Tips for vibrant Code Club sessions!

At a recent Code Club ‘Coffee and Conversation’ meetup, we had a thoughtful discussion on ways to keep Code Club sessions fun and engaging for everyone. Here are some tips we discussed to help fuel enthusiasm.

Choose a variety of projects

Our range of fun coding projects involve different programming languages and cater for different interests and experience levels. Think about introducing projects that encompass different aspects of coding, such as game development, web design, or app creation. This variety allows learners to explore different areas of coding and discover what excites them the most.

Bob Bilsland, from Malvern, in Worcestershire, England, has been running a Code Club for over 10 years. He shares how he works with our projects to keep activities fresh and keep learners engaged:

“The Code Club projects are a fantastic resource that helps bring structure to my club. Having different paths allows me to plan where to go next with the children — maybe Scratch this term and micro:bits the next. While each project has a clear progression towards a goal, it isn’t at the expense of the child’s creativity; I encourage them to personalise their work to make it their own”.

Bob Bilsland, Educator

Foster a supportive community

At Code Club, we’re all about creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where young people feel at ease sharing their ideas, asking questions, and getting the help they need. 

When you start a new term at Code Club, why not chat with everyone about how you all want your Code Club to run? Check out our blog post ‘Our Code Club rules! How to have fun and set boundaries’ for some tips. Once you have decided on your rules, write them down using the ‘Our Code Club rules’ template, available on your dashboard. 

See how you can encourage peer collaboration and mentorship, where more experienced coders can assist their fellow club members and share their knowledge. You could also look at introducing Digital Leaders within your Code Club.

We know that many clubs bring more fun and enthusiasm into their sessions by using KAHOOT! quizzes or running icebreaker activities. You could lead these activities or you could encourage groups of young people to work together to run them. 

Building a strong sense of community not only makes learning more fun, but also builds confidence and resilience in young people as they navigate any potential coding challenges.

Darren Bayliss, Code Club Community Coordinator for Ireland, shares how he does this in his Code Club sessions:

“I support my older Code Club members in taking on more responsibilities to develop their skills. I encourage them to support our younger members with their coding projects; this helps them reinforce their understanding of coding concepts and develop their leadership and mentoring skills, while also gaining confidence to push their coding endeavours further.”

Darren Bayliss, Code Club Community Coordinator, Ireland

Promote creativity

While we encourage you to have some structure to your sessions, allowing plenty of space for creativity can significantly enhance the fun factor and increase engagement in your Code Club. Encourage learners to personalise their projects, add unique features, and explore their creativity. This makes coding more enjoyable and promotes innovation and problem-solving skills.

Introduce hands-on activities

Consider incorporating hands-on activities into your Code Club sessions. 

Experiment with interactive coding platforms, physical computing devices like micro:bits or robots, and collaborative projects that require students to work together. 

Hands-on activities can make learning more fun and deepen learners’ understanding of coding concepts.

Celebrate success 

Recognising success and effort is super important for making our learning spaces feel safe. It helps build a positive atmosphere where young coders can feel good about what they’re doing and not worry too much about making mistakes. Mistakes are just part of learning, after all!

On your dashboard, you will find lots of certificates that you can use to celebrate your learners’ achievements. Take a look and see which ones you can hand out at your next Code Club session.

Invite guest speakers

Inviting guest speakers from the tech industry or local coding communities could bring some added excitement and inspiration to your Code Club. Guest speakers can share their experiences, demonstrate real-world applications of coding, and offer valuable insights into different career paths in technology. Exposure to industry professionals can fuel learners’ passion for coding and provide them with valuable role models.

In 2023, a Code Club in Cambridgeshire, England welcomed Gary Foote, CIO at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, to one of their club sessions. Find out how it went!

Grow your inspiration

It’s important to make sure you keep yourself engaged too! Connect with the Code Club community by joining us at our monthly online ‘Coffee and Conversation’ sessions. There’s no agenda, just a welcoming space where you can come and ask your questions, hang out with other educators, and share what is happening in your Code Club. See our events page for details of our next meetup. 

You could also have fun trying the projects yourself. Educator Bob Bilsland thoroughly recommends this! 

“As I always tell people, go and play with the projects yourself. They aren’t just for children and you could surprise yourself with what you learn.”

Bob Bilsland, Educator

If you are looking to build your confidence and skills to help you support your learners, sign up for one of our online workshops. We have lots of sessions for you to choose from each month, and we’d love to see you there!

How do you keep your Code Club a fun and engaging space? Share your tips with the community on X using the hashtag #MyCodeClub.