A Heidelberg pupil now meets Informatik as a required subject in grade 5; Baden-Württemberg brought that rule in for 2025/26. That is good news, and it also means a Heidelberg child in Grundschule has four years before the first computing lesson. Here is what a child of 6 to 12 can learn in those years, how our live English classes work for that age, a free contest that fits a primary pupil, and a small project on Heidelberg's own street weather sensors that ends with a lesson about not believing every number.
Teaching children live since 2020 · 10,000+ students worldwide · one mentor per child, in English
In short
Modern Age Coders runs coding classes for kids in Heidelberg as live video lessons in English, for any child from 6 to 12. Younger children start with puzzles and Scratch, older ones move to typed Python and small projects with real Heidelberg data. One regular mentor matches your child's pace and accent, one to one or in an age-matched batch of up to twenty, after school or at weekends.
Where to begin
Which coding course suits a Heidelberg child of 6 to 12?
The right first course depends more on how a child reads and types than on their exact age. These three cover most Heidelberg families.
When does a Heidelberg child first have Informatik at school?
In grade 5, under a rule that is only one school year old. Before that, in Grundschule, there is no Informatik subject.
A new compulsory subject
The Gesellschaft für Informatik reports that from the 2025/26 school year Baden-Württemberg introduced the compulsory subject Informatik und Medienbildung across secondary school types, beginning with grades 5 and 6 and adding a grade each year. Its 2026/27 Informatik-Monitor counts Baden-Württemberg among four Länder that now meet the recommendation of four compulsory hours.
For a Heidelberg family, that means a child who starts secondary school will meet computing as a real subject, in a Gymnasium, Realschule or Gemeinschaftsschule alike.
Four years before it starts
As in most Länder, Heidelberg children spend grades 1 to 4 at Grundschule. Those are the years from about 6 to about 10, and they have no Informatik subject of their own.
The monitor adds a less cheerful figure: across Baden-Württemberg roughly one pupil in twelve in the Oberstufe picks Informatik. The report does not say why so few choose it; our view is simply that a child who already enjoys coding has one more reason to keep it.
Computing for a Heidelberg child, by grade
Grades
Typical age
At school
What our classes add
1 and 2
6 to 8
Grundschule, no Informatik
Puzzles, patterns and Scratch stories
3 and 4
8 to 10
Grundschule, no Informatik
Scratch games, then typed Python for confident readers
5 and 6
10 to 12
Compulsory Informatik und Medienbildung
Python projects that go further than the lesson
From 7
12 and up
The new subject grows year by year
Teen courses in Python, web and AI
Sources: Gesellschaft für Informatik, Informatik-Monitor 2026/27, national page and page for Baden-Württemberg; KMK, Primarbereich; both read on 2 November 2026. The right-hand column is ours. Population: Destatis, Gemeindeverzeichnis, 31 December 2024: Heidelberg 155,756, Baden-Württemberg 11,245,898.
So the question for a Heidelberg parent is not whether school will teach computing, because from grade 5 it will. It is whether your child arrives in grade 5 already used to breaking a problem into steps, testing an idea and fixing a mistake without giving up. That is what the first years of our classes are for. We teach alongside school, never instead of it, and the school's Informatik teacher stays the one who sets the marks.
Taught in English
Can a Heidelberg child learn coding in English if English is not their first language?
Yes. Every class is live and in English only, and the mentor shapes the English to the child.
Short, clear sentences
Mentors speak slowly to younger children, show before they tell and check with a question rather than a long explanation. A seven year old needs only a handful of words to start: move, turn, repeat, if.
Your child's accent is fine
The mentor gets used to how your child speaks within a class or two. A child who answers with one word, or drops in a German word, is understood and simply hears the English one back.
A bonus for school
Heidelberg children at German schools practise listening and speaking English in a setting that is not a test. Children at bilingual or international schools in the region carry on in the language they already learn in.
We say plainly that we do not offer lessons in German. Your child's mentor works from India over a live video link and stays the same from one week to the next. By the second month that mentor can tell whether your child wants harder puzzles, needs a quiet pause before answering, or learns fastest by tinkering with a finished game.
A real Heidelberg project
Was it really 22.5 degrees in Heidelberg on a November evening?
Heidelberg has small weather sensors on streets and squares across the city, and it shares their readings as open data that anyone may reuse. One evening of readings is enough for a project that teaches children to ask whether a number can be true.
The data
The City of Heidelberg publishes the readings of its Barani street weather sensors through its data platform, listed on GovData with the licence CC0 1.0. We downloaded every sensor's latest reading on 3 November 2026, at about 17:55 UTC, which was just before 19:00 in Heidelberg.
There are 25 sensors in the file. Two are wind sensors with no temperature, which leaves 23 temperatures, from places such as Bismarckplatz, Uniplatz, Bahnstadt, Pfaffengrund, Wieblingen and Boxberg.
The question
What was the temperature in Heidelberg that evening? A child's first idea is a good one: add up all the sensors and divide by how many there are. That is the average.
Children work from a tidy file called heidelberg_sensors.csv. Each line holds a place name, a temperature and the moment it was measured. Version 1 follows the child's plan exactly.
Version 1: average every sensorPython
import csv
temps = []
with open("heidelberg_sensors.csv", encoding="utf-8") as f:
for row in csv.DictReader(f):
if row["temp"] != "":
temps.append(float(row["temp"]))
print("Sensors with a temperature:", len(temps))
print("Average:", round(sum(temps) / len(temps), 1))
print("Warmest:", max(temps), " Coldest:", min(temps))
It prints Sensors with a temperature: 23, Average: 22.5 and Warmest: 104.7 Coldest: 7.2.
A Heidelberg evening in November at 22.5 degrees? Children laugh at this before any adult does. The warmest reading, 104.7, is hotter than boiling water, and it appears three times. Looking at the file shows more: one sensor in Neuenheim last reported in May 2023, one in Pfaffengrund in July 2023, and one in Bergheim on 19 July 2026, a summer evening. Their numbers are old news, still sitting in the list.
So Version 2 asks two questions of every reading. Is it from today? And does it roughly agree with its neighbours? For the second question we sort today's readings and take the one in the middle, then set aside any reading more than 3 degrees away from it.
Version 2: today only, and close to the middlePython
import csv
rows = []
with open("heidelberg_sensors.csv", encoding="utf-8") as f:
for row in csv.DictReader(f):
if row["temp"] != "":
rows.append((row["place"], float(row["temp"]), row["time"]))
today = [r for r in rows if r[2].startswith("2026-11-03")]
values = sorted(t for _, t, _ in today)
middle = values[len(values) // 2]
print("Readings from today:", len(today), " Middle value:", middle)
good = []
for place, temp, time in today:
if abs(temp - middle) > 3:
print("Does not agree with its neighbours:", place, temp)
else:
good.append(temp)
print("Readings we trust:", len(good))
print("Average we trust:", round(sum(good) / len(good), 1))
It prints Readings from today: 20 Middle value: 8.4, then Does not agree with its neighbours: for Neuenheim Haydnstr. 104.7, Altstadt Uniplatz West 104.7 and Handschuhsheim Mühltalstr. 21.8, then Readings we trust: 17 and Average we trust: 8.3.
The trusted average is 8.3 degrees, which matches a damp November evening. The middle value works as a referee because a few wild numbers cannot move it: the sensor in the middle of the queue is still an ordinary one. Notice what Version 2 did not throw out. Boxberg read 7.2, more than a degree below the middle, but a degree or so is a believable difference between two parts of one city, so it stays. The rule is "far from the neighbours", not "different".
Heidelberg sensor readings set aside, 3 November 2026 (our check)
Sensor
Reading
Why we set it aside
Neuenheim Haydnstr.
104.7
Far from the middle value of 8.4
Altstadt Uniplatz West
104.7
Far from the middle value of 8.4
Handschuhsheim Mühltalstr.
21.8
Far from the middle value of 8.4
Neuenheim Bürgeramt
104.7
Last reading 8 May 2023
Pfaffengrund Richard Drach Str
18.7
Last reading 27 July 2023
Bergheim Alte Eppelheimerstr.
21.8
Last reading 19 July 2026
Data: Stadt Heidelberg, Wetterstationen der Stadt Heidelberg (Barani), licence CC0 1.0, latest readings downloaded 3 November 2026 at about 17:55 UTC. The checks and averages are our own. The data does not say why the readings are wrong, so we do not guess; 104.7 appearing three times looks like an error code rather than a temperature, but that is a question to ask the data owner, not a fact.
Ages 6 to 8, no screen. Ask five family members to guess the temperature outside, then add a sixth guess of 100. Line the guesses up from smallest to largest and point to the middle one. Did the 100 change it?
Ages 8 to 10, Scratch. Put the 23 readings in a list, work out the average, then delete the three biggest and do it again. Say in one sentence why the answers differ.
Ages 10 to 12, Python. Start with Version 1. Open the CSV and find the oldest date by eye. Now code your own date filter, and only then compare it with Version 2.
Going further. Change the 3 degrees in Version 2 to 1 degree. Which honest sensor is now thrown out by mistake?
First contests
Is there a free coding contest for a Heidelberg primary pupil?
Yes, and it runs this month. Maths lovers have a second one in April 2027. We are not connected to either organiser.
Informatik-Biber, November 2026
Bundesweite Informatikwettbewerbe organises the Informatik-Biber, which costs nothing and asks for no coding experience. It is open from grade 3 up to grade 13. A primary pupil gets nine tasks and half an hour; the 2026 Biberwochen are 9 to 20 November 2026.
Entry goes through a school, which signs its classes up and holds the contest during a lesson. A quick message to the class teacher tells you whether your child's school is in.
Känguru der Mathematik, April 2027
The Känguru maths contest normally sits in March, but its organisers moved the 2027 contest to 8 April 2027 because the usual date fell just before the Easter holidays in almost every Land. Online registration opens on 1 December 2026 and closes on 31 January 2027.
Like the Biber, it is entered through the school, which registers the class.
Neither contest's tasks appear in our lessons. Our mentors invent fresh puzzles about hidden rules, orderings and short paths, and families who want the real style are sent to the organisers' own free practice sets.
Class times
When are the classes in Heidelberg time?
Classes sit in Heidelberg afternoons and weekend mornings, which are evenings and afternoons for a mentor in India.
Example Heidelberg times and the clock in India
Heidelberg
India, winter until 27 March 2027
India, summer from the end of March 2027
Tuesday 15:15
19:45
18:45
Friday 14:15
18:45
17:45
Saturday 11:30
16:00
15:00
Heidelberg runs on MEZ (UTC+1) through the winter and MESZ (UTC+2) through the summer, as the Einheitenzeitgesetz sets out. This autumn's change was on 25 October 2026; the spring one falls on 28 March 2027. Indian clocks never change from UTC+5:30, so the gap is four and a half hours now and three and a half from late March. Treat the rows as examples; batches have no fixed time.
Baden-Württemberg school holidays 2026/27 (KMK table)
Holiday
Dates
Autumn
26 to 31 October 2026
Christmas
23 December 2026 to 9 January 2027
Easter
25 March, then 30 March to 3 April 2027
Whitsun
18 to 29 May 2027
Summer
29 July to 11 September 2027
Source: KMK, Ferien im Schuljahr 2026/2027, Stand 9 October 2025, first and last holiday days for Baden-Württemberg. Classes continue in the holidays; many families pause for a trip and simply carry on afterwards.
Milestones
How will I know my child is making progress?
Five stages we use to match a child to a batch and to show parents what has moved on. They are ours, not a school scale.
Five stages for Heidelberg children (our scale)
Stage
Usual age
Your child can
1. Order
6 to 7
Put picture steps in the right order and spot the step that is missing
2. Repeat
7 to 8
Make a Scratch character repeat a dance and stop at the right moment
3. Decide
8 to 9
Use if and else so a game reacts differently to a win and a loss
4. Type
9 to 11
Type a short Python program and calmly read the error message it gives
5. Doubt
10 to 12
Check data for old or impossible values before trusting an answer
For parents
Stage 5 is the sensor project. It is the stage we care about most, because a child who asks "can that be true?" carries the question far beyond coding.
Reports to parents describe what was built and what your child could explain, not screen time.
For children
If a computer tells you something odd, it is not always right. Look at the numbers it used.
The middle of a sorted list is hard to fool. One silly number cannot move it far.
More for children
Nine more courses for Heidelberg children
Each is taught live in English by a regular mentor, for a single child or an age-matched batch.
I
Thinking skills
Ages 5 to 14
HEI / THI / 01
Computational thinking
Logic puzzles in the spirit of the Biber, all written by us.
A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.
by Krish
Fees
Fees for Heidelberg families
Each month's fee pays for eight live classes. We print the amounts in euro, converted with the reference rate of the European Central Bank, while the card payment itself goes through in US dollars; your bank handles the exchange, so the figure on the statement may move a little.
What parents and students wrote on Google, unedited.
★★★★★
"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."
Ria Mukherjee
Parent
★★★★★
"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."
Samriddha Mondal
Student
★★★★★
"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."
Vansh Agarwal
Student
★★★★★
"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."
Sonam Oswal
Parent of Dhairya
★★★★★
"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."
Sonu Goyal
Parent
★★★★★
"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."
Ritu Kedia
Parent
Heidelberg parents ask
Coding classes for kids in Heidelberg: common questions
Are the classes in German?
No. Lessons are live and only ever in English. Mentors keep sentences short, demonstrate on screen before they explain, and tune their speed to how your child speaks and listens, which makes them easy to follow for a child whose English is still growing.
From what age can my child start?
At 6. The youngest begin with picture puzzles and Scratch blocks that click into place, so no typing is needed. Around 9, children who read comfortably can switch to typed Python.
Do Heidelberg schools teach coding?
From grade 5. Baden-Württemberg introduced the compulsory subject Informatik und Medienbildung from the 2025/26 school year, starting in grades 5 and 6. Grundschule, grades 1 to 4, has no Informatik subject.
Will this clash with Informatik in grade 5?
No. We teach alongside school, and the school course and its teacher remain the ones that count for marks. Children who have coded before usually find the start of the school subject easier and more fun.
When are classes in Heidelberg time?
Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Most Heidelberg children take an afternoon slot or a Saturday morning.
Who are the teachers?
Mentors based in India who teach live over video. India is four and a half hours ahead of Heidelberg in winter, so a 15:15 class here is 19:45 for the mentor.
How many children are in a class?
Batches hold fifteen to twenty children close in age. If you would rather your child had the mentor alone, the one-to-one plan means two private lessons weekly, scheduled with you.
What is the Informatik-Biber?
A national online puzzle contest with no entry fee and no coding needed, for grades 3 up to 13. Primary children get nine tasks and 30 minutes. This year it is held between 9 and 20 November 2026, with entry through the school.
What does it cost?
You pay month by month. Prices here appear in euro using the European Central Bank reference rate, the charge runs in US dollars, and your bank converts it, so expect a small difference on the statement. Trying the first class is free.
Does my child use AI chatbots in class?
Not on adult accounts. Younger children learn how AI works through safe examples, and every child writes and explains their own code. We teach thinking, not copying answers from people or machines.
In the trial lesson your child solves a little puzzle and builds a very small program. Watching that, the mentor learns how your child tackles problems and copes with English, and recommends a course and an age band.
Our mentors teach from India, live and in English only. Message us on WhatsApp in English for the quickest answer.
Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo
A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.
