Space Station (ISS).
With this year’s Mission Space Lab, astronauts from the European Space Agency are setting young people a task: to write a computer program that runs on the ISS and calculates the speed at which the ISS is orbiting planet Earth. Participation in Mission Space Lab is completely free.
Here’s ESA astronaut candidate Rosemary Coogan to introduce this year’s mission:
Mission Space Lab invites young people up to age 19 to work in teams of 2 to 6 and write a Python program for the Astro Pi computers on board the ISS to collect data and calculate the speed at which the ISS is travelling.
Your role as a mentor is to support teams as they design and create their program — with our free guidance resources to help you and your young creators.
We want as many young people as possible to have the chance to take part in Mission Space Lab, so the way in which teams solve the task set by the ESA astronauts can be different depending on the experience of your team:
The Astro Pis are two Raspberry Pi computers stationed on the ISS, each equipped with a High Quality Camera, a Sense HAT add-on board with a number of sensors, and a Coral machine learning accelerator. Each Astro Pi has a hard casing designed especially for space travel.
There are lots of ways to use sensor data from the Astro Pis to calculate the speed of the ISS, so young people can get creative solving their Mission Space Lab task while learning fascinating facts about physics and the inner workings of the ISS.
All Mission Space Lab participants whose programs run on the ISS will receive a certificate recognising their achievement, and they’ll get the chance to attend a Q&A webinar with an ESA astronaut. Teams also receive back data from the ISS based on their Mission Space Lab programs, for example photos or sensor measurements. That means you’ll have the option to explore and use that data in follow-on activities with your young people.
We are providing lots of supporting materials to help you and your team with Mission Space Lab:
Mission Space Lab is open for submissions from today, 6 November 2023, until 19 February 2024.
Visit the Astro Pi website for full details and eligibility criteria: astro-pi.org/mission-space-lab
The European Astro Pi Challenge is an ESA Education project run in collaboration with us here at the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
You can keep up with all Astro Pi news by following the Astro Pi X account (formerly Twitter) or signing up to the newsletter at astro-pi.org.
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