Coding classes for kids in Palo Alto

In a town where many parents write software for a living, it is no surprise that coding classes for children are easy to find. The options run from weekly coaching in a storefront near California Avenue to week-long summer camps on the Paly campus. Prices vary widely. A month of small-group coaching costs about as much as a week of camp, so it helps to know what you want before you sign up: steady weekly practice, a holiday burst or a place to tinker with friends.

This guide covers coding programs we confirmed on their own sites in early November 2026. All are in or right next to Palo Alto. For building and programming robots, see our companion guide to robotics for kids.

Options at a glance

theCoderSchool

theCoderSchool Palo Alto is at 299 California Avenue, Suite 115, on Birch Street next to the shops of California Avenue. The chain was founded in Silicon Valley and now has more than 70 locations. Its local site lists personalized coding, AI, robotics, game development, Python and Scratch for students ages 7 to 18.

How it works

The main program is Code Coaching. A coach works with two students at once for one session a week, building custom projects rather than following a fixed syllabus. Families can also pay for private sessions. In November 2026 the Palo Alto page listed:

• 2:1 Code Coaching: $295 a month, one session a week.
• 1:1 Code Coaching: $385 a month, one private session a week.

The price stays the same in a month with five weeks. The school also runs camps at a ratio of about six students per coach, classes at local schools and robotics on VEX IQ and LEGO SPIKE Prime kits. New families can book a free trial. Younger students usually start in Scratch, a block language, before moving to typed code.

iCode Palo Alto

iCode is a national STEM franchise with a Palo Alto center at 1765 East Bayshore Road, Suite G, on the east side of Highway 101 near University Avenue. Its site lists instructor-led after-school clubs in coding, robotics and game design, AI-focused classes, holiday camps and summer camps, which began on June 8 in 2026. The center lists gaming computers, 3D printers, robotics kits and drones. iCode also mixes in soft skills such as teamwork and presenting projects. Book a free trial class to see the room and ask about the current schedule, since the site does not post prices.

iD Tech summer camps at Paly

Each summer iD Tech rents space at Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Road, for weeklong day camps. Its 2027 listing shows camps from June 14 to July 16 for ages 7 to 17, beginner to advanced. Courses cover coding, game development, robotics and 3D printing.

• Price: starting at $1,129 a week, with a payment plan.
• Day: check-in from 8:30 a.m., course work in the morning and afternoon, pickup from 4:30 to 5 p.m.
• Older teens can look at iD Tech's two-week Teen Academy, offered at some locations.

Popular weeks sell out in spring. Our summer camps guide covers other local camps and city programs.

MakeX: free tinkering for teens

Not every young coder wants a class. MakeX, the free teen-run makerspace at Cubberley Community Center, gives students laser cutters, 3D printers and help from high school mentors. It suits kids who learn by building a project, such as a programmed light display or a 3D-printed case for a microcontroller. Children under 12 need a parent with them. Our maker spaces guide lists its hours and rules.

Stanford and school options

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies runs academic enrichment programs for students in grades 1 to 12, in online and residential formats, including the SUMaC math program. Students 16 and older can take regular Stanford courses, computer science among them, through Stanford Summer Session. Admission, fees and aid deadlines vary by program. See our guide to Stanford pre-collegiate and summer programs.

Inside the public schools, Paly and Gunn both teach AP Computer Science Principles. Both also field FIRST robotics teams whose programmers write real robot code each season. Our high school courses guide covers the AP and elective lineup. For homework help in computing, the library offers free online tutoring through its website.

Learning at home

Plenty of children start coding at a kitchen table. Free tools make that easy:

• Scratch, the free block-coding site from MIT, is where most local programs start ages 7 to 10.
• Python is the usual first typed language. It is free to install on any laptop.
• Library Chromebooks can be borrowed with a Palo Alto library card if a child lacks a computer.

A paid class adds what home learning often lacks: a coach who spots mistakes, a regular schedule and a finished project to show off.

What to expect by age

Local programs follow a similar path, though each coach adjusts to the child.

• Ages 7 to 9. Block coding in Scratch with simple animations and games. Sessions are short, with plenty of help reading instructions.
• Ages 10 to 12. A move toward Python or JavaScript, bigger game projects and first robots. Many children this age enjoy camps most.
• Teens. Web apps, data projects, AI tools and competition prep. Teens often get the most from building something real at MakeX or joining a school robotics team.

Expect a few months before a beginner can write a program from a blank screen. Progress is faster when a child codes a little between sessions, even 20 minutes a week.

How to choose

1. Ask what your child wants to make. Games, websites, robots and AI projects lead to different classes.
2. Try before you pay. theCoderSchool and iCode both offer free trials.
3. Compare the real cost. A monthly plan runs through the school year, while a camp is one intense week.
4. Check the ratio. Two students per coach is very different from a classroom of twenty.
5. Look for a finished product. Good programs end each unit with something your child can show.

Frequently asked questions