Hello Sarasota / Manatee parent! We’re so psyched you found your way here to theCoderSchool of Sarasota. Coding is such an awesome skill and it’s going to be so important in the future. That’s why we’re so happy to be bringing Silicon Valley’s most popular after school coding program here to the Suncoast. When we talk about coding, sure we mean programming computers to do cool and amazing things, but we also teach abstract thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Oh, and fun. We have a TON of fun.

Interested? Fill out the form and we’ll be in touch shortly to tell you more!

Got some coding chops yourself?
We're always looking for skillful coders to add to our Code Coaching team. Send your resume to Sarasota@thecoderschool.com and we'll be in touch!

theCoderSchool may contact me via text

How Students Progress

Name: theCoderSchool
Address: 6293 Lake Osprey Dr, Sarasota, FL, 34240, US
Telephone: (941)355-CODE(2633)
Price range: $$$

OUR CODER TREE

See our visualization of what kids are learning and a sampling of possibilities.

Learn About
Our Coder Tree

What's YOUR
Coder Story?

OUR CODER STORY

Find our coding roadmap that goes beyond coding custom apps to building a story for college

Camp Schedule By Week

GET SUMMER CAMP READY! Our camps are run in our school from 9am-3pm Mon-Fri. Kids bring their own lunches and water bottles and we'll take care of the rest. Kids build games and apps throughout the week then demo their week's creations on Friday afternoon. These camps have been a huge success and always result in very happy campers! SPACE IS LIMITED - BOOK SOON! Use coupon code SUMMER25 before April 1st to save $100 on any camps!

Scroll table to see all 16 camps

Week	Format	Camp	Ages	Price
5/27 - 5/30	Full Day	(4 day) Minecraft (Skill Level: Beginner) Minecraft has taken the world over by surprise since it debuted in 2009. This camp combines the fun of Minecraft with teaching kids to code at the same time. Playing Minecraft is fun, but building, creating, and modifying your Minecraft agents and worlds through coding is a skill that can help our younger generation in any field they choose to pursue. Tell your Minecraft fan to get their Creepers and Magma Cubes ready for this camp! Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$395
6/2 - 6/6	Full Day	Game Development (Skill Level: Beg/Int) Prerequisites: None We'll be using cool drag n' drop languages like Scratch or Snap to create us some cool new and classic games! Aimed at our newbie and novice coders. Ages 8-10	Ages 8-10	$495
6/2 - 6/6	Full Day	Python Startup (Skill Level:Beg/Int) Prerequisites: Some experience preferred but not required. Who’s ready for some PYTHON! Sounds a little gross, like a giant snake right? But it’s actually one of the hottest languages around today. Take advantage of the easy-to-read style of coding while picking up on one of the most popular languages today for professional and beginner coders alike. We’ll start out by using an online python platform to learn some basics and practice some fundamental concepts, and time permitting and based on our camper skill set, we may jump on to some more complex Python coding, potentially getting into coding with PyGame. Ages 10+	Ages 10+	$495
6/9 - 6/13	Full Day	Robocode Robot Coding Camp (Skill Level: Beg/Int) Prerequisites: None Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! The field of robotics is absolutely booming. Everything from cars to thermostats and appliances are all tied to robotics and hardware engineering. If you’re excited by the thought of being an Aerospace engineer at NASA or designing the next robotic creation, then you can get a nice start on the right path with our camp. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$595
6/16 - 6/20	Full Day	Minecraft (Skill Level: Beginner) Minecraft has taken the world over by surprise since it debuted in 2009. This camp combines the fun of Minecraft with teaching kids to code at the same time. Playing Minecraft is fun, but building, creating, and modifying your Minecraft agents and worlds through coding is a skill that can help our younger generation in any field they choose to pursue. Tell your Minecraft fan to get their Creepers and Magma Cubes ready for this camp! Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$495
6/16- 6/20	Full Day	Roblox Camp (Skill Level: Beginner) Prerequisites: Good typer, must bring own PC/Mac laptop In this camp, participants will get to create and publish their own Roblox game to Roblox website for the world to play. Campers will spend each day building an Obby (Roblox lingo for Obstacle course) using the amazing Roblox Studio platform. Campers will learn the basics of creating games in a 3D environment. They will also learn about the programming language Lua by modifying pre-programmed blocks to suit their obstacle course needs. On Friday, parents will get to see the awesome creations of their campers. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$495
6/23- 6/27	Full Day	Game Development (Skill Level: Beg/Int) Prerequisites: None We'll be using cool drag n' drop languages like Scratch or Snap to create us some cool new and classic games! Aimed at our newbie and novice coders. Ages 8-10	Ages 8-10	$495
6/23- 6/27	Full Day	WebRox (Skill Level: Beg/Int) Prerequisites: Good typer Our WebRox camp is all about websites, because the web rocks! Our campers will spend the week designing and building their very own websites and get 'em published to the world by the end of the week. Importantly, kids will be introduced to Internet Safety and why cyber-safety matters, plus we'll learn the basics of how the internet works (wait, you mean that Facebook page lives out in the "cloud" somewhere?!). As usual, our Fridays are all about the demo, showing off the all cool website stuff the kids create! Ages 10+	Ages 10+	$495
6/30 - 7/3	Full Day	(4 day) Minecraft (Skill Level: Beginner) Minecraft has taken the world over by surprise since it debuted in 2009. This camp combines the fun of Minecraft with teaching kids to code at the same time. Playing Minecraft is fun, but building, creating, and modifying your Minecraft agents and worlds through coding is a skill that can help our younger generation in any field they choose to pursue. Tell your Minecraft fan to get their Creepers and Magma Cubes ready for this camp! Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$395
7/7- 7/11	Full Day	Rise of the Machines (Skill Level: Intermediate) Prerequisites: Some coding experience Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the bigger buzzwords today, and we’re ready to help you tackle it. What is AI? Why is it taking over the world? When will the Terminator come back and take down John Connor?? We’ll start out talking about AI use cases and dive into some fundamental algorithms and create some basic AI apps as well. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$495
7/7 - 7/11	Full Day	Arduino Camp (Skill Level: Beg/Int Prerequisits: None Our Arduino summer camp teaches kids the ins and outs of how to use the Arduino platform to create simple electronic projects. During the camp, students will learn the basics of programming and electronics using the Arduino platform with an Arduino board and starter kit provided. Campers will be introduced to the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and will learn how to write code to control the behavior of electronic circuits. Activities at the camp may include building simple circuits using breadboards, programming LEDs to blink and fade, building simple games or interactive projects using sensors and displays. It is a great way for kids to learn hands-on skills and to explore the possibilities of the Arduino platform. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$595
7/14- 7/18	Full Day	Game Development (Skill Level: Beg/Int) We'll be using cool drag n' drop languages like Scratch or Snap to create us some cool new and classic games! Aimed at our newbie and novice coders. 8-10	8-10	$495
7/14 - 7/18	Full Day	Roblox Camp (Skill Level: Beginner) Prerequisites: Good typer, must bring own PC or Mac laptop In this camp, participants will get to create and publish their own Roblox game to Roblox website for the world to play. Campers will spend each day building an Obby (Roblox lingo for Obstacle course) using the amazing Roblox Studio platform. Campers will learn the basics of creating games in a 3D environment. They will also learn about the programming language Lua by modifying pre-programmed blocks to suit their obstacle course needs. On Friday, parents will get to see the awesome creations of their campers. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$495
7/21 - 7/25	Full Day	Robocode Robot Coding Camp (Skill Level: Beg/Int) Prerequisites: None Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! The field of robotics is absolutely booming. Everything from cars to thermostats and appliances are all tied to robotics and hardware engineering. If you’re excited by the thought of being an Aerospace engineer at NASA or designing the next robotic creation, then you can get a nice start on the right path with our camp. Ages 9+	Ages 9+	$595
7/28 - 8/1	Full Day	Python Startup (Skill Level:Beg/Int) Prerequisites: Some experience preferred but not required. Who’s ready for some PYTHON! Sounds a little gross, like a giant snake right? But it’s actually one of the hottest languages around today. Take advantage of the easy-to-read style of coding while picking up on one of the most popular languages today for professional and beginner coders alike. We’ll start out by using an online python platform to learn some basics and practice some fundamental concepts, and time permitting and based on our camper skill set, we may jump on to some more complex Python coding, potentially getting into coding with PyGame. Ages 10+	Ages 10+	$495
7/28 - 8/1	Full Day	Intro to Java Camp Prerequisites:AP CS Principles or Similar Ready to take on an AP level course? Our Java camp is a little different than our other camps in that it’s focused on following a curriculum, for the purpose of helping our students get a head start on the AP Computer Science “A” course. While we’re not likely to complete the entire course during just the camp, we’ll go as far as we can based on the skillset of the campers we get. This camp is aimed at those who are about to start AP CS A, or just want to get a head start with come curriculum-based Java learning! 13+	13+	$495

Our Upcoming Events

Kids Night Out - Bopl Batle

Friday from 6pm - 9pm

Ages 7-11

$40

Drop off the kids for a fun night of Bopl Battle on our big screen TV's. Don't worry about feeding them dinner, because we'll be providing pizza and juice for all our players. Our school is conveniently located just minutes from the UTC Mall and Shops as well as Main Street in Lakewood Ranch providing endless entertainment and dining options to keep parents from getting too bored while their kids are having so much fun. (wink, wink)

Minecraft Kids Night Out

Minecraft Kid's Night Out from 6pm - 9pm

Ages 8-12

$40

Who doesn’t enjoy building, hunting, and destroying in a friendly game of Minecraft? I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to join us for our Minecraft Kid’s Night Out where our Code Coaches will help kids learn how to use Minecraft Education Edition for 3 hours – with a break for pizza, of course. This is a drop-off event for kids 8-12 so parents can enjoy one of the many dining locations near our school.

Kids Night Out - Super Smash Bros. Party

Friday from 6pm - 9pm

Ages 7-11

$40

Drop off the kids for a fun night of Super Smash Bros. on our big screen TV's. Don't worry about feeding them dinner, because we'll be providing pizza and juice for all our players. Our school is conveniently located just minutes from the UTC Mall and Shops as well as Main Street in Lakewood Ranch providing endless entertainment and dining options to keep parents from getting too bored while their kids are having so much fun. (wink, wink)

Kids Night Out - Mario Kart Party

Friday from 6pm - 9pm

Ages 7-11

$40

Drop off the kids for a fun night of Mario Kart on our big screen TV's. Don't worry about feeding them dinner, because we'll be providing pizza and juice for all our players. Our school is conveniently located just minutes from the UTC Mall and Shops as well as Main Street in Lakewood Ranch providing endless entertainment and dining options to keep parents from getting too bored while their kids are having so much fun. (wink, wink)

CoderFair

Sunday, August 17th, 2025 from 12pm - 4pm

Join us for our CoderFair / Student demo day. Students are invited to submit their best projects of the season as part of our CoderFair. Exhibits will be on display for other students, their families, and members of the community to see and try out. Our panel of community judges score each project and stand-out projects will be recognized. Come support our young coders and be inspired by their hard work!

Our Testimonials

"We have loved our experience with coding classes for our boys. They have really developed and learned skills in Scratch. They've built games and found the desire to create with the platform more exciting since starting lessons."
Ashley C, Sarasota
"Fun, safe environment for our son to expand his coding skills and be social! Thank you Coder School!!"
Samantha D, Sarasota
"Our daughter started at theCoderSchool recently and has learned so much in a short time. She loves her coach and the staff. She looks forward to going every week. The staff is very welcoming."
James B, Bradenton
"My son wakes up every Tuesday knowing he has coding class after school and CAN'T WAIT! He learns new things everyday and the staff and coaches are extremely helpful and dedicated to helping him grow. Absolutely recommend any parent to come in and take a tour. Great atmosphere and everyone is so nice!"
Adam L, Bradenton
"This place is amazing! My son has finally found something he loves to do. I personally do not know the first thing about coding, but everyone who works there is super knowledgeable and inclusive regardless of age or ability. They have camps every vacation which we book as soon as available - we haven't done a different camp since discovering the Coder School. Pete and Allison who run it couldn't be sweeter or more enthusiastic. It really is a welcoming and happy place and if you have a kid who has an interest in coding or even just gaming, this place is like a Mecca for them. Clean and Covid conscious - give it a try."
Claire F, Sarasota
"My son (8) loves theCoderSchool. Talks about it almost daily and asks how many days till he goes back."
Jackie S, Sarasota
"Our son has been attending classes both virtually and in person for almost two years. He has increased his knowledge of computer coding in multiple languages. I love the positive and nurturing environment at this school. They make it fun and interactive. They also have easy to follow progress reports after each session. I do not know the terminology and appreciate that they use terms that a non-coder can understand."
Gena M, Lakewood Ranch
"I get great progress Information on the results after each class and I’m very impressed with that. Friendly staff. "
Cheryl R, Bradenton
"We love theCoderSchool and my son always has a great time when he goes. The owners are so attentive and caring and you can tell they love working with children. My son has excelled in creating programs and has come a long way."
Carly C, Sarasota
"Great !!!my son loves the coder school, The place is very nice, Teachers are awesome, coach Ali is teaching my son so much, Pete and Allyson are so professional and friendly too. Great place, we will continue there and recommend it for sure.👍"
Ludy C, Sarasota
"My 11-year-old son has been taking coding classes for about 6 months and absolutely loves it here! He is learning so much and his coaches make it fun and engaging. I highly recommend theCoderSchool."
Melissa H, Bradenton
"My son loves his classes and summer camp program was a hit. The owners are wonderful to work with."
Jeanne S, Ellenton

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

Each year, theCoderSchool partners with the Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide coding contest run by districts of the U.S. Congress. Some of our students have won this prestigious prize, met their U.S. Congressperson, and even flown to DC for the winners event. Take a look at some recent CAC winners from theCoderSchool, or browse through our Live App Gallery to see custom apps our students are building!

School Info

6293 Lake Osprey Dr
In Lakewood Ranch
(941)355-CODE(2633)
sarasota@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 – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Meet Our Owners

Hi everyone! We are Chad and Ellen Hamel, owners of theCoderSchool in McLean and Ashburn, Virginia and Sarasota, FL! We are so excited to bring theCoderSchool to your area! A little about us - we live on a small farm in Virginia with our two boys and lots of farm animals. Chad is a veterinarian and graduate of Oklahoma State University. Ellen is a nurse and graduate of the University of Virginia and George Washington University. We have each worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. Throughout our careers we have experienced more and more the importance of technology and its reach into a variety of different industries, including healthcare. We recognize that coding is not only an essential skill for the future, but helps kids to develop their creative, cognitive and analytic abilities, setting them up for success in their careers and in life! We chose theCoderSchool because we believe in its philosophy of teaching to code with a personalized coaching approach, in a fun and supportive environment, and fostered by a family-oriented team. We hope you’ll join our community and look forward to working with you and your child to create a custom learning experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at chamel@thecoderschool.com or ehamel@thecoderschool.com.

Meet Our Mascot

My name is Magellan, theCodingAlpaca! I enjoy eating grass, playing with my other Alpaca friends, and of course, Coding. I hope to see you soon at our school. Until then, please ponder how I learned to code when I have hooves for feet and I hope you have an awesome day!

Meet Our Code Coaches® Too!

We've got plenty of Coaches, and tons of Comp Sci experience tucked inside! Who's the best Coach for you? I guess you'll have to come on in for a free trial to find out! Roll over a pic to see if we jotted down their background!

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.

How do I get accepted into a college computer science program?

These days, top colleges are incredibly selective. Learning to code by itself probably won't help you stand out enough. Instead, consider building a unique Coder Story. Can we help? Sure can!

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!

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!

Read about Private+Semi-Private Coaching, Virtual Learning, Coding Classes, Robotics, Python, Scratch, or Video Game Coding
or check out our general blog or our student blogs. Think coding isn't needed anymore because of AI? Think again.

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 classes for kids? Founded in 2013, we're 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 sarasota@thecoderschool.com!

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