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Coding for kids in Morocco: what age should they start? An age-by-age guide (7 to 18)

By Kawthar Bouachrine · 10 November 2026

There is no perfect age to start coding. In Morocco as anywhere else, most children can begin with visual blocks like Scratch around age 6 or 7, move on to a real language like Python around age 10, and explore artificial intelligence as teenagers. What matters most is not age: it is starting with projects your child actually enjoys.

What age to start coding? From 6 or 7, with the right tools

The Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK organisation dedicated to teaching coding, puts it simply: "There is no correct age at which a child can start coding." It still gives useful milestones: programmable toys around age 4, Scratch from about age 6, and text-based languages such as Python around age 9 or 10, when typing skills are good enough.

At Koding Kids, we welcome children from age 7. At that age, most can read instructions on their own and stay focused for a one-hour live online class.

Coding and AI: what children can learn at each age

These stages match our classes: Mini Koders (7 to 9), Junior Koders (10 to 12) and Teen Techies (13 and up). Children move up one level per year, from Scratch to Python. Classes run in English or French.

Ages 7 to 9: learning logic through play

At this age, children barely type any code. They snap coloured blocks together, like puzzle pieces, to make a character move. Without noticing, they learn the basics: repeating an action, reacting to an event, making a decision.

A good sign: they want to show their game to the whole family at the end of the class.

Ages 10 to 12: from playing to building

Children type faster, think more abstractly and want bigger projects. It is the right time to introduce variables, scores and levels, then the first lines of Python. The link with maths becomes visible: coordinates and calculations finally serve a concrete purpose.

13 and up: a real language, and AI

Teenagers can learn Python, the language professionals use, and understand how artificial intelligence works. The goal shifts: it is no longer just about making a game, but about using AI wisely instead of simply consuming it.

Is 14 or 15 too late to start?

No. A teenager who starts at 14 often progresses faster than an 8-year-old, because they read, type and reason more quickly. They can skip part of the visual stage and move to Python sooner. The key is to start from what they already love: video games, music, sport, social media.

How do you know your child is ready?

• They read short instructions on their own.
• They love building things: Lego, Minecraft, drawings, made-up stories.
• They ask lots of "why" and "how" questions about the things around them.
• They can handle making mistakes and trying again, at least a little. Coding builds exactly that kind of persistence.

If two or three of these sound like your child, they are probably ready for a first class.

Is coding just more screen time?

Many parents hesitate because their child already spends time on screens. The difference is what they do on the screen. Scrolling through videos is consuming. Coding a game is creating: planning, testing, getting it wrong, fixing it. One hour of coding a week with a teacher has little in common with an hour of endless videos.

Coding and AI in Moroccan schools

Coding is gradually entering Moroccan public schools. According to Le Matin, the Ministry of National Education is rolling out the "Caravanecode pour tous" programme, which aims to introduce all sixth-year primary pupils, more than 600,000 children, to coding, robotics and AI by 2026, using the free Scratch software.

Artificial intelligence is following the same path. In October 2025, two ministers launched a national programme in Tangier to train children in digital skills and AI, starting in youth centres across the twelve regions, with UM6P's AI Movement. Afrik.com reports a goal of introducing 200,000 children to digital tools by 2030.

These programmes are good news: they show that coding and AI are becoming basic skills. But they remain introductions, often one-off. A child who wants to make real progress needs regular practice, level after level.

Where can children learn coding and AI in Morocco?

• Free resources: Scratch (scratch.mit.edu) lets children try coding at home, with nothing to install. It is a good way to test your child's interest.
• Introductory sessions at school or in youth centres, where they exist near you.
• A coding club or school, in person or online, for weekly practice with a teacher. Live online classes have a clear advantage in Morocco: your child follows the same programme whether you live in Casablanca, Agadir or abroad, and expat families can choose classes in English.

Koding Kids belongs to this third group and has been running since 2017: more than 1,000 children have learned to code with us, live, online and in small groups, in English or French.

How to get started

1. Let them try Scratch for free at scratch.mit.edu, for 20 minutes, with no pressure.
2. Watch whether they go back to their project on their own the next day.
3. Choose a live, small-group class suited to their age: a teacher helps them past the hard parts, and a group keeps them motivated.

Sources: Marc Scott, "At what age can a child start coding?", Raspberry Pi Foundation, 8 November 2022. "Coding, robotique et IA dans les écoles", Le Matin, 10 July 2024 (in French). "Le Maroc lance la formation des enfants au numérique et à l'IA", Le Matin, 21 October 2025 (in French). "Le Maroc mise sur le numérique", Afrik.com, 21 October 2025 (in French).

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