Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

This is one of the rare coding apps that delivers on its promise. Where most 'learn to code' apps are glorified puzzle games with coding window dressing, Hopscotch gives kids actual creative power. The interface is intuitive enough for elementary schoolers but deep enough that middle schoolers aren't bored.

The educational credentials are legit—Parents' Choice Gold Medal, used in nearly half of US school iPads, featured in the NYT and WSJ. Teachers love it because it works, and kids love it because it doesn't feel like homework.

The catch? Those social features. Chat, live streaming, location tracking—it's a lot. Yes, the community is moderated and COPPA certified, but you're still letting your kid interact with strangers on the internet. Spend 20 minutes going through the privacy settings together and having the 'here's how we behave online' conversation.

The subscription model is pricey but not predatory—the free version is fully functional, and there's a real 7-day trial. If your kid gets serious about coding, $80/year for premium creation tools is reasonable compared to other STEM activities.

Bottom line: if you want your kid to actually learn coding (not just play coding-themed games), and you're willing to supervise the social aspects, Hopscotch is excellent. Just don't hand an iPad to a 7-year-old and walk away.

Age Fit

Sweet spot is 8-15 year olds, though younger kids with coding interest and parental help can start around 7. By high school most kids will have moved to text-based coding, but the creative community keeps some engaged longer. Not for adults unless you're learning alongside your kid.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

82

The app promotes creativity, problem-solving, and skill-building in a positive environment. The community aspect encourages sharing and learning from peers. However, the presence of social features (chat, commenting, live streaming) introduces some risk of negative interactions, though the community is fully moderated. The tone is encouraging and empowering for young creators.

Imaginative

94

This is where Hopscotch truly shines. Unlike many coding apps that force kids through rigid levels, Hopscotch gives genuine creative freedom to build games, animations, and interactive stories from scratch. The drag-and-drop interface with immediate visual feedback encourages experimentation. Kids can remix millions of existing projects, creating a culture of inspiration and iteration. The open-ended nature means the only limit is imagination.

Safe

68

Mixed bag here. On the positive side: no ads, COPPA certified by iKeepSafe, doesn't collect personal information from children, and has full moderation of the community. On the concerning side: social features including chat, commenting, live streaming, video sharing, and location tracking create potential exposure to strangers. The in-app purchases ($9.99/month or $79.99/year for Pro) are relatively expensive for a kids' app, though there's a free version and 7-day trial. Parents need to actively manage privacy settings and monitor community interactions.

Enriching

92

Exceptional educational value. Teaches real programming fundamentals—variables, conditionals, loops, logic—through hands-on creation rather than passive lessons. Used on 44% of school iPads in the US, with free lesson plans for educators. Skills learned translate directly to high school, college, and career coding. The play-along video tutorials teaching kids to recreate popular games (Crossy Road, Pokemon Go) make learning concrete and relevant. Multiple awards from Parents Magazine, Parent's Choice Gold Medal, and Children's Technology Review validate its educational merit.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Real creative freedom: kids can build actual games, animations, and stories, not just complete preset levels with limited blocks
Teaches genuine programming concepts (variables, loops, conditionals) that translate to real coding later
Massive inspiration library: millions of projects to play, remix, and learn from, with thousands added weekly
Used in 44% of US school iPads with free educator resources—this is legit educational technology, not edutainment fluff
Video tutorials teach kids to recreate popular games like Crossy Road and Pokemon Go, making learning immediately relevant

⚠

What to Watch For

Social features are extensive (chat, commenting, live streaming, location tracking) and while moderated, still expose kids to strangers—you'll want to review privacy settings together
The Pro subscription at $9.99/month or $79.99/year is steep, though the free version is functional and there's no pressure to upgrade
iOS only, so Android families are out of luck
Kids can spend hours down the rabbit hole of creating and exploring—set time limits if screen time is a concern

Conversation Starters

"Show me what you're working on! Walk me through how your code makes that character move."
"What's the coolest project you've seen in the community? What made it so good?"
"If you could add any feature to Hopscotch, what would it be and why?"
"Have you talked to anyone in the chat or comments? What kinds of things do people say?"
"What's harder—coming up with the idea for a game or actually coding it to work?"

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Hopscotch Coding