

And it's available in more than 40 languages. Why Scratch? For one, it works on any computer since it's online. It uses a simple yet powerful building-block approach to development which puts the focus on solving problems rather than on the syntax itself.

What's it about? Developed by the folks over at MIT Media Lab, Scratch is a completely free visual programming that helps kids aged 8 and above to create interactive stories, video games, animations, music and art.

Without further ado, here are five options you should consider: Some popular picks that didn't make the cut either due to being similar, outdated or being paid include Greenfoot, RoboMind and Gamestar Mechanic. Once we had a shortlist of different picks, we tried to narrow the list down to the ones that are are the most up to date, unique, and free. To narrow it down to five languages that provide an option for children on different stages - be it beginner or advanced - we looked at different resources such as Science Buddies, Kids Codecs and Wikipedia. There are a lot of programming languages to choose from, but not all of them are updated on a routine basis. If you're looking for a summer project for your kids, why not teach them how to code? It's something that anyone would benefit from, and could lead to projects such as creating your own mobile apps or interactive stories. Summer is upon us, which means the vacations and your kids are looking at a good stretch of free time.
