You've bought the course, found the free tools and told your child how useful coding is. And they shrug. Reluctance is common, and it rarely means your child is "not a computer person." Usually there's a reason, and it can be addressed.
Find out why
Ask without judging: "What don't you like about it?" Common answers:
- "It's boring." The material may be too easy, too hard or unconnected to anything they like.
- "I'm bad at it." They've hit a frustrating bug and decided they can't do it.
- "It's school." If coding feels like homework, it loses its appeal.
- "My friends don't do it." Social reasons matter more than we like.
- "I'd rather play." Fair enough: games are very appealing.
Change the offer, not the child
Often the activity needs to change:
- Start from their interest. A child who loves Minecraft, football or drawing might engage with modding, a stats tracker or digital art made with code. Ask what they'd like to make.
- Make it smaller. "Ten minutes, and you choose what we build" is easier to agree to than "an hour of lessons."
- Do it together. Sit alongside and be a learner, too. Children often engage more when a parent is curious rather than supervising.
- Try a different format. If typing is a barrier, use Scratch or unplugged games.
Remove the pressure
- No grades, no scoring against siblings.
- No linking it to rewards or punishments.
- Let them stop when they've had enough.
The aim is for them to want to come back, so end each session while it's still going well.
Let them see why it's interesting
Show how code appears in their world: the game they play, a video app, a robot toy. Find a short video of someone their age making something. Seeing possibilities can do what persuasion can't.
Give choices
"Do you want to make a game, an animation or a web page?" gives control. Choice is a powerful motivator, even when all options lead to the same skill.
When to step back
If your child is truly uninterested after a fair try, it's okay to pause. Forcing it can create a lasting dislike. Other activities teach the same thinking skills: puzzles, strategy games, building sets, cooking from a recipe. Come back in six months; interests change fast.
Check the tool, too
If your child finds the platform dull or confusing, try another. Something designed for children with short activities, humour and a sense of progress helps. Many families find free options are a good way to test the waters; see the Tiny Coderz courses.
More ideas
Read how to keep kids motivated and the best first coding language for kids for other starting points.