Your kid wants to try coding, and a search for classes in Chicago turns up a dozen names spread from the North Shore to the western suburbs, each with its own price, age range, and format.
Are your kids interested in coding? There are lots of good options for coding courses in Chicago, and we want it to be easy for you to find what you’re looking for.
Whether you’re looking for small class sizes or do it at home kits, there are options for your child.
How we chose these programs
We evaluated each coding program based on factors that matter most to parents:
- Age range and beginner accessibility
- Curriculum quality and skills taught
- Hands-on projects and learning approach
- Class format and flexibility
- Instructor support
- Local availability and reputation
- Overall value
Our goal is to provide an objective comparison so families can choose a program that fits their child’s learning style, whether they are a complete beginner or already interested in technology.
Comparing coding classes and camps in Chicago
| Provider | Ages | Price | Format | Location tag | Category tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code Ninjas | 5–14 | $250/wk (camp) | In-person, belt classes + camps | Local — in-person (franchise) | Summer camp + Year-round classes |
| Digital Adventures | K–8th | $199-$350 | In-person, weekly classes | Local — in-person | Year-round classes |
| iCode (Ravenswood) | Not published | In-person, single location | Local — in-person (franchise) | Year-round classes | |
| Kids STEM Studio | 4–14 | $140-$320 | In-person classes, camps | Local — in-person | STEM-org-with-coding |
| We All Code | 7–17 | Free | In-person weekend classes, camps | Local — in-person (nonprofit) | Free community program |
Chicago coding programs, compared one by one
The order below groups providers by business type, not by ranking: genuinely local, still-operating businesses first, then the free nonprofit, then the online-only former-local brand, then the two national franchises.
Digital Adventures
Local — in-person · Year-round classes
Ages: K–12th grade
Format: In-person, weekly 50-minute classes across a structured 9-level curriculum, from Scratch through JavaScript
Location: 701 W Armitage, Chicago, IL 60614, Lincoln Park
Pricing: $199-$350
Digital Adventures has run local in-person coding and robotics courses since 2014. They offer great options for 3D modeling and video game design, including Minecraft modding.
They offer continuous after-school programs that cost around $199 a month for 4 sessions, as well as seasonal camps which can run up to $350.
Why a parent might choose this
- Local locations with over a decade of serving the community
- Structured level system for progression as your child advances
Who this isn’t right for
- Families looking for a more budget-friendly program
- Anyone specifically on Chicago’s South or West Side, since all three locations cluster in the North Shore/near-north area
Kids STEM Studio
Local — in-person · STEM org with coding
Ages: 4–14
Format: In-person weekly classes, after-school enrichment, camps, and birthday parties
Location: 770 W Gladys Ave, Chicago, IL 60661
Pricing: $140 /month (1 weekly class) up to $320/month (3 weekly classes)
Kids STEM Studio offers robotics, coding, game design, and Minecraft modding.
They offer up to 3 classes weekly, billed monthly. If you’re looking for things to do on your kids’ off days from school, they also offer field trips and camps over school breaks.
Why a parent might choose this
- Kids STEM Studio is a local Chicago business still operating for its local communities
- Has both coding and other STEM curriculum, so your child can experience a variety of opportunities.
Who this isn’t right for
- Families who want a program built entirely around coding rather than one module among several
- Families looking for a budget opportunity or a daily program
We All Code
Local — in-person (nonprofit) · Free community program
Ages: 7–17
Format: In-person weekend classes (3–5 hours, single topic), multi-class courses, and week-long summer camps
Location: 3432 W Diversey Ave, Chicago
Pricing: Free “whenever possible”
We All Code is a free nonprofit serving Chicago communities since 2013. They offer full coding courses in HTML, CSS, Python, and JavaScript.
Their courses focus on more applicable front-end and back-end development. These are more focused and more serious courses. Their programs are geared towards more
Why a parent might choose this
- The only fully free, nonprofit option in this comparison, with real scale behind it (the organization reports roughly 170 volunteer mentors a year)
- Have children with a serious interest in learning highly applicable coding languages
Who this isn’t right for
- Families wanting a fixed weekly class rather than single-session weekend classes and camps
- Children looking for gamified robotics or other STEM opportunities
Code Ninjas
Local — in-person (franchise) · Summer camp + Year-round classes
Ages: 5–14
Format: In-person; year-round “Create” belt classes plus week-long day camps (half-day AM/PM or full-day)
Location: Multiple Chicagoland locations, city and suburbs
Pricing: Camps $250/week half-day, or $225/week if booking both AM and PM sessions, per the national camps page
Code Ninjas is a national franchise with multiple independently owned locations across Chicago and its suburbs, running a self-paced “belt” curriculum plus themed week-long camps.
Why a parent might choose this
- Decent pricing and the reliability of a franchise
- Several location options across the area
Who this isn’t right for
- Families wanting a Chicago-founded business rather than a national franchise
- Anyone assuming this pricing and format apply identically everywhere: each location is independently owned, and specifics can vary; confirm with the actual center you’d attend
iCode (Ravenswood)
Local — in-person (franchise) · Year-round classes
Ages: Not published as a single range; the school uses an age/level assessment tool instead
Format: In-person after-school “Belt Program,” an AI-focused track, and camps
Location: 2010 W. Montrose Ave, Chicago (Ravenswood)
Pricing: $309-$599+
iCode is another franchise option locally owned in the Chicago area. They offer 2 Classes per week as well as a Belt Program for your child to learn at their own pace usually lasting 6-8 months.
Why a parent might choose this
- A real, single, walk-in location genuinely inside Chicago proper: most other featured providers here are suburb-based
- A Girl Scout STEM badge partnership, if that’s relevant to your family
Who this isn’t right for
- Families wanting a from-scratch local business rather than a franchise
- Anyone needing pricing or a specific age range before a visit
Online vs. in-person: what to consider
In-person tends to fit well when:
- Your kid wants live instructor contact and other kids in the room: six of this comparison’s seven featured providers are in-person
- You’re within reach of the North Shore, the western suburbs, or Ravenswood, where the in-person options above cluster
Online tends to fit well when:
- You want to try coding at low cost with no schedule commitment.
- Driving or transportation isn’t available
Free and low-cost coding programs in Chicago
- We All Code, a Chicago nonprofit, runs weekend classes, courses, and camps citywide for ages 7–17 that are free “whenever possible.” Check current session cost before assuming every offering is free.
- Chicago Public Library runs Hour of Code programming for kids and teens (a December event window, so check current dates), plus the Maker Lab at Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago’s first free public makerspace, running introductory workshops and open-shop time year-round.
- Apple’s Chicago flagship store offers free in-store Swift Playgrounds sessions for kids; schedules vary, so check their current calendar.
- Chicago Mobile Makers, a nonprofit that brings a solar-powered, retrofitted-truck makerspace directly into South and West Side communities, runs free or low-cost multi-week workshops grouped by grade band, from 3rd through 12th grade.
Chicago’s STEM ecosystem beyond coding classes
Museums: The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry runs single-day and week-long STEAM camps (including coding, robotics, and Fab Lab 3D printing) for kindergarten through 12th grade, with core summer programming aimed at 5th–9th graders and scholarships available.
Robotics leagues: FIRST Illinois Robotics runs the full FIRST progression statewide, from non-competitive Jr.FLL at ages 6–9 through FIRST Robotics Competition at the high school level.
Maker spaces: Chicago Mobile Makers (see above) is the strongest kid-specific maker-space option we found in the metro.
District requirement worth knowing: Chicago Public Schools was the first large U.S. school district to make a computer science credit mandatory for high school graduation, a requirement that first applied to the Class of 2020. That’s a genuine reason CPS families in particular might be looking for outside coding instruction.
Other programs worth considering
National platforms, franchises, and one status note also touch this market; without Chicago-specific substance for a full profile, here’s the short version of each:
- iD Tech: national camp operator running sessions at Loyola and Northwestern; no Chicago-specific origin
- Create & Learn: national online platform (HQ Palo Alto, CA) with no Chicago specificity
- CodeWizardsHQ: national online platform (HQ Austin, TX) with no Chicago specificity
- theCoderSchool (North Shore): franchise, corporate HQ in Silicon Valley; the Deerfield location is independently, locally owned
- Code Play Learn: Oak Park/Glenview STEM camp with real local presence, but thinner public data than the providers featured above
- GreenApple Campus: Chicago nonprofit based at 1871; coding is one program inside a broader entrepreneurship and career curriculum
- Power Up Tech Academy: a genuinely Chicago-founded (2015) coding business that appears closed (Yelp marks it closed, and its own domain has lapsed), though at least three camp directories still list it as bookable; treat it as unavailable rather than call to check first
How to choose the right program for your kid
Before you call anyone, a few questions worth asking:
- Is a “Chicago” brand you recognize still actually operating in person? One well-known local name in this comparison closed all its studios and doesn’t offer live classes anymore.
- Is the provider you found on a directory or camp-finder site still actually in business? At least one Chicago-founded coding business appears closed but is still listed as bookable.
- Does the schedule realistically fit your commute? Naperville and Wilmette are both “Chicago” on paper and very different drives from the city core.
- If price isn’t published, ask for it directly before you invest time touring or trialing.
- If your family is in CPS, ask whether a program’s curriculum connects to anything relevant for the district’s computer science graduation requirement.
We turned these into a one-page checklist you can save or take to a call.
FAQ
What age should kids start coding? Many children can begin learning basic coding concepts around ages 5–7 through beginner tools like Scratch. Older kids can move into text-based languages like Python once they’re comfortable with the basic logic.
Are coding classes worth it? For most kids, the value isn’t just programming — it’s problem-solving, creativity, logical thinking, confidence, and persistence, built through making something rather than just completing lessons. The strongest programs are the ones built around real projects, not just worksheets.
Are there free coding classes for kids in Chicago? Yes. We All Code runs weekend classes, courses, and camps for kids citywide that are free “whenever possible,” with a focus on girls, students of color, and low-income students. It’s worth confirming cost for your specific session before assuming it’s free. Chicago Public Library also runs free Hour of Code programming and a year-round Maker Lab at Harold Washington Library Center. See the free options section above for specifics.
Should my child learn Scratch or Python first? Most beginners should start with Scratch, since it teaches core programming concepts without the friction of exact syntax. Python is usually a better next step once a kid already understands the underlying logic.
What should parents look for in a coding class? Hands-on projects, age-appropriate pacing, supportive instructors, real problem-solving (not just following steps), and a clear sense of progression. The goal is a kid who leaves able to build something on their own, not just one who finished a checklist.
Our picks by situation
- Youngest kids, weekly after-school format: start with Digital Adventures
- Want robotics and engineering alongside coding: start with Kids STEM Studio
- Free, nonprofit, citywide: start with We All Code
- Want a national brand with Chicagoland-wide locations: start with Code Ninjas
- Want a walk-in location genuinely inside Chicago proper: start with iCode (Ravenswood), We All Code, or Kids STEM Studio