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Centennial, CO

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Welcome to theCoderSchool

Centennial, CO

20269 E Smoky Hill Rd unit l, Centennial, CO 80015
In Smoky Hill Town Center
Map(720)899-5667centennial@thecoderschool.com
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Hey super-parent! We're happy you're looking for options to get your kids learning to code. It's SUCH an amazing skill to learn and will help your kids in more ways than you can imagine! We're super excited to be bringing Silicon Valley's #1 kids coding program to the area to help your kids get going, so read on and let's get our kids coding!

At theCoderSchool, we want to do more than just teach coding. We want aspiring coders to use their new found passion as a stepping stone to thinking outside the box, as a way to channel their ideas in a creative way and most importantly, to have fun. Interested? Fill out our form and we'll be in touch shortly to tell you more!

Contact us for a free trial lesson!
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Watch our video on Who We Are

Who is theCoderSchool

Code Coaching®

Code Coaching® is our core philosophy, and what our school is all about!  We believe that every student is different, and that kids should learn in the way that works best for each child. How? Our Code Coaches® - they're the magic sauce!  Unlike some coding schools, we don't just leave the kids in front of a computer, expecting the software to teach them how to code. Nor do we force all kids to go through the same curriculum or projects, regardless of their skills and interests. Instead, our Code Coaches® customize their lessons for each child, and focus on a 2 on 1 mentee-mentor relationship with our kids so our students can get the focused attention they need.

Code Coaching® works for kids of all ages and skill levels, from novice to advanced. From game development to web apps, Python to Java, or even niche technologies like AI and beyond, our Coaches can help your kids achieve their goals.

Sessions run one or two hours a week (your choice), at the same time every week on a schedule that works for both you and our assigned Coach. Check out our video for more info!

Coding Lessons for Kids near Denver

Coding takes practice, and we believe getting kids to code consistently throughout the year is the only way they'll really learn to code. theCoderSchool has a staff of hundreds of Code Coaches all around the country, so we know a thing or two about mentoring students in computer science. That's why our after-school coding classes for kids revolve around this relationship, providing a long-term mentor in a Code Coach to teach kids to code, from someone who's an expert coder themselves. theCoderSchool Centennial is located in the heart of the Cherry Creek School District in the southeastern part of the Denver metro area. We have a great group of Code Coaches that love building games including Minecraft and Roblox and some fantastic partnerships with both the Boy Scouts of America and STEM Scouts.

Programs at theCoderSchool

Our coding school's flagship after-school program, Code Coaching®, combines a super-small 2:1 teaching ratio with individualized curriculum so kids are able to move at their own pace, doing things that interest them most. While Code Coaching is our premium program, we also offer a more traditional Code Class for those looking for either software-driven or static-curriculum teaching in a larger ratio. And during summer and holiday breaks, we offer Coding Camps. When available, programs are offered in both in-person and virtual formats. Contact us to find out more and get a free trial today.

theCoderSchool System

We're part of a nationwide system of passionate owners in over 60 locations around the country, teaching over 6,500 students every week with the brainpower of 1000+ expert Code Coaches®. We're proud of the impact theCoderSchool has had on communities everywhere since our brand was founded way back in August of 2014. In short, we know a thing or two about teaching kids to code - so let's get to it!

What Kids Learn

We believe that every student learns in his or her own way, not only in what they want to work on, but how fast and how much. Our Coder Tree® is a visualization of our students' learning options as they grow and a sampling of some of the topics we teach. Find more details about what kids are learning by checking out our Coder Tree®.

Tracking Progress

Our suite of proprietary tools* chart weekly progress by tracking concepts and apps, and longer term progress by identifying skills to build their individual Coder Tree®. Get an idea of our progress tools by clicking through a Sample Student's Student Portal to see for yourself.

* Used by participating locations, check your location for availability

Apps We Build

Congressional App Challenge

Each year, theCoderSchool partners with the Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide coding contest run by districts of the U.S. Congress. Take a look at some recent winners, or ask about our App Gallery to see more apps!

  • Interactive mental health website
    2022 Winner - Pleasanton CA
    Interactive mental health website
  • Scheduling software for busy high schoolers
    2022 Winner - Henderson NV
    Scheduling software for busy high schoolers
  • Website+game to educate on carbon footprint
    2022 Winner - Yorba Linda CA
    Website+game to educate on carbon footprint
  • Help health care workers with code blue
    2021 Winner - Sarasota FL
    Help health care workers with code blue
  • Chat room with built-in AI
    2021 Winner - Buffalo NY
    Chat room with built-in AI
  • Gem collection game in Python
    2021 Winner - Folsom CA
    Gem collection game in Python
  • Education resource for all communities
    2021 Winner - Syosset NY
    Education resource for all communities
  • Drone/AI social distance detection
    2020 Winner - Buffalo NY
    Drone/AI social distance detection
  • Teen job/volunteer matching
    2020 Winner - St Louis MO
    Teen job/volunteer matching
  • 3D Max Game in HTML
    2020 Winner - Folsom CA
    3D Max Game in HTML
  • Note taking for online learning
    2020 Winner - Las Vegas NV
    Note taking for online learning
  • Help make food decisions for health
    2020 Winner - Buffalo, NY
    Help make food decisions for health
  • Distribute restaurant leftovers
    2020 Winner - Syosset NY
    Distribute restaurant leftovers

2023 Summer Camps!!

(Looking for more details? You can also read more about our main camps.)

Week Format Camp Ages Price
6/26-6/30 Full Day MInecraft Let’s face it: Kids love video games. It’s quickly becoming one of the best ways for kids to learn computer science skills — especially coding. At theCoderSchool, we can teach coding through the video game Minecraft. Kids at our Minecraft Coding Camps learn how to build, create, and modify in their worlds through coding. It’s easy to learn, and it's engaging - and, our students come away with hands-on experience of programming in a fun and accessible format. (9:00-2:30) Ages 7+ Ages 7+ $425
7/17-7/21 Full Day Minecraft Let’s face it: Kids love video games. It’s quickly becoming one of the best ways for kids to learn computer science skills — especially coding. At theCoderSchool, we can teach coding through the video game Minecraft. Kids at our Minecraft Coding Camps learn how to build, create, and modify in their worlds through coding. It’s easy to learn, and it's engaging - and, our students come away with hands-on experience of programming in a fun and accessible format. (9:00-2:30) Ages 7+ Ages 7+ $425
7/31-8/4 Full Day Minecraft Let’s face it: Kids love video games. It’s quickly becoming one of the best ways for kids to learn computer science skills — especially coding. At theCoderSchool, we can teach coding through the video game Minecraft. Kids at our Minecraft Coding Camps learn how to build, create, and modify in their worlds through coding. It’s easy to learn, and it's engaging - and, our students come away with hands-on experience of programming in a fun and accessible format. (9:00-2:30) Ages 7+ Ages 7+ $425

Parent Testimonials

"My 9-year-old daughter started taking coding lessons before the pandemic. She has been able to continue weekly lessons virtually without missing a beat. She loves working with [the coach] and has had lots of fun while working hard on creating a game." - Kim H.
"To give you an idea of how much he is liking it ...he told me this morning that the whole online camp day felt like only an hour yesterday because it was so much fun."
- Hisham R.
"What you have brought [here] is simply amazing! Your coaches are fantastic and I couldn't ask for a better learning environment for my son to do his thing and expand his knowledge!" - Bonnie D.
"My son was really getting into things! It was neat to see him and his reactions as the coaches helped him along. The coaches are great at working with students virtually." - Lyndsey M.
"Staff is great. They have managed to turn my son's technology obsession into a creative (instead of just observing you tube videos) outlet. Now instead of just watching videos or playing games...he is creating his games." - Russell H.
"Excellent staff, reasonable prices, and most important they make it fun for kids to learn coding. My son is always excited to go back and work on his game." - Mathew J.

Hey parents, love our school? Give us a review!
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School Info

theCoderSchool Logo
20269 E Smoky Hill Rd unit l, Centennial, CO 80015
In Smoky Hill Town Center
(720)899-5667
centennial@thecoderschool.com
Monday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Friday: 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
theCoderSchool Coach theCoderSchool Writing theCoderSchool Code theCoderSchool Coaching theCoderSchool Fun theCoderSchool With theCoderSchool Coding theCoderSchool Girl theCoderSchool Laughing theCoderSchool Girl theCoderSchool Team theCoderSchool More theCoderSchool Code theCoderSchool Coaching theCoderSchool San theCoderSchool Mateo theCoderSchool School theCoderSchool Team theCoderSchool Coding theCoderSchool Table

Our Schools

Meet the Owners

the Pedersens

Welcome to theCoderSchool Centennial! We are Andrew and Stephanie Pedersen and we are so excited to bring theCoderSchool to Colorado!

We’ve been here in Colorado for almost 10 years. Andrew has built a career in selling technology solutions to large hospitality and healthcare organizations, serving as a trusted advisor in helping ensure his clients had the right technology to meet their business needs. Stephanie is a healthcare executive experienced in business operations, healthcare data and IT platforms. Our daughter Lauren came up through the Cherry Creek elementary schools and is currently a 7th grader at Denver School of the Arts.

We loved the initial exposure that our daughter got to coding through her STEM classes at school, but we were really looking for opportunities to take it farther. We wanted to find an approach that would not only teach kids how to code … but that would also help them understand why the code works the way it does. theCoderSchool does just that, and does it in a way that is tailored and meaningful to each kiddo!

We're always looking for great Code Coaches. Shoot us an email with resumé to see if we're a fit!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can coding help kids?

Many folks might think learning to code is so kids can actually code an app. Honestly, that's not usually the case! Coding real-life apps is tough. Despite what the media says, your kid is not writing some million dollar app by themselves in a month. Instead, coding helps kid *solve problems*. Coding is all about debugging and logically thinking through the fix. Breaking a large problem into smaller parts, logical sequencing, these are all important problem solving skills for any kid (or adult!). A second benefit is confidence and passion in technology. There's plenty of time for kids to learn the latest real tech (which changes all the time), but the time to build passion for technology (and a foundational knowledge base) is when they're young!

What is the best coding language to learn as a beginner?

The truth is, Scratch is amazing for a beginner at ANY AGE. If someone is truly a beginner, a platform like Scratch can allow them to create and engage much more quickly. Older kids (say 11 and up) can soon move to a language like Python or Javascript. Just remember that it takes a LOT MORE work to get Python/Javascript to do the same thing as Scratch - so the kids will need some patience. No matter what anyone tells you please DO NOT start learning with Java or C++! Those languages are too advanced to start with, and we've seen it too often - kids will give up because it's so hard! Definition of backfiring!

What is the best age to start coding?

It depends - we think the best age is the age they want to do it! Listen, there's plenty of time to *really* learn to code - there's a reason Comp Sci is a really tough college degree. The important thing in the younger years is to bring out the desire and passion to learn more - that's why at theCoderSchool we customize our projects based on the student's interests and really focus on engagement before learning.

What are the benefits of kids learning to code?

Children of all ages can benefit from learning coding skills, and students who get hands-on experience with computer programming go on to excel in other subjects Coding helps students gain computer proficiency and build real-world problem-solving skills. Exploring technology is essential for computer literacy. Building fundamental coding skills encourages creativity, promotes teamwork, and enhances spatial intelligence and logical thinking skills. Kids of all ages can learn computer science. For teenagers, learning how to code leads to the development of transferable skills that can be applied in future careers or workplaces. If your student is interested in data science or machine learning, a self-paced course in computer programming can help pave their path.

As you and your family consider coding programs, it helps to keep in mind:

  • The age of the student (we can teach kids as young as six)
  • Their individual interests (such as Lego, Roblox, robotics, video game design, or artificial intelligence)
  • Any previous hands-on experience with coding (even exposure to mobile apps or playing with Minecraft counts)
  • Preferred learning style (we offer both flexible and structured curricula and support self-paced learning)
  • Social skills (some students learn best in one-on-one lessons, while others favor teamwork)

    Whether the student wants to explore Minecraft modding in Minecraft camp, is interested in HTML, or wants to learn block-based coding like CSS, our interactive classes provide a great coding experience.

    Can a 6 year old do coding?

    Sure! Kids this young are just developing their sense of logic. While some advanced 6 year olds are ready to dive into learning Scratch, many are better off with fun learning apps like Kodable or Scratch Jr..

    How do kids learn to code?

    Same way adults do! The best way to learn something is to just DO it. It's not about all the theory and fancy words, it's about just doing it over and over again. If you're a parent with a college degree, think back. How much of that theoretical curriculum did you really use in your job? Or did you really learn your job by DOING your job? It's the same with kids, we'll mentor and guide them, but most importantly, we'll get them to code something custom that they want to code!

    Does coding require reading?

    It definitely requires a little bit of reading and comprehension. Even coding with blocks requires some reading, albeit not as much. More importantly when kids move on to typed languages like Python or Javascript - they have to know how to type! If they can't type, coding typed languages is more than frustrating, often causing kids to quit.

    Where is the best place to learn coding for kids?

    We're a little bit biased, but we think it's theCoderSchool! There's no better way to learn anything, including coding, than just doing it with a mentor to guide you. Online or in person, our Code Coaches will give you that low-ratio full attention that every kid deserves!
  • Private+Semi-Private Coaching

    Virtual Learning

    Coding Classes

    Robotics

    Python

    Scratch

    Video Game Coding



    What is theCoderSchool? We are an after-school drop-off (and virtual) program for kids learning to code - a coding school! There's after-school kung fu. There's after-school music lessons, sports, art, tutoring, Chinese, you name it, it's out there. But coding for kids? We're among the first of many, and the largest in Silicon Valley with more locations on the way around the country. The future will be ever more dependent on technology so let's get our young generation ready. Learn to Code, Change the World®.

    Got a question? Email us at centennial@thecoderschool.com!

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