SELF-PACED · ANY TIME ZONE

Self-paced online coding for kids, aged 6 to 16

No fixed session time. Your child logs in whenever suits them, after school, at the weekend, in a burst over the holidays, and works through the same weekly projects everybody else does, whether home is Dublin, Amsterdam or Helsinki.

A STEM-certified mentor answers by text and video message during the week, so they are not on their own with it. For children aged 6 to 16, beginners included.

€30 a month. No joining fee, no minimum term, cancel any time.

No credit card required to register
5.0 from 128 reviews · Autism Inclusion Award · STEM accredited
Game Dev Academy

Race ahead, or take a week off. Both are fine.


What's included

  • Go at their own speed. Race ahead on a good week, do nothing on a bad one. Nothing is missed and there is nothing to catch up.
  • A mentor who answers. STEM-certified, replying by text and video message when your child gets stuck.
  • A new game every week. A fresh build every week, ready whenever they are.
  • Minecraft Mod Worlds. Their own worlds to mod with real code, included at no extra cost.
  • Seasonal Game Jams. Everyone builds to one theme, then plays what the others made.
  • Stop and start as you like. It is one month at a time, with nothing to cancel in advance.

They level up as they go

Each level is a real step, not a sticker, and each one earns a STEM-certified certificate. Working through the Academy most children complete Hacker and start on Modder.

progress you can point at

Our focus is on building practical, life-long skills like creativity, problem-solving and confidence, in a relaxed, supportive environment.

Award winning!
Club Hub Top 100 Children's Activity Providers 2026
The UK’s #1 coding clubRanked 2nd of the top 100 children’s activity providers in the UK, Club Hub 2026, and first among coding clubs
STEAM Impact Awards winner 2026
WinnerSTEAM Impact Awards, 2026
Xero Beautiful Business Fund global winner 2024
Global winnerXero Beautiful Business Fund, 2024
National Autistic Society Autism Inclusion Award 2025
Autism Inclusion AwardNational Autistic Society, 2025
STEM.org Accredited Educational Experience
AccreditedSTEM.org Educational Experience
We're award winning! See what we won, and why
Coding is for everyone

Supporting every learner it's kind of our thing

We hold the Autism Inclusion Award from the National Autistic Society, the UK’s leading autism charity, and a large share of our members are neurodivergent. Our mentors are trained to create an inclusive, patient environment where children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or diverse learning needs truly thrive.

National Autistic Society - Autism Inclusion Award 2025

"I couldn't recommend this more. The support is outstanding! My son finally feels accepted, which is something money can't buy!"

How Game Dev Academy works

Sign up

Join for €30 a month and get instant access to your academy portal.

Meet your mentor

Your child is matched with a STEM-certified mentor who supports them throughout.

Code at their pace

Work through projects independently with mentor support by message.

Build and learn

Hack games, earn awards, and progress from Scratch to Python and TypeScript.

Everything you need to know

Technical requirements

A computer or laptop (Windows, Mac or Chromebook) and reliable internet. Projects are stored on The Code Zone, so they are easy to reach from anywhere.

Commitment and flexibility

Monthly rolling membership, no minimum term, cancel any time. Learn at your own pace with mentor support when you need it.

Starting from scratch?

No coding experience needed. We start with visual drag-and-drop coding before gradually introducing text-based languages when your child is ready.

How mentor support works

A dedicated STEM-certified mentor supports your child by text and video message: questions answered, feedback on their code, and guidance as they progress.

Our mentors are in the UK, so a reply comes back within the day rather than within the hour.

Our members rate us 'Excellent'!

5/5 from 129 reviews Reviews are verified by REVIEWS.io

Ready to give it a go?

Join the Academy
only €30.00 per month

5.0 from 128 reviews
By booking you agree to our privacy policy, online child safety agreement and terms.
Join the Academy

FAQ

We're here to help!
A decent internet connection, a laptop/desktop computer and access to a browser like Chrome to use The Code Zone Online platform. We're currently working on better supporting mobile and tablet devices, so for now you need a device that has a screen width of 12.9" or larger.
No, they won't get bored. We encourage more advanced coders to 'hack' our challenges. We want them to create something new that matters to them and stretches their creativity and coding abilities.
Yes, our challenges are designed to be scalable for all skill levels and abilities. If your child is new to coding - they can complete our 'Skill of Scratch' mini-series course before tackling the main challenges. Each challenge starts with a video intro from a Zone Leader to set the scene, and challenge cards also give more support.

The Code Zone Online platform also has tutorials and mini-series guides and help blocks with tips to help users if they get stuck. And for Online + Community customers have live Zone Leader support on hand for a more personal tutorial style of session
Yes, our challenges are designed to be scalable for all skill levels and abilities. If your child is new to coding - they can complete our 'Skill of Scratch' mini-series course before tackling the main challenges. Each challenge starts with a video intro from a Zone Leader to set the scene, and challenge cards also give more support.

The Code Zone Online platform also has tutorials and mini-series guides and help blocks with tips to help users if they get stuck. And for Online + Community customers have live Zone Leader support on hand for a more personal tutorial style of session,Members of Game Dev Academy are assigned a mentor who will send regular video messages throughout the week explaining how to play the weekly game, providing explanations about how the code works, and showing off the cool games that members have been working on.
 
Members can ask questions through our chat box and their mentor will respond by sending messages, helpful images, and personalised video messages.