Coding is the foundation of robotics, creating mobile applications and many more elements in our everyday lives and, through the St. Charles Park District’s great partnership with the locally based company, children as young as 6 can engage in hands-on learning.

Children can explore the elements of coding from robotics to designing new apps with Ready Set Code classes.

“These classes are great to see what sparks a child’s interest,” said Tiffany Kohorst, aquatics and youth program supervisor for the St. Charles Park District.

Ready Set Code is based in Aurora and dedicated to bringing affordable high-quality coding, robotics and technology classes. Launched in 2024, Ready Set Code brings STEAM, Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Mathematics to students from kindergarten through 12th grades, explained Sunita Rega, program director with Ready Set Code.

While coding may sound intimidating, the team at Ready Set Code designs its classes to keep them approachable and enjoyable for all ages. Rega said Ready Set Code creates its own curriculum and the kits children uses in its classes, offered in St. Charles, Geneva, Naperville and Oswego. Many classes include kits that students can take home to continue learning, Rega said.

The St. Charles Park District and Geneva Park District share hosting of the classes at their locations, offering students the opportunity to take a single class or multi-week classes.

“We’re really seeing a community interest,” Kohorst said.

This winter there’s the class Design and Print Your Own Unique Themed Prints on Saturdays, Feb. 14 to March 7 at the Persinger Recreation Center in Geneva. The class is designed for children ages 8 to 13 and gives participants a hands-on opportunity to learn how to use a 3D printer for modeling.

Also for children ages 8 to 13, there’s the single class, Design Your Own Mobile App, taking place Saturday, March 14 at the Persinger Recreation Center. In less than two hours, participants will learn how to design and create a mobile application.

Rega said when it comes to classes, keeping enrollment small allows for optimal instruction and giving everyone a chance to participate.

“We want everyone to have a hands-on experience,” Rega said.

While the students engage in learning how to program and create, they are also developing critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities and utilizing creativity and logical reasoning skills.

Blending the excitement of the Winter Olympics and robotics, Ready Set Code created the new class, Coding Olympics with Sphero Mini™, a single class Saturday, Feb. 21 at Pottawatomie Community Center. The class is designed for children ages 6 to 8, completing challenges and learning the basics of programming and robotics.

Rega said the teams at Ready Set Code enjoy creating new materials and classes and is working on new classes that will bridge STEM topics with other interests, such as the courses Future of Medicine, Sustainable Future STEAM and Code the Canvas.

“As we continue to grow our partnership I’m excited to see where we can develop new courses,” Kohorst said.

Along with classes in the spring catalogs for the park districts, Rega said the team Ready Set Code is preparing for its summer courses and looking for some additional young instructors in the classroom. Rega said the company has internship opportunities for local high school and college students where they can grow their own experience as teachers and their love for science, engineering and robotics.