OurKidsCode: A National Programme to get Families Involved in CS Education

Across Europe, primary age children are being encouraged to learn computing. OurKidsCode is a joint project between the National Parents' Council (Primary) and Trinity College Dublin. The project's needs analysis found that families play an important role in supporting children's learning, indicating the opportunity for innovative computing workshops throughout Ireland. In response, OurKidsCode has designed family-friendly, mixed age workshops to help parents and children work together and build the confidence and competence to engage with computing. Challenges addressed through the design included widening recruitment, increasing engagement and sustaining involvement. Evaluation of the pilot workshops showed a significant increase in the computing confidence of the participants and an increased readiness to take part in future computing activites.